For many students and recent graduates, a career in international affairs seems both exciting and daunting. The field offers a range of opportunities, from policy development to program management, but the path from landing that first job to succeeding in it is rarely straightforward.
To shed light on what it's really like to work in international affairs, we spoke with Eloise (private sector) and Liam* (public sector), two young professionals who have successfully transitioned from university to careers in the field. They share their experiences navigating their first roles, the unexpected skills they had to develop, and the biggest challenges they faced.
*note: Liam is a pseudonym for a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) graduate who wishes to be kept anonymous
Tell me a bit about your background.
Eloise: I'm originally from regional Queensland. I graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelors of International Relations and Bachelors of Politics, Philosophy and Economics. I was drawn to this double degree as I did not like being stuck in one career path and believed that it could provide me with different opportunities.
Liam: I graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts, where I majored in Politics and International Relations and undertook research on Southeast Asian politics.
What was your first job in international affairs?
Eloise: After university, I joined Palladium as a Program Assistant. We support partnerships between the Australian Government and inclusive businesses to implement international development programs. Our programs are largely based in the Pacific and Vietnam, as well as other South and Southeast Asian countries.
In the first few months of my role, I managed the administrative aspects of the partnerships (e.g. invoicing, meetings). Shortly after, I became a relationship manager of the Vietnam portfolio, where I oversaw and guided program implementation, mainly through reviewing reports.
Liam: I'm a graduate policy officer at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) where I work to advance Australia's foreign policy agenda, build and maintain relationships with domestic and international partners, and deliver high quality strategic advice and recommendations to the government.
Prior to this, I worked in a consulting firm, where I found myself gravitating towards projects related to international relations, which was why I applied to DFAT.
My graduate rotations included working on a bilateral desk, a multilateral area and in a trade area. Some of my work looked like writing talking points* for ministers’ meetings with foreign counterparts, writing briefings based on geopolitical and geoeconomic reporting, and meeting with private sector government relations representatives.
*a pre-established message used in the field of political communication, that is coordinated before to remain consistent regardless of who brings the message to the media
What was the highlight of your first year in the role?
Eloise: I went on a 3-week business trip to Vietnam, which involved visiting our program partners and meeting with investors. For example, one of our programs involved training the residents of rural communities in the Mekong Delta region on how to weave baskets out of local grass. Our program participants included elderly people, people with disabilities and people with low mobility.
During my visit, I talked to a woman who was hearing impaired. She mentioned that prior to the program, she was not making any income and was socially isolated, hardly ever leaving her house. It was so insightful to be able to talk to people like her on the ground. The experience gave me a larger appreciation for the tangible impacts of our programs, when they normally come to me in terms of numbers in a report.
Liam: The highlight was delivering a Southeast Asian dignitary’s ministerial-level visit to Australia.. I organised the logistics of their meetings with a broad range of stakeholders, including several ministers, and accompanied him during his visit in Canberra and Sydney.
Another highlight was working on a bilateral desk and responding to significant policy announcements due to recent leadership changes. We had to navigate and react in real-time to those developments, and develop fresh policy responses and advice for the government.
What surprised you the most about working in international affairs as opposed to studying it?
Eloise: The theory that you're taught in university is just theory. It provides good perspectives, but theory alone will not get you very far. The people who are implementing programs in the field - they know so much more than someone working at a desk. The experience of travelling in-person to see the nuance on the ground and observe how they overcame barriers was invaluable.
My advice for university is to follow your interests when selecting your degree. I've found that the most helpful thing from my studies is how it taught me to think, rather than any specific content from my courses.
Liam: Almost nothing I studied in university is directly relevant to what I work on. My studies provided good background knowledge on contemporary issues relevant to international affairs (for example - strategic competition in the Pacific), but it is not necessary to do my job. My advice is you should not feel like you need to study a degree in International Relations or complete an internship at an embassy to work in this field.
Transitioning from consulting, the subject matter is completely different but my previous role helped me hone many skills that I use today, including how to engage with stakeholders, write concisely, and think laterally (e.g. how does my work fit into the bigger picture).
What skills or knowledge did you acquire that you didn't expect to need?
Eloise: Plain English. This is the main piece of feedback that I received. Working in international development, many of our stakeholders do not speak English as their first language. It is critical to ensure that we speak and write in a way that's accessible to them. Even when English is your first language, no one likes an excessively-wordy, mumbo-jumbo email.
Liam: Diplomatic protocol. This could look like organising seating arrangements, placing countries' flags on the table, guiding people to stand in the right place or ensuring the Australian Coat of Arms is facing a certain direction. It may seem small, but this is a core skill and you'll get into trouble if you get it wrong.
Also, how to write talking points*, which is not that common outside the public sector. You have to write in a way that others can speak to, instead of writing it as something they read.
*a pre-established message used in the field of political communication, that is coordinated before to remain consistent regardless of who brings the message to the media
What was the steepest part of the learning curve and how did you overcome it?
Eloise: I was fresh out of university and interacting with very experienced and smart people on a daily basis. There was a time where I was calling a stakeholder and I was struck with the sudden thought that they're going to know that I'm only 22 years old. I've since learnt that my age does not undermine the validity of my contributions.
Although I think a graduate program helps build a solid foundation and provides a lot of support, I appreciated starting my career in an entry-level position. I was lucky to be entrusted with so much responsibility after only a few months, as it helped me learn a lot quickly.
Liam: Adapting to the writing style of the Australian Public Service, which was very different to what I was used to. People have strong feelings about how things are written and how it's formatted.
I was able to gain so much exposure through the graduate program since people were very conscious of our professional development. I also received training opportunities that I otherwise wouldn't have engaged with if I wasn't in the program. Socially, it was great to have a cohort of fellow graduates who went through similar learning experiences as me.
How did your first year on the job influence your understanding of the career path you want to pursue?
Eloise: In the summer of my graduation, I travelled to Southeast Asia with my friends. Shortly after leaving Vietnam, I came across the job opening at Palladium. At the time, international development was not something I had considered before. My advice is that while you can plan for your career, you should also be open to the possibilities. If you stumble across a cool opportunity, just apply and see how it goes.
Liam: There are many "DFAT lifers" - people who work in DFAT for a very long time. This made me reflect on whether I wanted the same. I also noticed differences between DFAT and the private sector, which I found had a flat workplace hierarchy, a younger workforce and was flexible about working arrangements. I had a good career trajectory in consulting so I'm open to returning to that sector, but I value the different experiences that my roles have given me.
댓글