David M.
About me
| David M. | |
| Politics, Economics and Philosophy | |
| Public Administration - International Development | |
| Undergraduate | |
| 2011 | |
| United States |
My employment
| Consultant | |
| United Nations | |
| United States | |
| Politics and public affairs | |
| 2011 |
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A day in the life of a Consultant in the United States
My career goals when I graduated
Gain exposure to executive-level policy to more effectively guide programme development.
My career history
Graduated from undergraduate after completing a few study abroad programmes. Worked internationally (LAC and SS Africa) with various organizations. Went to Univeristy of York. Interned with UNHQ NY. Hired back as a consultant. Now working as a liaison for Save the Children International.
What has helped my career to progress
Strategy, patience, humility
Where I hope to be in 5 years
I hope to continue to support the UN and its various agencies, but in a more programmatic context. Either working within one of its specialized agencies or working with an organization.
My advice to students considering work
Try to get professional, international experience, network and be strategic! LinkedIn is an obvious resource, but use it intelligently.
For example, if you are seeking a position, try to find out who your prospective supervisor would be from the job posting. Look up the person's name and/or title within LinkedIn and from there you can easily figure out what their work email address would be. Contact them directly with your application materials.
My advice about working in my industry
Contact me.
Contacting me
Willing to answer any questions, but please be patient as my time to respond fluctuates heavily.
What I do
My recent consulting contracts have focused on enhancing the Economic and Social Council of the UN. This has involved everything from research and analysis to facilitating policy negotiations with Member States of the UN.
Most of my time (60%) is spent in front of a computer conducting various tasks and the remaining time is attending various meetings. Most jobs within the UN Secretariat are heavily focused on administration and policy.
Skills I use and how I developed them
Extracurricular skills:
Strategy; Research and Analysis; Communications; Diplomacy; Monitoring and Evaluation; Program Development
Skills developed from a mix of academic training and honing the various skills in professional capacities.
What I like most
I enjoy opportunities to meet and interact closely with everyone from highly esteemed international diplomats to Nobel Laureates.
What I like least
The UN is a bureaucracy comprised of 193 other bureaucracies. Needless to say, it is not the most efficient in anything that it does.
Everything from policy to HR processes are complex and convoluted at times.
Next steps...
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