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.:Resource Guides:Interviews-Benjamin Sand.
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Interviews
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Advice
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What books, magazines, periodicals, websites or other materials should people read to learn more about this field? |
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I read the newspapers daily. The New York Times, the Washington Post, The Guardian online. I check out the BBC as well as www.reliefweb.int for specifics related to relief operations
around the world. Also, the Economist is invaluable with regard to general world affairs.
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What questions would you ask of someone who wants to do this work? |
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Why do you want to do it and what can you do? If all you have is the desire, these days that's not enough. Wanting to be a teacher doesn't mean you'll be a good one, and the negative repercussions of employing a bad teacher -- or
relief worker -- can be disastrous. I look for people who are motivated by a desire to help and can contribute something tangible when they hit the ground. Can you manage budgets, do you speak foreign languages, have you lived in the devloping world before, do yo
have a degree in nutrition, have you handled large logistical operations, etc.
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In what kinds of jobs can recent college graduates have the most impact in your field? |
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I think in my field the best thing to do is take any job you can. More than in most fields, there is a strong sense in relief work, particularly at Concern, where I work, that it really is a team effort. From answering phones to
implementing projects in Rwanda, everyone is making an impact. The trick is to take the first job you're offered, no matter how lowly you might think it, and do your best to help. In time you know what you can do best, and the organization will see that they want
to use you in as productive a manner as possible.
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What are the major trends and/or key issues in your field? |
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We have definitely moved away from a volunteer-driven adventure-seeking core group of aid workers to a very professional career-minded body. Advanced degrees are expected, though not required, to get started; best practices are
stressed; writing skills, hard analysis, and data crunching, they're all part of the job. A willingness to travel is not enough anymore.
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What forms of support and/or advice have you found most valuable (mentoring, trainings, professional development, attending conferences, etc.)? |
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Mentoring, by far. I have been incredibly lucky to work with some amazing people who took the time to show me how best to go about my job, while always inspiring me to try harder. This is a business that profits from the individual
personalities that populate our ranks, and I think the best thing you can do is latch on to someone who has experience and watch what they do.
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What is a common or tough interview question a candidate in your field should be prepared to answer? |
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What, specifically, will you be bringing to the organization?
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What other advice would you give people who want to do this work? |
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Do the Peace Corps. Really, there is no better way to get two years of overseas experience.
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