Employment Guide: Voutsinos: NGO work: A viable option for political science majors

Whenever you tell someone that you’re a political science major, it is usually followed by the question, “Well, what do you want to do with that?” 

This usually begs a rather vague and difficult answer. Perhaps one of the most common answers is of course law school, at least if you want to follow the money. And don’t get me wrong, for some people law school is the perfect fit. 

But if you’re like me and you would rather not spend the money on another couple of years of school and, I’ll admit it, you’d also rather not do all the tedious deskwork that comes with it, perhaps you would be better off pursuing a more hands-on path. 

That being said, the increasingly growing alternative to law school for many political science students is the NGO (non-governmental organizations) track. Any introductory politics course will most likely inform you of the expansive influence NGOs have on international affairs. The sheer number alone of NGOs can provide you with a hint of their capable political clout, as there are an estimated 1.5 million located just in the United States. 

Yet, the importance of NGOs lies in the work they do, not necessarily in their numbers. They can be involved in a diverse number of areas: Third World development, environmental protection, human rights work … the list goes on. And since they are indeed “non-governmental,” their goals purely involve their causes and no national interests of any sort. This objectivity makes them reliable sources for international institutions, such as the U.N., as they can provide unbiased information and statistics on certain global issues. 

Perhaps the most recognizable example would be Amnesty International. Amnesty is an NGO that specifically deals with human rights issues, campaigning against violations of civil liberties around the globe. They specialize in researching and exposing injustices, making it extremely difficult for states to get away with crimes against their people without it being known to the world. Therefore, Amnesty International’s tireless activism helps the voices of those living in less transparent countries be heard. 

Thus, working for an NGO such as Amnesty International tends to literally be good for your soul. However, there’s more to gain working for an NGO than just points on your ethical scorecard. Arguably, one of the most important commodities one can attain through working with an NGO is the experience; I mean this both in the career-oriented sense and the actual real world experience gained through NGO work. 

When it comes to experiencing the world and the people in it, NGO work offers a serious opportunity to travel and interact with other cultures. Organizations are constantly looking for motivated college grads to send abroad to take part in field work, which can involve anything from handing out food or medical supplies and planning development projects to aiding in disaster relief. Again, not only is this satisfying on an ethical level, but the chance to fully immerse oneself in another culture really panders to travel junkies with a passion for international affairs. 

One can easily take a look at one of the world’s most successful third world development organizations, BRAC (formerly known as the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), to get an idea of the altruistic work one can participate in through an NGO. BRAC works in Third World countries across Africa and Asia, involving every facet of sustainable development: education, sanitation, healthcare, community empowerment, etc. 

So, when working for an NGO such as BRAC, you can expect to learn skills in a variety of developmental areas. Meaning that your experiences could involve anything from teaching local children basic math at one of BRAC’s many school programs to operating at a local BRAC-run legal-aid clinic empowering and giving a voice to those who are usually marginalized by their country’s legal system. 

Consequently, the diverse experience one receives participating in this kind of fieldwork also equates to personal career advancement. For instance, when working for an NGO, networking opportunities are expansively significant. NGOs are constantly working with governments and international organizations, meaning that your own personal contact list can include members of the U.N. or the State Department. Despite that, the best thing about networking within an NGO is that your list will include people who are all working toward a common goal. Therefore, networking within the NGO field is based more on mutual respect than on competition as it often is in the corporate world. 

 This communal attitude that NGOs facilitate also translates into multiple opportunities one has to improve his or her leadership skills. One can be leading a development project or committee very soon after joining; it all depends on how willing you are, not necessarily your position in the organization’s hierarchy. In a relatively short amount of time, you may be able to add “Project Leader” to your resume. 

Eventually this will add to your attractiveness for higher-up jobs within the NGO or for jobs within the U.N., EU or the U.S. Government. For one of the main aspects required for these positions is experience, according to the U.N. NGO Director Pam Perraud. Clearly, the experiences and skills learned through NGO fieldwork are pretty expansive. 

For now, to get a good starting position with an NGO, of course a degree is highly beneficial, even more so if it entails a certificate in a specialty area such as development or public health. Also, language skills are a must, as you will be working with people who, believe it or not, do not have English as their mother tongue. However, when going into the NGO field your passion must match your patience. You won’t exactly be rolling in cash when you first start; you will be paid more in experience than actual money. 

As I stated before though, the main thing for which higher-ups in this field look is NGO experience. So if it is your dream to work for the U.N. or to become a diplomat, NGO work is a fantastic way to set you on the right path toward that goal. 

Write Nick at njv10@pitt.edu.