Career Change in Mid Life - International Development
October 10, 2013 9:54 AM Subscribe
Am I employable at 46 years of age in the area of International Development/Public Policy if I get a Masters having had no prior experience in the 'industry'?
I am interested in the new McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown. They have a program in International Development which seems right up my alley, but: I'm 43, I have no prior experience in the world of public policy or international development, the program is 2 years so I figure I'll be pushing 46 by the time I'm done and entering the job market as a complete noob with a Masters. Would I generally be considered unemployable at that age with no real world work experience? Or would my 20 years of corporate life (software and interactive project mgmt) and my 5 or 6 years of volunteer service in my community (parks and green space activism/mgmt which is what has got me interested in public policy) be of some transferable value?
I guess I'd like to hear from people who work in the industry or who may have made a similar mid career, late life change. My point is I don't want to waste the time and money to come out unemployable at 46 years old.
I am interested in the new McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown. They have a program in International Development which seems right up my alley, but: I'm 43, I have no prior experience in the world of public policy or international development, the program is 2 years so I figure I'll be pushing 46 by the time I'm done and entering the job market as a complete noob with a Masters. Would I generally be considered unemployable at that age with no real world work experience? Or would my 20 years of corporate life (software and interactive project mgmt) and my 5 or 6 years of volunteer service in my community (parks and green space activism/mgmt which is what has got me interested in public policy) be of some transferable value?
I guess I'd like to hear from people who work in the industry or who may have made a similar mid career, late life change. My point is I don't want to waste the time and money to come out unemployable at 46 years old.
Previously. I think you're less well positioned than that asker for this kind of transition. You're maybe ten years older and don't seem to have spent the last ten years working internationally.
Would I generally be considered unemployable at that age with no real world work experience?
Honestly? Probably. You are--no offense--to old for most organizations to consider hiring you in an entry level position, which probably wouldn't pay what you need anyway. There's no way you could make anywhere near what you are as a 20-year veteran of the corporate world.
would my 20 years of corporate life (software and interactive project mgmt) and my 5 or 6 years of volunteer service in my community (parks and green space activism/mgmt which is what has got me interested in public policy) be of some transferable value?
Not in any way that I can see.
Look, these jobs are really sexy, and most of the people who have them spent their entire adult lives getting where they are. They majored in History/Politics/Economics or something similar in college, did something like Peace Corps or a desirable internship with an NGO, maybe went to work for that NGO for a little while, and then went back for their Masters. They speak at least two if not four languages. They've got connections in government, the academy, the NGO world, and likely the private sector. By your age, they're taking on executive-level responsibility in NGOs or civil service bureaucracies.
Corporate experience can definitely be useful, but probably more on the finance and c-level management side. Project management as such is likely to be less useful to them, particularly if the subject matter isn't related to the field in question, and it doesn't sound like yours is.
As to volunteer service, that's great and all, but you'll be competing with the kinds of people whose job it is to run the agencies/entities for which you've been volunteering. And the kind of volunteering that would be more valuable to them is probably things like spending a semester monitoring elections in West Africa, not assisting with local parks.
All of that being said, not all public policy is international. You may find that your skills and experience are a far better match on the domestic side of things.
posted by valkyryn at 10:09 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
Would I generally be considered unemployable at that age with no real world work experience?
Honestly? Probably. You are--no offense--to old for most organizations to consider hiring you in an entry level position, which probably wouldn't pay what you need anyway. There's no way you could make anywhere near what you are as a 20-year veteran of the corporate world.
would my 20 years of corporate life (software and interactive project mgmt) and my 5 or 6 years of volunteer service in my community (parks and green space activism/mgmt which is what has got me interested in public policy) be of some transferable value?
Not in any way that I can see.
Look, these jobs are really sexy, and most of the people who have them spent their entire adult lives getting where they are. They majored in History/Politics/Economics or something similar in college, did something like Peace Corps or a desirable internship with an NGO, maybe went to work for that NGO for a little while, and then went back for their Masters. They speak at least two if not four languages. They've got connections in government, the academy, the NGO world, and likely the private sector. By your age, they're taking on executive-level responsibility in NGOs or civil service bureaucracies.
Corporate experience can definitely be useful, but probably more on the finance and c-level management side. Project management as such is likely to be less useful to them, particularly if the subject matter isn't related to the field in question, and it doesn't sound like yours is.
As to volunteer service, that's great and all, but you'll be competing with the kinds of people whose job it is to run the agencies/entities for which you've been volunteering. And the kind of volunteering that would be more valuable to them is probably things like spending a semester monitoring elections in West Africa, not assisting with local parks.
All of that being said, not all public policy is international. You may find that your skills and experience are a far better match on the domestic side of things.
posted by valkyryn at 10:09 AM on October 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
You may be successful if you go into the program with a good idea of what you want to do afterward and how you can leverage your current skills. But I think you're going to have to find something you can build on because in many ways you'll be starting *behind* a lot of other people in your class. Have you traveled abroad much? Lived abroad? Are you fluent in any useful languages? Are you willing to live abroad in the future? Are you ok with salaries that are fairly low?
You may in fact have skills that are useful to development organizations but it's hard to say without really knowing what they are and how you've used them. Check out "information and communication technology for development" or "ICT4D" on google and spend some time browsing Devex for jobs to get an idea of what's out there.
On preview, what valkyryn said.
A lot of the older people in development you talk to sort of "fell into" development jobs from a variety of other careers. But these days its very competitive and you need to have exactly the right experience (or be willing to take low or no-paying internships or move to Afghanistan or South Sudan) to even get an entry level job. I would try to do a lot of informational interviews before even applying.
posted by ropeladder at 10:20 AM on October 10, 2013
You may in fact have skills that are useful to development organizations but it's hard to say without really knowing what they are and how you've used them. Check out "information and communication technology for development" or "ICT4D" on google and spend some time browsing Devex for jobs to get an idea of what's out there.
On preview, what valkyryn said.
A lot of the older people in development you talk to sort of "fell into" development jobs from a variety of other careers. But these days its very competitive and you need to have exactly the right experience (or be willing to take low or no-paying internships or move to Afghanistan or South Sudan) to even get an entry level job. I would try to do a lot of informational interviews before even applying.
posted by ropeladder at 10:20 AM on October 10, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks so far. I would say I am looking for outright honesty so I appreciate the candor. Some additional info about me that might help:
1) I have a bachelors in Russian Language and Literature though I am not fluent
2) My non-profit experience includes sitting on the Board of Directors of this parks group I'm talking about so it's administrative, not just like showing up to volunteer clean ups
3) I don't necessarily need my career track to be working at an NGO...I could go academic
Not that any of this changes the answers...just adding more detail to the picture of me.
posted by spicynuts at 10:20 AM on October 10, 2013
1) I have a bachelors in Russian Language and Literature though I am not fluent
2) My non-profit experience includes sitting on the Board of Directors of this parks group I'm talking about so it's administrative, not just like showing up to volunteer clean ups
3) I don't necessarily need my career track to be working at an NGO...I could go academic
Not that any of this changes the answers...just adding more detail to the picture of me.
posted by spicynuts at 10:20 AM on October 10, 2013
I'm about the same age you are. I have changed careers twice now: teacher --> govt (economic development/international trade) --> marketing copywriter
I would say that at mid-career, more than anything else (in this case the MPA you are talking about), personal networks and social capital are important (unless you have an extremely technical skillset).
As others mentioned above, the field you are considering is highly, highly competitive, and you won't have the social capital needed to transfer into a "mid-career" position.
I don't think it's hopeless, but the fundamental rule of career change in middle life is to leverage your knowledge, skills, and social capital (professional networks) as much as you possibly can. An incremental loss of any of these 3 assets results in exponentially fewer job and salary prospects.
On the bright side, career change is totally possible, but you need to be strategic.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:26 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I would say that at mid-career, more than anything else (in this case the MPA you are talking about), personal networks and social capital are important (unless you have an extremely technical skillset).
As others mentioned above, the field you are considering is highly, highly competitive, and you won't have the social capital needed to transfer into a "mid-career" position.
I don't think it's hopeless, but the fundamental rule of career change in middle life is to leverage your knowledge, skills, and social capital (professional networks) as much as you possibly can. An incremental loss of any of these 3 assets results in exponentially fewer job and salary prospects.
On the bright side, career change is totally possible, but you need to be strategic.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:26 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
What, specifically, are you looking to do? I can certainly envision you getting the MA and then doing IT work for an organization, but I find it highly, highly improbable that you will end up doing actual international policy work at your stage of life, if that's what you want to do. For those jobs, you come in as a young person (e.g., World Bank's Young Professionals Program), often are worked to death (would that even be appealing at your age? I go to bed at 10, and I'm younger than you), and then get to do the interesting work a decade or two later. Your non-profit experience is not something that would be relevant.
And FWIW, you know that "going academic" is as (or more!) competitive than actually working in an NGO, yes? It's not some second choice fallback.
That said, if you get your Russian back to fluency and get the MA (maybe in some trade related flavor, rather than ID), maybe you get a job with a Russian multinational, or maybe maybe maybe some corner of Trade in DC (maybe?). I had a friend who went from law to Trade; he was completely fluent in a necessary language though.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:37 AM on October 10, 2013
And FWIW, you know that "going academic" is as (or more!) competitive than actually working in an NGO, yes? It's not some second choice fallback.
That said, if you get your Russian back to fluency and get the MA (maybe in some trade related flavor, rather than ID), maybe you get a job with a Russian multinational, or maybe maybe maybe some corner of Trade in DC (maybe?). I had a friend who went from law to Trade; he was completely fluent in a necessary language though.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 10:37 AM on October 10, 2013
Response by poster: Yeah I kind of saw myself going to work on the corporate side with a company doing business in Russia or Eastern Europe or a Russian company doing business in the West. I'm starting to see the writing on the wall here though. Also, I did not mean to imply that the academic side was less rigorous.
posted by spicynuts at 10:45 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by spicynuts at 10:45 AM on October 10, 2013
Based on your last update, could you not try to get in the door at companies that could use your previous tech project management expertise and that have facilities in Russia, such as IBM (big ole joint in Nizhny Novgorod) and see what they have to offer that that would give you a more international job?
posted by WeekendJen at 10:53 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by WeekendJen at 10:53 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I had been doing some research into that but was coming up blank. I hadn't thought of IBM (my Dad worked for them for 30 years). That's a good tip.
posted by spicynuts at 10:55 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by spicynuts at 10:55 AM on October 10, 2013
Have you had any informational meetings with people at the kinds of companies or organizations you'd be interested in working with.
I would suggest doing some networking and let the people who would be in a position to hire you tell you what you'd need to do to be competitive.
posted by brookeb at 12:39 PM on October 10, 2013
I would suggest doing some networking and let the people who would be in a position to hire you tell you what you'd need to do to be competitive.
posted by brookeb at 12:39 PM on October 10, 2013
Best answer: 3) I don't necessarily need my career track to be working at an NGO...I could go academic
Respectfully, no, you couldn't. Not unless you wanted to do a full-time Phd after that masters, and were publishing etc etc all the while, forgo your mortgage etc etc. I mean, you could - people do - but it's extremely unlikely and please don't fall into the trap of thinking you're gonna be one of the .01% that makes it. Additionally, are you prepared to live and work at Bumhole U while you do it?
Something to be aware of; the market/world is currently absolutely saturated with masters in international development of one stripe or another at the moment. They are generally very lucrative revenue generators for unis and that's why there are so many of them. They are soaking up a lot of Arts graduates in PolSci or what have you who want to make a difference and are struggling to get a job with their undergrad degrees, and a huge swathe of older people - like you - who have always been stimulated by this kind of think and are now thinking they can make a difference with the maturity and work experience they have.
You will see a dismal return on this investment if you do it - though if it's something you're recreationally interested in and can afford, that's fine then. You can afford to wait until the right job comes along. But honestly international development is really filled with people of similar backgrounds - the degrees frankly are not vocational; they don't really leave you with any hard skills and that's what a lot of these orgs want, not someone who knows Dependency Theory (so your IT skills may actually be far, far more attractive to an international NGO than a degree like this; don't discount that these companies need CIOs, developers, PMs etc too).
posted by smoke at 3:41 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Respectfully, no, you couldn't. Not unless you wanted to do a full-time Phd after that masters, and were publishing etc etc all the while, forgo your mortgage etc etc. I mean, you could - people do - but it's extremely unlikely and please don't fall into the trap of thinking you're gonna be one of the .01% that makes it. Additionally, are you prepared to live and work at Bumhole U while you do it?
Something to be aware of; the market/world is currently absolutely saturated with masters in international development of one stripe or another at the moment. They are generally very lucrative revenue generators for unis and that's why there are so many of them. They are soaking up a lot of Arts graduates in PolSci or what have you who want to make a difference and are struggling to get a job with their undergrad degrees, and a huge swathe of older people - like you - who have always been stimulated by this kind of think and are now thinking they can make a difference with the maturity and work experience they have.
You will see a dismal return on this investment if you do it - though if it's something you're recreationally interested in and can afford, that's fine then. You can afford to wait until the right job comes along. But honestly international development is really filled with people of similar backgrounds - the degrees frankly are not vocational; they don't really leave you with any hard skills and that's what a lot of these orgs want, not someone who knows Dependency Theory (so your IT skills may actually be far, far more attractive to an international NGO than a degree like this; don't discount that these companies need CIOs, developers, PMs etc too).
posted by smoke at 3:41 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Could you take a few courses, perhaps in the evenings or at weekends, and then put out some feelers to likely-sounding organisations? That way you can see how you like the material, and you might find some companies that are interested in your current skills and appreciate the skills you're developing.
With a little luck, you might find a position you like without having to make the big leap of faith transition.
posted by danteGideon at 1:26 AM on October 11, 2013
With a little luck, you might find a position you like without having to make the big leap of faith transition.
posted by danteGideon at 1:26 AM on October 11, 2013
As smoke says, my first thought was that you could look for IT/PM positions within international development orgs, and go from there. I agree with most other posters that the international policy/aid folks I know have worked their way up from pretty brutal entry level positions. Plus, they might have a subject-specific degree instead of "International Development": for example, a friend who has worked for USAID projects has a graduate degree in public health.
So I get the sense that some policy/development agencies might hire as much for subject specialty (public health, or water management, etc.) as the more generic "international policy". But those folks -- the subject specialists -- still need project management and software support. Just looking at the USAID vacancies today, first one is an IT Specialist -- no idea if that's relevant to your background, but if so it might get you in at a slightly higher step in the ladder than starting over with an international development degree.
posted by lillygog at 11:38 AM on October 11, 2013
So I get the sense that some policy/development agencies might hire as much for subject specialty (public health, or water management, etc.) as the more generic "international policy". But those folks -- the subject specialists -- still need project management and software support. Just looking at the USAID vacancies today, first one is an IT Specialist -- no idea if that's relevant to your background, but if so it might get you in at a slightly higher step in the ladder than starting over with an international development degree.
posted by lillygog at 11:38 AM on October 11, 2013
A bit of off the wall thinking, but I would try and build my resume out without the academics.
Get an IT/PM job with an org related to where you want to be, get in touch with some of the organisations doing field work on Kiva or similar and ask if they need any help from a US based volunteer, then network so you develop a circle of people you know in the area you want to be in. Be their rep at states-side conferences or public policy workshops/hearings etc.
The kind of academic program you are talking about isn't like dentistry - you can't hang out a shingle as a fully qualified dentist after completing it. But conversely, unlike dentistry, if you develop the right skills and connections you could potentially end up with the job without the formal qualification.
And my final bit of advice? If you haven't got substantial retirement level savings, or at least reformatted your life to have the expenses that go along with the income level you are pursuing, its time to do that as a first step.
posted by bystander at 4:47 AM on October 12, 2013
Get an IT/PM job with an org related to where you want to be, get in touch with some of the organisations doing field work on Kiva or similar and ask if they need any help from a US based volunteer, then network so you develop a circle of people you know in the area you want to be in. Be their rep at states-side conferences or public policy workshops/hearings etc.
The kind of academic program you are talking about isn't like dentistry - you can't hang out a shingle as a fully qualified dentist after completing it. But conversely, unlike dentistry, if you develop the right skills and connections you could potentially end up with the job without the formal qualification.
And my final bit of advice? If you haven't got substantial retirement level savings, or at least reformatted your life to have the expenses that go along with the income level you are pursuing, its time to do that as a first step.
posted by bystander at 4:47 AM on October 12, 2013
And I should add, you might find that doing the stuff you are good and experienced at, for an org that is doing the positive things you want to promote, plus some off-the-clock work in the development related stuff might totally scratch the itch you are feeling without three years of study and lost income and personal upheaval that doing the college course would demand.
posted by bystander at 4:50 AM on October 12, 2013
posted by bystander at 4:50 AM on October 12, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
My wife just attended one of these relaunch conferences which you might find interesting. They are geared mainly at parents returning to the workforce but I think a lot of the points apply to career changers too.
posted by shothotbot at 10:03 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]