I love subscriber questions – please ask me yours! I answer each question to help you, and then anonymize them here to help us all improve our chances for a dream digital development job.
For example, here is a recent subscriber question:
Where are the entry-level ICT4D positions?
I am currently pursuing a Masters degree in Computer Science and will graduate in 2018, but I am worried. I am interested in pursuing a career in ICT4D, yet all opportunities I find require heaps of work experience. How do I get a start in ICT4D?
My usual response to this question is two-fold.
But what about the day after graduation? I asked my colleagues in ICT4D for their views.
I tossed the subscriber’s question out to my Facebook network, and 34 responses later, here is their generalized response:
Get Industry Experience
They will be a Computer Science graduate, so they should focus on getting a job directly in the tech industry in an area where they will have transferable skills. This will build your skills and your income faster than if you start in ICT4D.
Keep Involved in International Development
While they are working on this space, keep abreast of development trends, build solutions that address real world problems, and share their results. These basic entrepreneurial efforts that will give them experience, feedback and get them noticed by the sector.
Make the Transition to a Small Tech Firm
When they’re ready, get a job w/a tech-oriented firm liked Dimagi, InSTEDD, etc. as a coder or project manager-type position. With the previous private sector income, they should have financial cushion to go into a lower paying position to pay their “development sector dues”.
See Where Your Career Takes You
A person with a Masters degree in computer science shouldn’t have any problem if they have industry experience. Employers who who run tech companies in international development are looking for tech experience and a willingness to learn.
If they’ve started int he tech space, then moved into international development, they obviously have both and they’ll have a long a rewarding career.
I shared the Facebook post with them in real time, so they could follow along and ask questions if they wanted further clarification. And their response?
Wow! This is amazing. I have gotten a lot of valuable insight. I will keep following the thread and ask where I can. Thank you very much!!
So what are you waiting for? Ask me your career questions too!
Thanks for reading this far,
Wayan
Question 15: Where do I get early career experience? I’ve recently graduated with a Master's…
Question 14: Am I too old to start a development career? I have over a…
Question 13: How Do I Get an International Job? Do international organizations ever hire someone…
Most economists are predicting that we are about to enter into one of the largest…
Question 11: What training do I need? I've worked in ICT Support for 4 years…
Greetings from 35,000FT As you read this, I am enjoying a miracle of modern life:…