INTERNATIONAL CAREERS
Presented by Jim Ball, ‘71
for the
Career Development Center
Bucknell University
September 2007
An introduction on my background...
• Thirty years in international development and management consulting
• Clients in public and private sector, at state and national levels, and
mainly funded by the international financial institutions (IFI) like The
World Bank, Asian Development Bank, USAID, and others
• Worked in all continents but one, 45 countries overall, and resided for
10 years in Africa and Asia
• Started in Peace Corps Ghana, then was with engineering management
firm in US working with state highway departments, then went back to
international development with engineering firms and financial
management, largely through World Bank and other international
finance institutions funding.
• Managed businesses (small, medium, large consulting and engineering
firms) based in Washington, Sydney and elsewhere
• Most recent experience in Asia, especially Southeast Asia
International careers can be placed, for our purposes,
in three categories …international development,
diplomacy and policy, and business.
• International Development
– IFI
• World Bank, ADB, IDB, AfDB, EBRD...
• USAID, DFID, CIDA...
– Private Consultants
• Profit and Non-profit
• Chemonics, Berger, Bearing Point, DAI, Nathan, Deloitte Touche
– Universities
• Land Grant State, Private, Institutes
– Non-Government Organizations (NGO)
• CARE, WWF, PACT, HfH, Africare, Save the Children, Red Cross
– Faith-based Charities
• World Vision, OI, ELCA, CRS
Categories, continued...
• International Diplomacy and Policy
– State Department
– United Nations and agencies
– Other international agencies and policy groups
• WEF, WTO, NAFTA, others
• International Business
– Commercial Corporations
• Multinationals (Ford, Mobil, IBM, Financial Services, etc)
• Small businesses benefiting from global internet (CleanFlo, Thunder)
• Entrepreneurs (Borneo Landscaping, The Cow)
• Do you see yourself in one of these, or is there something else?
To help you consider, ask yourself…
• What specific questions do you have about
international careers?
– Write them down and refer to them as you hear or read
– Be prepared to ask them in forums
• What strengths do you bring to your search?
• As you hear from experts or consider options you
see in this presentation, list the areas you feel the
need to strengthen.
There are many paths to follow, with no one way,
except for the one that suits you.
• It can help to see what others have gone through to get to where you
may want to go.
• On the following pages we present profiles of people working in the
three categories.
• Ask yourself…
– What things stand out?
– What things are similar?
– Can you truly see yourself going down one or more of these paths…doing
the things to position yourself, spending the time to learn new skills, and
handling living in other cultures?
First, some success stories in
international development…
• World Bank/IMF Official
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Currently senior officer at IMF
Peace Corps (PC) Ethiopia
Graduate work at Stanford Food Research Institute
Field work in Ghana for a year on tertiary-secondary agricultural
economics
– Young Professionals Program at World Bank, led to assignment
with WB president, then senior financial analyst, and on to IMF
– Started with passion, leveraged PC to top grad school
– Did field work in “hot” area -- small-holder agriculture economics
and sociology (wife did complementary study on village women in
the marketplaces)
International development profiles, continued...
• USAID Senior Program Manager
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Peace Corps Kenya
Graduate work in Ag Econ at Tennessee (land grant)
Graduate study tied to USAID program, which led to doctorate
USAID Ethiopia (where met former profile and helped mentor)
USAID Ghana, Washington, Rwanda, Washington, etc.
Retired, now consultant
Plan was to spend 25 years in USAID and get government benefits and
then make money consulting
International development profiles, continued...
• USAID Country Director in Southeast Asia
– Georgetown U, economics major
– Long-time love of travel, had family in Austria, mastered Spanish in HS,
spent junior year in Italy
– Started in retail banking at 16, continued part-time through college
– Recruited by national bank for its Banking School
– Pushed for international work, when not forthcoming, went to grad school
– MBA and then MA (international law and economics)
– Met spouse, personal decisions led to Washington, jobs in intl. dev.
– Well-regarded consulting firms (ISTI, DAI), specializing in privatization
practice, many overseas projects (short-term)
– Overseas with spouse for six years, then back to US with Millenium
Corporation and back into private sector international development
International development profiles, continued...
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University Professor and International Executive Institute Director
– Political Science, UC Riverside
– MPA, UW, originally Intl Relations, tied to USAID
– USAID Internship in Vietnam (‘67) -- result of his “opportunistic
interest,” i.e. went where no one wanted to go at the time and where longterm opportunities where (Vietnam is now a “hot” growth opportunity) –
something he calls a “no-brainer”
– Became head of Univ. of Maryland’s International Development
Management Center, related consulting business, and currently head of
program for masters of international public administration at Portland
State University
– Long-term passion for international development, likes foreign cultures
and people, with a history of connections with people around the world
who revere his counsel
– Sees keys as:
• Relationships (good professors)
• Willingness to go where others hesitated
International development profiles, continued...
• International Transportation Management Consultant
– PC Bolivia, learned language, liked culture
– Local hire with US engineering firm
– US based engineering management firm, expanding into international
finance institutions (IFI)
– Project manager, director, VP of large intl firm
– Small firms, then large firms, resident in LA 5 years
– Now retired, consulting regularly with World Bank, Asian Development
Bank (mainly India), InterAmerican Development Bank
– Sees passion and ability to adapt as key -- ability to enjoy nearly every
situation and dinner table
– Genuine liking of foreign cultures and people, which has resulted in wide
array of relationships and connections
International development profiles, continued...
• International Financial Management and MIS Consultant
– Family overseas (Father was Resident Representative WB in Africa, Peace
Corps Director in Asia)
– In Africa, learned French and developed a skill in languages, which has
been a real key to his success
– In Asia, attend high school in Delhi
– MSc/MIS, including a course on International Program Management,
taught by adjunct professor in consulting business, who directed him to
small start-up firm getting first job in MIS in Africa
– 25 years in international development – Kenya, Mali, Bhutan, US,
Malaysia, back to US, Vietnam, Thailand – nearly all in international
development projects funded by WB, USAID, ADB
– Recently went with SAP, manages Asia IFI business out of Bangkok
– Keys: affinity to languages, well-displayed comfort with cultures, built on
experiences when younger
International development profiles, continued...
• Professional International Development Manager
– Carpentry skills, college, PC Ecuador -- learned Spanish and found an
affinity for languages
– MA, Intl Econ, Fletcher School Law & Diplomacy (Tufts/Harvard)
– Catholic Relief Services
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Desk officer for Central America and Caribbean
Microfinance Program Trainer
Cuba Program Director
Country Rep for Vietnam/Laos (learned language) for six years
– Upon returning to US, development director for Vietnam Veterans group
– Currently senior staff (information technology management) for Peace
Corps Washington
– Keys:
• Volunteer to start, but for long term, not vacation
• Outside skills
• Language
International development profiles, continued...
• Program Manager for NGO In-country
– Finished his BA in home country of Australia
– Showed up on Hanoi, with no job, only interest in doing something – an
occurrence that is more and more common
– Volunteered at World Wildlife Fund, helping to build fences, then to write
grant proposals
– Was taken on as a local hire staff – low pay, but enough, and great
experience
– Now program manager for Indochina Ecoregion for WWF
– Takes on similar staff for short and long terms
International diplomacy and policy profiles...
• Ambassador, US State Department
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Currently a senior Ambassador, FSO since 1975
BA, MA, economics
Applied to State…took the tests, written and oral
Started in Washington, then rotation in embassy (Ghana), then
Washington, Jordan, Middle East policy group (Washington), Dpty
Chief of Mission India, and Ambassador in Europe (2 locations)
– Currently in senior State position in Washington
– He sees it as lifestyle as much as job
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Any major will work, but writing is key
“Read widely -- NY Times cover-to-cover everyday”
Be creative, flexible, open, diverse
Language a real plus
International diplomacy and policy profiles...
• Staff Specialist, US State Department
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Employee Consultant Services, Staff Therapist
Started in PC Ghana
MS, Social Work
Psychiatric Inst, MD & DC
Peace Corps Staff -- Director of Volunteer Special Services (5 years)
Easy move to State
Emphasizes that State is a government agency, so flexibility and openmindedness are important
– Retired from State last year, now working part-time with challenged kids
in Maryland.
International diplomacy and policy profiles...
• Staff Specialist, World Economic Forum
– MA (1996), international economics, GU, strong thesis on transportation
issue
– Management consulting firm, consulting in US on policy issues
– Tracked opportunities through publications and internet, applied many
times, and eventually got entry-level position in Geneva (Davos)
– Had strong family/friend connections, and used them
International business profiles….
• Insurance Industry Executive
– Interested in international work in college, but got BA,
got married, sold insurance for Allstate – still
maintained interest
– Rose through ranks, became expert in insurance
sales/marketing
– AIG needed people with interests and skills to expand
global business, and he knew people there
– First placement in Buenos Aires (without language),
now Asia
– Globalization offers career paths through global firms,
but recognize local competition is increasing
International business profile…
• Automobile Company Executive
– No interest in international work, BS in systems
engineering, joined Ford 20 yrs ago
– Saw upside to sales & marketing, got MBA at
night, moved up ladder
– In a personal career development meeting with
Ford human resources center, it was indicated
that overseas experience important to success
– Now in Bangkok… and doesn’t want to leave
International business profiles….
• Small Businessman
– Developed simple, yet effective water pump for stagnant ponds in
MN
– Enterprising Malaysian found it in trade magazine and contacted
him
– Now an international business growing with internet
• Landscaping Entrepreneur
– BS in Ag, VSO (British volunteers overseas, like PC) in Borneo
– Saw opportunity for landscaping, teamed with Malaysian
supervisor at Ministry of Agriculture
– Rode wave of development, road beautification, globalization in
Malaysia and Southeast Asia, now has companies and projects in
several countries in region
Many young people now going into language
training in Asia to get started…here are three
recent graduates…
• One degree in Asia studies, Japanese language,
with previous fluency in French, now with JET
• One degree in History, minor in History, teaching
on own schedule in Japan as private tutor
• One degree in political science, teaching in Japan
with large private-sector English-language training
firm
Perhaps the most interesting…
• Australian Entrepreneur
– Finished high school in Sydney, didn’t go to
university, but worked and saved about $5000.
– Went to Hanoi, Vietnam, bought very small
pub, with local partner, and marketed to
expatriates and locals in Hanoi.
– Pub was reasonable success, sold 75% of his
interest, and used money to enter medical
school in Australia (5-year program there)
Do you see yourself moving along similar path to
one of these?
• International Development
• Diplomacy and Policy
• International Business
If so, then need to consider what are the things that got
people to where they are, what you have as strengths,
what areas you need to work on.
What are similarities or characteristics or
experiences we see ...
• Peace Corps, or something like it, a common experience
• Language skills quite useful (currently Arabic, Chinese,
French and other non-traditional)
• Sincere interest in international experiences
• Many people knew someone – family, friend – who
worked overseas or worked with international agencies
• Willingness to go out and try something new and different
Some key issues and thoughts on international
careers...
• Relationships and networks are important
• Key qualifications:
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Writing skills, communication skills
Language (75% jobs)
Previous experience (25% reg)
People and team skills
Unique skills (MIS, AIDS, hi-tech)
Advanced degree
• Constraints today:
– Large numbers of adventurous , cheap, skilled people in other countries
– US citizens not always wanted & US firms afraid of risks in foreign lands
– Current model is to build stronger local teams and managers
Some futures in international work…
• China -- language key, but lots of opportunity to start by teaching
English (Korea also)
• Asia in general -- many technical skills and needs that they are lacking
as they move to next development level, and they are aware that US is
only place to provide
• Health -- AIDS and other health scares need lots of attention
• Political initiatives -- nation building, Millenium Corporation, relief
and dire need development (Iraq)… follow the money
• High risk - high reward
• Shorter term is in vogue, fewer long-term assignments, so if you are
young and not tied down, you are more interesting
• Others??
Everyone emphasizes the importance of relationships
and networks…family, friends, CDC, professors here
and graduate school....
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Know someone in international field?
Have a professor/mentor who knows the field?
Have done internship or similar experience overseas?
Speak Chinese or other Asian language?
Know your congressman or senator well?
• If yes to three or more, you are in good position to go for it
• If not, work on getting three and find a path
Some volunteer organizations where Bucknell
graduates have gone in the past four years...
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JET
Peace Corps
Habitat for Humanity
Americorps
Jesuit Volunteer Corps
Teach for America
World Teach
Also, see Bucknell’s IR Alum website.
CDC has a list of International Career/Work Abroad
Resources. Some other places to search…
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USAID
http://www.usaid.gov/about/resources/
World Bank
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/decdo/
contents.htm
ADB
IDB
IMF
Idealist.org
DevelopmentEx
International Rescue Committee
Save the Children
Catholic Charities / CRS
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United Nations
Lutheran Relief
ELCA
Africare
PACT
World Vision
Doctors without Borders
CARE
Habitat for Humanity
Heifner
AED
World Relief
International firms
Obviously, recent graduates have limited
qualifications to offer. So, what is important to these
organizations?
• Passion
– Enthusiasm for the organization’s cause
– Passion for the international, overseas life
• Cultural sensitivity
– Ability to meet and like people of different backgrounds and beliefs
– Awareness of diversity
– Adaptability
• Prior volunteer experience
– Demonstrated commitment to helping & ease with strange surroundings
– Ability to synthesize and articulate experiences and lessons learned
Next steps…
• What will you do in next three weeks to
further your career?
• Write down three things, then do them.