How to Start a Humanitarian Career

Start volunteering at non-profits or development agencies in your area. Humanitarian agencies want to know that you have some experience working with people in need -- so the most accessible way to start doing that right now is to work in your community. Ask your friends and associates for recommendations on good organizations with which to volunteer, or do an online search for organizations that focus on similar issues to the ones you want to tackle in your career. They may not be exactly matched, but they'll help; for example, if your dream is to work with women in Somalia, you could start locally by volunteering at an organization focused on women and girls. Even if you only have a few hours a week to devote to a non-paid position, it can get your foot in the door and may eventually lead to a paid position.

Conduct informal interviews with other humanitarian workers you meet through your volunteer work to get information on the path they took to make it a full-time career. Talking to a variety of people will give you new insights and possibly open up new opportunities for the future. Let your interviewees know you're looking to make a career out of it -- those people could later alert you of job opportunities.

Get training that will be valuable to humanitarian organizations. Aid groups need workers trained in the medical, environmental, agricultural and engineering fields, but they also need people who are able to deal with policy issues and have backgrounds in international development, policy and business management. If you have a particular aid organization or type of humanitarian work in mind, check out the job listings for that organization or for that type of work. This can give you an idea of the types of people those groups are looking for and help you settle on the right type of academic training. During your training, pursue internships in your chosen field; like volunteering, these opportunities may lead to paid work.

Sign up for long-term volunteer work. Check out Americorps, the Peace Corps or Voluntary Service Overseas. These organizations often require you to have some type of training before you join their ranks, but after you've served with them, they often provide you with the connections you need to get full-time employment.