international relation jobs

international relation jobs

Exploring Career Opportunities in International Relations

1. Introduction to International Relations

The subject of International Relations is one of widespread popular concern. This is evident from its frequent appearance in editorial pages, radio talks, and television panel discussions. However, for a concept to become an academic subject, it must be given a special meaning, be invested with a theory, and be used as a methodology. Only in this way can the familiar rise to the general. This does not mean that everybody accepts either the word or its meaning, theory, and methodology. This is not the case with International Relations. But widespread doubt does not alter the fact that there is something specific about national interstate relationships that make them sui generis. Despite obvious differences, settlers in Australia, Brazil, and Canada expanded west where their counterparts in Argentina, Panama, and the United States expanded south; and developed countries like Japan and Sweden are indeed different from underdeveloped countries like Mozambique and Nepal, in spite of the great differences between Japan and Sweden and Mozambique and Nepal. Hence, an approach to, and consideration of, international matters different from those used in more traditional political, social, and economic studies is necessary. And it is the essence of this difference which underlies the development of International Relations as a separate discipline.

In the history of mankind, there have always been great movements of tides of both people and things. Currently, these movements are increasing. People travel internationally for business, academic study, or tourism. Goods are traded across national borders to satisfy demand where they can best be effectively produced. Political, social, and economic ideas, if considered good, are borrowed from abroad. This is all part of a world view involving such concepts as “one global village,” “spaceship Earth,” or “world citizenship.” However, it was not always thus. Although countries have handled international relations for centuries, the independent discipline of International Relations is relatively new. In the interwar period of 1919-1939, it seemed possible to peacefully unite the world to avoid a repetition of the awful carnage of the First World War.

2. Key Skills and Qualifications for International Relations Jobs

Anyone considering a career in international relations should reflect on their goals and the regions and/or policy arenas of interest. It is also a good idea for students to research specific organizations, both at home and abroad. Making a list of preferred organizations and checking their websites for job listings can be an informative and useful exercise. Your career path needs to work for your unique set of life circumstances, goals, and experiences.

Given the complexity of the field, there are a broad range of employment sectors that are typically associated with occupations within the international relations field. These sectors are: Diplomacy, International Organizations and Multilateralism, National Government, Think Tanks, Non-Profits and NGOs, the Corporate Sector, and Academe. There are some important distinctions to be made both within each sector’s activity and also between the sectors. Those distinctions are made in the sections that follow. While these distinctions help demarcate different types of activities within the overall context of internationally focused work, it is critically important to emphasize the need for and value of crossover – often one type of activity will lead to another, and the combination of different types of experiences and perspectives only strengthens international affairs professionals.

3. Diverse Career Paths in International Relations

Program alumni work in diverse fields including government, business, industry, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Foreign policy communities are found in all fifty states and many major cities, and alumni often work for the home-state Senators and House Members, in Congressional committees, or in U.S. government agencies in their home states. Alumni have also worked in state government, academic institutions, business, and non-profit organizations in many states. Prospective students can talk to individuals at these agencies and organizations to learn about the work, the hiring process, and these career opportunities. Certificates and fellowships provide training and experience that help students get these types of job offers and promotions. Faculty and faculty associates provide professional advice, serve as references, and help students build professional networks that can lead to good positions. Alumni are another information source that can also provide references and useful contacts.

4. Networking and Professional Development in the Field

Many international career services organizations exist, such as employer consortiums, career services for researchers, professional networks, technology partner associations, and international relationships associations. Most of these services offer free job listings.

Non-governmental organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Europe’s Stability Pact also offer internships. In addition, many international non-profit and non-governmental organizations are in need of staff.

At the international level, the United Nations frequently recruits paid interns in Geneva, Vienna, and New York. The World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), both based in Washington, D.C., also have internship programs, as do the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Networking and professional development are key to any career and are especially important in the international relations arena. There are a number of organizations that students and professionals can turn to when looking to network or develop new skills. Below are some examples of potential places to look or organizations to join.

5. Conclusion and Future Trends in International Relations Careers

One of the great advantages of working in an interdisciplinary social science such as political science is that you learn a variety of management and analytical skills which keep you interested and learning throughout your professional life, even when you change the subject matter of your work. In addition to formal job opportunities, our students have found that the capacity to think creatively, write effectively, apply data to ‘real world’ questions and solve complex problems is immensely valuable to any organization or business. Work hard to fill your “tool kit” as an undergraduate and the rest will follow from there. You will find a world of meaningful and interesting employment opportunities waiting for you when you graduate.

In the end of our exploration into the careers in international relations and political science, it is important to note that ‘real life’ careers are often a mix not just of subject matter but also of methodological tools. This is the great advantage as well as the challenge of the undergraduate education in these fields. Students learn to become broad, multi-purpose professionals capable of joining the search for solutions to an incredibly wide range of domestic and international problems. Policymakers follow today, not only in the traditional realms of government but also in the business and non-profit entities that are increasingly setting and enforcing policies derived from social science research. Many get to be researchers at think-tanks and other public policy institutions where they can work on the subjects of interest to them using a variety of research methods.