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Searching for a Job or Internship
Job Search Process
*Note about the order: If you are starting your job or internship search now, we recommend you go in this order. Sometimes, however, you’ll meet someone in your life in the world where you learn about an opportunity (essentially step 3), and you would go back through steps 1-2. Do what makes sense for your situation, but don’t skip the networking!
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Prepare Base Application Materials
- Revise base resume
- Update and other online profiles
- Request
- Review basics of writing
- Doing this early in your job search will allow you to quickly tweak your materials and apply faster when opportunities arise!
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Narrow the Search
- Review career directions of interest
- Review skills.(What abilities would you like to bring or develop in your next role?)
- Review wants,such as type of work, location, company/role, or unique access
- Review needs, such as timeline, finances, family obligations, etc.
- ForMA students: Are you trying to fulfill the professional experience requirement with an internship? Check on requirements from Graduate Advising
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Network
- Reach out to people working in your field of interest:
- Alumni
- Cold Calls
- Faculty
- Current/former classmates and colleagues
- Family, neighbors, community members, and other members of your personal network
- Start by reaching out to 5 people using the Networking step-by-step guide, including sample networking emails and sample questions.
- Don’t skip this step! It’s estimated that at least 60 percent of IR jobs are never posted online. They’re gotten through networking.
- In fall, apply to get a year-long mentor through the SIS Career Mentoring Program
- Reach out to people working in your field of interest:
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Conduct Targeted Job Search
- Create a list of top employers to regularly search
- Create alerts for the types of positions that interest you on , LinkedIn, Glassdoor, other international affairs-specific job sites
- Connect through social media and networking opportunities like employer events
- Attend SIS/AU programming and career events with international affairs employers:
- DC site visits to international affairs employers
- Non-profit industry weeks (meet employers, attend panels and networking reception)
- AU Job and Internship Fair
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Apply to Jobs
- Tell any contacts you have at the organization you are applying; ask if they have any tips
- to the employer and the open position: resume and cover letter.We can’t overemphasize the importance of this.Tailoring your materials and networking make the biggest differences for you getting an interview or not!
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Seek Alternatives if You Need Income Quickly
- Employment Services
- Temporary, Contract-to-Hire & Direct Hire Staffing Services
- Private, In-House, Industry Recruiters
- Start your career with a paid internship
- Employment Services
Explore Job & Internship Opportunities
General
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: GoinGlobal offers information for your global job search, both abroad and in the U.S. Access country-specific guides, a list of H1B employers, financial considerations, job and internship opportunities, and resume and cover letter advice by country.
Defense & Intelligence
- (government jobs)
- (to find government contractors)
- (government contractor positions)
Conflict Resolution
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(government jobs)
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(contract work)
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(executive search)
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(to find government contractors)
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(AU is limited to 50 students accounts, so if you are not able to access the content or want to check the number of users, please contact liberm@american.edu)
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(subscription)
Diplomacy & Policy
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(government jobs)
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(free subscription)
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(subscription service)
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(subscription service)
International Organizations
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(vacancies in the EU, UN, and International Organizations)
Nonprofits & Think Tanks
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(create free account)
Searching for a Fellowship
Fellowship Search Process
A fellowship is a short-term, funded, merit-based opportunity for a unique work placement, professional training, independent projects, research, or graduate and doctoral study. Fellowships are offered in virtually all disciplines, at all career levels. Scholarships, in contrast, provide funding to students for university tuition and other study-related expenses and can be either need-based or merit-based.
Explore Fellowship Opportunities
Public-Service Focused
a prestigious, flagship program involves a paid two-year rotation of two positions with U.S. federal agencies, as well as opportunities for networking and leadership development, to start on a career path as a civil servant in the federal government. Campus workshops begin in August.
The is a prestigious program that offers our country’s most outstanding and civic-minded graduate students in international affairs the opportunity to spend a summer working to solve some of our biggest national and global challenges. Fellows are selected based on their outstanding scholarly achievements, commitment to the study of international affairs, extracurricular experience and demonstrated interest in public service. Fellows may receive a summer stipend, an internship opportunity with a legislative (congressional) or executive branch office, and/ or invitations to participate in summer roundtables and events. A call for applications is typically sent by the school in October.
is a not-for-profit that has been supporting efforts to increase diversity in public service for more than 40 years. PPIA believes that our society is best served by public managers, policy makers, and community leaders who represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives. To achieve this goal, PPIA has a focus on students from groups who are underrepresented in leadership positions in government, nonprofits, international organizations and other institutional settings. Furthermore, international affairs are increasingly mixed with local concerns. Addressing such global issues to make diversity a critical goal in professional public service.
Peacebuilding & Advocacy
explore issues of social justice, human rights, politics of memory and remembrance culture, and civic engagement. They look at the ways in which communities co-exist to create a pluralistic society, and the structural challenges arising from asymmetrical power dynamics.
invites recent college and graduate school alumni to apply for full-time, six-to-nine-month fellowships in Washington, DC. Outstanding individuals will be selected to work with nonprofit, public-interest organizations addressing peace and security issues. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in these issues who have prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy.
Scoville Fellows will choose to work with one of the twenty-six organizations . With the assistance of alumni, board, and staff, fellows will select a placement which best matches their interests and the needs of the host organization. Participating organizations provide office space and support, supervision and guidance for fellows’ work. With the exception of Congressional lobbying, fellows may undertake a variety of activities, including research, writing, and organizing that support the goals of their host organization.
is a personal and professional leadership development accelerator for emerging talent in foreign policy. Six YPFP Fellows will have a unique opportunity to develop, construct, and implement a strategy and execution for an organization that has significant impact for thousands of young professionals around the world. The six fellows will serve as YPFP’s Senior Leadership Team and provide leadership and direction to YPFP’s volunteer staff. Fellows will receive a stipend for their leadership in the management of YPFP.
Foreign Service
is a program funded by the U.S. Department of State, administered by Howard University, that attracts and prepares outstanding young people for Foreign Service careers in the U.S. Department of State. It welcomes the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the State Department, women, and those with a demonstrated financial need for graduate school. Based on the fundamental principle that diversity is a strength in our diplomatic efforts, the program values varied backgrounds, including ethnic, racial, social, and geographic diversity.
The Pickering Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to promote positive change in the world. Upon successful completion of a two-year master’s degree program and fulfillment of Foreign Service entry requirements, fellows work as Foreign Service Officers in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy, serving in Washington, DC and at a U.S. embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission around the globe. Fellows also agree to a minimum five-year service commitment in the Department of State’s Foreign Service. The five-year service commitment begins upon entry into the Foreign Service.
aims to attract and prepare outstanding young people for careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State. Applicants must be seeking to start a two-year graduate program in the upcoming fall semester. The Rangel Program supports Fellows through two years of graduate study, internships, mentoring, and professional development activities. This program encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, women, and those with financial need.
The seeks to attract outstanding individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Applicants must be seeking to start a two-year graduate program in the upcoming fall semester. Candidates can be graduating seniors or college graduates. The Payne Fellowship, which provides up to $104,000 in benefits over two years for graduate school, internships, and professional development activities, is a unique pathway to the USAID Foreign Service.
Graduate Studies
finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. Up to fifty Scholars are selected each year to study at graduate level at a UK institution in any field of study. As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments and their institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent and wide-ranging, and their time as Scholars enhances their intellectual and personal growth. Their direct engagement with Britain through its best academic program contributes to their ultimate personal success.
The program will enable intellectually distinguished young Americans, their country's future leaders, to study in the UK, help Scholars gain an understanding and appreciation of contemporary Britain, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in science, technology, the humanities and social sciences and the creative arts at Britain's centers of academic excellence.
is a national, competitive scholarship sponsored by the U.S.-Ireland Alliance. It is named to honor former US Senator George Mitchell's pivotal contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process, is designed to introduce and connect generations of future American leaders to the island of Ireland, while recognizing and fostering intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to community and public service.
Up to twelve Mitchell Scholars between the ages of 18 and 30 are chosen annually for one academic year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered by institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Applicants are judged on scholarship, leadership, and a sustained commitment to community and public service.
The Rhodes Trust is an educational charity which brings together and develops exceptional people who are impatient with the way things are and have the courage to act. is a fully funded postgraduate award which enables talented young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. Here you can find out more, including how to apply.
is designed to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. It was inspired by the Rhodes Scholarship, which was founded in 1902 in an effort to promote international understanding and peace. Schwarzman Scholars supports up to 200 Scholars annually from the U.S., China, and around the world for a one-year master’s in global affairs at Beijing’s Tsinghua University — ranked first in Asia as an indispensable base for China’s political, business, and technological leadership.
Scholars chosen for this highly selective program will live in Beijing for a year of study and cultural immersion — attending lectures, traveling around the region, and developing a better understanding of China. Admissions opened in the fall of 2015 with outstanding success, immediately making Schwarzman Scholars one of the world’s most selective graduate and fellowship programs.
Non-Governmental International Relations
helps future leaders develop lifelong connections to the people and nations of Africa. We offer highly selective yearlong fellowships to recent college graduates with organizations across the African continent; we enable our Fellows, through their work, to make significant contributions to Africa’s well-being; and we encourage our Fellows to cultivate meaningful relationships with communities in Africa and with one another. Princeton in Africa matches talented and passionate college graduates with organizations working across Africa for yearlong service placements. Our program is open to graduating seniors and young alumni from any college or university accredited in the U.S. Our Fellows have helped improve education and public health, source fresh water and alternative energy, increase family incomes, and so much more.
fosters mutual appreciation and cross-cultural understanding between the United States and Asia through immersive work fellowships in host organizations and communities. PiA believes in the power of person-to-person diplomacy. We strive to shape a world where individuals share a mutual appreciation and respect for our planet’s diversity of cultures and perspectives.
partners with NGOs and multilateral organizations and places highly qualified recent college graduates in year-long service fellowships with nonprofit, public service, humanitarian, and government organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Placements emphasize the power of firsthand work experience to shape young people's attitudes and mobilize them to effect positive social change. PiLA enhances the mission of its partners by building their capacity to constructively impact the communities they serve, addressing the social, economic, and political barriers to egalitarian community development. Since 2003, PiLA has placed over 400 fellows with partners in 20 countries throughout the region.
prepares dedicated global citizens to pursue a career in international relief and development work. CRS empowers Fellows to hone their skills and gain practical field experience while contributing to impactful work. Each Fellow works alongside experienced CRS staff to address critical issues facing developing countries today. CRS invites applicants of diverse backgrounds who are committed to our agency's mission and strategy to join our global team.
Defense & Security
is a one-year civilian fellowship program designed to provide leadership development for the commencement of a career track toward senior leadership in the U.S. Department of Defense.
The identifies and develops the next generation of exceptional national security leaders to achieve the NNSA mission: Strengthening our nation through nuclear security. NGFP has become a recognized resource for bringing top talent to our nation’s critical national security missions and providing unique opportunities for fellows to (1) work alongside leading experts at NNSA program and site offices; (2) participate in exclusive professional development, networking, and training opportunities; and (3) engage with national security stakeholders and support leading events and activities around the world.
Every year, the Center for a New American Security selects a bipartisan group of 20-25 emerging national security leaders between the ages of 27 to 35 to participate in the Program. In June 2018, CNAS named the program in honor of , one of the founding members of CNAS, for his incredible contributions to the Center and the national security community overall. Shawn truly exemplified the ethos and mission of the program. This year-long, part-time professional development fellowship aims to bring together young professionals across sectors within the national security field to learn best practices and lessons in leadership. NextGen fellows will have the opportunity to engage with thought leaders on leadership principles and national security through various engagements, including a monthly dinner series. Past speakers include Secretary Madeleine Albright, General Stanley McChrystal, Secretary Jeh Johnson, Congressman Mike Gallagher, and Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins. The program culminates in a week-long international study tour to delve deeper into national security issues and leadership.
Language Learning
fund study abroad, research, and language study proposals by U.S. undergraduate and graduate students in world regions critical to U.S. interests.
is an immersive summer opportunity for American college and university students to learn languages essential to America's engagement with the world.
provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. A Freeman-ASIA award provides need-based funding to assist the recipient with the cost of the study abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, books, etc. Freeman-ASIA accepts applications from U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level at a two-year or four-year college or university who demonstrate financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
program provides allocations of academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education to assist meritorious undergraduate students and graduate students undergoing training in modern foreign languages and related area or international studies. Eligible students apply for fellowships directly to an institution that has received an allocation of fellowships from the U.S. Department of Education. FLAS grants (allocations of fellowships) are awarded to institutions for a four-year project period. Institutions conduct competitions to select eligible undergraduate students and graduate students to receive fellowships, in accordance with FLAS program eligibility requirements and the institutions’ FLAS selection procedures.
expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. Fulbright creates connections in a complex and changing world. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad. During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, individuals will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.
Networking
A Step by Step Guide to Networking
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Start with a list of top 5 organizations where you’re interested in working.
- Consider tools for research, such as We Know Success, Alumnifire, LinkedIn Alumni Tool.
- Industry-specific lists of employers:
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Make a list of contacts for each option.
- Reach out to our team to seeif we know anyone from our network.
- Find people on Alumnifire and LinkedIn Alumni Tool.
- Start with “warm contacts” (e.g. an alum).
- Don’t generally reach out to upper management. Reach out to: a) people with a similar role to what you’re interested in, and b) ideally someone who might have the ability to hire you or offer hiring insights (mid-level manager, HR professional).
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Connect on Alumnifireor via email.
- If the people are on Alumnifire, reach out to them directly there.
- If not, try to get their email addresses, as this is more effective than reaching out over LinkedIn.
- Search company websites.
- Use LinkedIn Premium for the free trial month to get email addresses.
- Download a free, ethical browser extension that gives you a certain amount of free email addresses per month – e.g. if you have Gmail; or Even if you don’t get the exact address you want, you can make an educated guess!
- If you can’t get the email address you need, you can start by reaching out over LinkedIn.
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Reach out to contactsprofessionally.
- We have sample emails available for your reference.
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Prepare for the informational interview.
- Research the person.
- Prepare a short (about 1 min) intro with who you are, your background, and what interests you about their work. (Link to Elevator Conversation video.).
- Prepare questions in advance (see below).
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Enjoy the conversations.
- Try to relax and let the conversation flow! People like talking about themselves!
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Say thank you the next morning.
- We have sample emails available for your reference.
Sample Interview Questions
What to ask (in this basic order):
Start by talking about them, end with you & what you want to leave the conversation with
- How did you get into this field?
- What do you like most about it?
- What do you like least about it?
- What skills are important for this job?
- What advice do you have for someone starting out on this career path?
- What’s the best way to find a job/internship in this industry?
- What didn’t you know before you got into this industry that you wish someone had told you?
- Is there anyone else you would recommend that I speak to?
- Would you mind if I stay in touch periodically?
Sample Emails
Please note that this progression of emails is designed to take place over a period of approximately two weeks.
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: Initial reach out email (cold reachout - never met the person before)
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(if you don’t hear back)
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Can send 1 week after Email #1
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Copy Email #1 under it
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(if you still haven’t heard from them)
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Can send 3 days after Email #2
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If you can’t get their email, you can also start with this
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(if you still haven’t heard from them) - the polite give up email
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Can send 4 days after LinkedIn Message/1 week after Email #2
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Attach your resume to this one as a PDF
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Copy Email #2 under it
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At this point, move on and reach out to (up to 5) new people, and start the cycle over with Email #1
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Networking Video Series
Networking can seem intimidating for most of us, but we like the way Stanford Life Design Lab reframes it in these videos. Networking is just like asking for directions!
Videos in this playlist
To play a specific video, use the playlist icon in the player or view each video on YouTube.
Explore Professional Associations
Joining Professional Associations to expand your network
When you find areas of interest, learn about professional associations in those areas and ask professionals which ones they think are most valuable for you to join at this stage, if any. Some samples are below. Note that some have fees, which is why it’s best to learn about them in advance and assess what’s truly most valuable for you.