One Day, One Job » international affairs

International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Willy Franzen — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 13:35:18 +0000

Although the United States may not have invented democracy, but we certainly made it popular. That’s not to say that we always get it right, but we’ve built a model of government that has inspired a lot of people (the people who work within that model aren’t nearly as inspirational). Our nation went through a brutal war to achieve the system that we have in place, and now we’re watching similar processes happy in many places across the world. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems or IFES is a non-profit organization that “promotes democratic stability by providing technical assistance and applying field-based research to the electoral cycle in countries around the world to enhance citizen participation and strengthen civil societies, governance and transparency.” They’re based out of Washington, DC, but they obviously do a ton of work internationally. IFES has been around for just under 15 years, and they’ve already worked in more than 100 countries.

Wear Your IFES

Elections are the key to democracy, and running elections properly is hard. Not only are there often individuals and groups opposed to allowing the democratic process to take place, but there are also various technical challenges. Even something as simple as ensuring that everyone gets the chance to vote can be difficult, and so can prohibiting people from voting more than once. IFES has developed significant expertise in overcoming these technical challenges. They operate as a neutral third-party and focus on making elections run as smoothly as possible. If you’re interested in the work that IFES is doing, then you need to check out their Career opportunities. As much fun as their Chief of Party position sounds, it’s not entry level. However, they are looking for a Program Coordinator for Europe and Asia, and the position looks like it could be a good fit for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

About IFES

What do you know about IFES

Atlantic Council

Willy Franzen — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:45:49 +0000

Our country’s relationship with Europe started off pretty rocky. There were all kinds of conflicts including the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, and plenty of others. It wasn’t really until after World Wars I and II that U.S-Europe relations really began to stabilize. That’s why in 1961 The Atlantic Council was founded. They are a Washington, DC based think tank that “promotes constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the central role of the Atlantic community in meeting the international challenges of the 21st century.” Over the organization’s 50 years its mission and programs have evolved, but they remain focused on maintaining a constructive trans-Atlantic dialogue.

Join the Council

I realize that it’s kind of hard to grasp what think tanks actually do–especially when their mission is something as nebulous as promoting “constructive U.S. leadership and engagement in international affairs.” Here are some things that the Atlantic Council is working on that will give you a better idea of what they actually do:

identifying and shaping responses to major issues facing the Atlantic Alliance and transatlantic relations;
building consensus on U.S. policy towards Russia, China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan;
promoting balanced responses to growing energy needs and environmental protection;
drafting roadmaps for U.S. policy towards the Balkans, Africa, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, and Libya;
engaging students from across the Euro-Atlantic area in the processes of NATO transformation and enlargement

To really get to know more about the Atlantic Council, you can take a look at the Atlantic Council’s Programs and Publications. If you’re interested in getting involved, then head over to The Atlantic Council’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for an Outreach and Public Events Assistant – Office of Development and External Relations. Give it a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Atlantic Council?

Institute for the Study of War

Willy Franzen — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:43:01 +0000

Despite the fact that most of us probably don’t even think about it on a daily basis, we are a country at war. Formally, the War in Afghanistan is the only current war that the United States is fighting since hostilities in Iraq officially ended on August 31, 2010; however, the reality is that we still are actively engaged in Iraq and Syria now too. Military policy continues to be an extremely important part of what our government does, and it’s essential that our leaders are well prepared to make important decisions regarding these conflicts. The Institute for the Study of War is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that was founded in 2007 to do just that. The organization “produces strictly non-partisan, non-ideological, fact- based research” and aims “to promote an informed understanding of war and military affairs through comprehensive, independent, and accessible open-source research and analysis.”

Keep on Studying

The Institute for the Study of War has two main focuses: their Iraq Project and their Afghanistan Project. However, it does seem that the Institute for the Study of War may be expanding their focus. As new conflicts like the one in Libya emerge, I’m sure that they’ll be studying them and analyzing them. It’s all based on the premise that “a healthy democracy requires civilian leaders who are well versed in military affairs.” Apparently most American colleges and universities abandoned military studies during the Vietnam War, and there has a growing divide between our military and the civilians who control it. The Institute for the Study of War aims to close that gap. If studying war sounds interesting to you, check out The Institute’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Research Analyst for their Gulf Security Project. You must be able to read Farsi or Arabic, so if you can’t, you may wan to reach out to them about other opportunities.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Institute for the Study of War?

Freedom House

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 May 2011 14:17:06 +0000

So far it seems that 2011 has been a pretty good year for freedom across the world. We’ve seen dictators overthrown, terrorists brought to justice, and finally got a new mayor in Chicago after 22 years (I kid). But every time progress is made somewhere in the world, it seems that another part of the world takes a step back. Because the fight for freedom is constantly changing, it’s important to keep track of how things are progressing across the world. That’s exactly what Freedom House does. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights.” As they put it, they’re all about combining analysis, advocacy, and action. The organization was founded in 1941 and has a very interesting history that you should definitely read up on.

Freedom in the House

If you read Freedom House’s About page, you’ll learn that they’ve “opposed tyranny around the world, including dictatorships in Latin America, apartheid in South Africa, Soviet domination of Central and Eastern Europe, and religiously-based totalitarian regimes such as those governing Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia,” while they’ve also “promoted the growth of freedom by encouraging U.S. policymakers, international institutions, and the governments of established democracies to adopt policies that advance human rights and democracy around the world.” One of the best ways to get a feel for what Freedom House does is to check out their publications: Freedom in the World, Freedom of the Press, Nations in Transit, and Countries at the Crossroads. If you like what you see, then you should check out Freedom House’s Jobs page. They have a number of opportunities for new grads right now including Assistant Editor (New York, NY), Grants Associate (Washington, DC), and Program Assistant – East and Horn of Africa (Washington, DC). All of the positions look really interesting, so check them out. (You may also want to check out the International opportunities on their Jobs page.)

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about freedom house?

Sister Cities International

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:17:58 +0000

We’re all feeling for Japan right now. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and potential nuclear meltdowns are nightmares on their own, but having all three occur together is indescribably terrible. Luckily, Japan is a wealthy and technologically advanced nation that was and is well prepared to deal with such disasters. That doesn’t mean that they don’t need our support. Plenty will come from our federal government, but there will also be support sent from city to city. Why? Because of the relationships formed through Sister Cities International, a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that aims to “promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation–one individual, one community at a time.” They match up cities across the world to be sister cities (smaller cities may have one sister city while larger cities could have dozens). For instance Riverside, CA is Sendai, Japan’s (the epicenter of the earthquake) sister city, so the people in Riverside are already working to coordinate their part in the relief effort for Sendai. It’s exactly the “people-to-people, citizen diplomacy initiative” that President Eisenhower proposed in 1956.

What’s Your City’s Sister City?

The idea of using municipalities to foster international diplomacy seems a little strange at first, but when you read about Sister Cities International’s history and mission, you’ll start to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Another fascinating thing to look at is Sister Cities International’s statistics page. You can learn things like:

Among U.S. states, California has the most sister city programs with 122 communities and 388 partnerships.
More than one-third of the sister city organizations surveyed receive funding from local government to help their sister city program.
Among communities abroad, Japan has the most sister city programs with 228 communities and 239 partnerships.
Among U.S. states, California has the most sister city programs with 122 communities and 388 partnerships.

I really like what Sister Cities International is doing, and I hope that they’re able to make a significant impact in the relief effort in Japan. If reading about Sister Cities International gets you excited, then you should check out their Jobs page and then Idealist for their Youth Ambassador Program Coordinator position. The job looks suitable for a new or recent grad, and it will allow you to work on a student exchange program that focuses on “poverty and the environment, showing local and national examples of how cities and countries are working to alleviate the negative effects of both issues.” Take a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Sister Cities International?

National Bureau of Asian Research

Willy Franzen — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:00:47 +0000

I really hope that I get to travel to Asia at some point in my life, especially Japan. I think it would be fascinating to experience a society that is quite similar to the United States in terms of its economy and technology, yet so different culturally. When I think about it, I’m amazed at how far America’s relationship with Asian countries has come over the past 70 or so years. We’ve gone from wars with Japan, Korea, and Vietnam to economic battles with Japan and China. Now our economy is deeply intertwined with that of China, and the fight against Communism is nearly forgotten. Even though our country’s relationships with Asian countries have changed over the years, it’s still extremely important that we work to understand them better. That’s what the National Bureau of Asian Research is all about. They’re a Seattle, WA based non-profit organization that “conducts advanced independent research on strategic, political, economic, globalization, health, and energy issues affecting U.S. relations with Asia.” They were founded in 1989 when the landscape was quite different from what it is today, but their mission is just as relevant.

Explore Everything Asia

By “drawing upon an extensive network of the world’s leading specialists and leveraging the latest technology,” the National Bureau of Asian Research is able to bridge “the academic, business, and policy arenas.” As important as doing their research, another key to NBR’s work is disseminating their research. They do this “through briefings, publications, conferences, Congressional testimony, and email forums, and by collaborating with leading institutions worldwide.” If you want to get a feel for some of NBR’s past work, you can take a look at this history of their first fifteen years. Another part of NBR’s mission is training “the next generation of Asia specialists.” This means that they’re big on Fellowships and Internships. It’s already too late for The Next Generation Leadership in Asian Affairs Program (deadline was January 15), and the Bridge Award Program seems to be limited to recipients of the Boren Fellowship; however, NBR also has a Jobs page. The only position posted is for an Accounts Payable Coordinator, which isn’t all that relevant to what NBR does. However, you can keep an eye out for other opportunities that might appear or you can reach out to them to see if there are any other options. Remember, training the next generation of Asian specialists is part of their mission.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever been to Asia?

BodyBuilding.com

Willy Franzen — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:47:31 +0000

Does anyone else find it vexing that gyms get completely packed in the first few weeks of January? I have a lot of respect for people who use the new year to motivate themselves into getting in shape, and I’m certainly approaching my workouts with more energy than I was in December, but I hate the crowds. Last month I mentioned that I was reading Tim Ferriss’ new book, The 4-Hour Body. I recently finished it, and it has encouraged me to try some new things at the gym. One of the suggestions that I’m excited to try is “kettlebell swings.” They were a bit hard to understand until I saw a video of how to do them in one of Tim’s blog posts. The video was hosted on BodyBuilding.com, and when I went to check the site out I saw a link to a Careers section at the bottom of the page. I started looking around, and I learned that the Boise, ID based company is the most visited bodybuilding and fitness site in the world, the #1 sports nutrition e-commerce site, one of the top 500 e-commerce sites in America, and a former Inc. 500 company. I knew that online fitness could be big business, but I had no idea that BodyBuilding.com owned such a dominant place in the market.

Build Your Body, Build Your Career

BodyBuilding.com has taken a really smart, two-pronged approach to growing their business. Instead of just focusing on e-commerce or just focusing on content, they do both. While most companies that build online communities do so to sell advertising, BodyBuilding.com has done it to advertise their own e-commerce business. Apparently it’s working, as BodyBuilding.com started in 1999 (not a great time for Internet companies) and has grown to more than 160 employees since. I think what really makes BodyBuilding.com stand out is that they’re built for the long-term. Lots and lot of companies that push fitness products online are about tricking people into buying some miracle product. BodyBuilding.com has built the ultimate online fitness resource for free—they want their customers to be well informed and trusting. They know that by consistently providing quality content, they will have a continuously growing group of loyal customers. If you want to join the growing ranks of BodyBuilding.com employees, check out their Jobs page. They have quite a few opportunities including a bunch that look well suited for new and recent grads like Import/Export Specialist (Costanza!), Quality Control Coordinator, Competition Content Coordinator, B2B Account Specialist, and Java Software Engineer. Now flex your muscles and apply.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you visited BodyBuilding.com?

U.S. Agency for International Development

Willy Franzen — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:20:46 +0000

During my vacation I’ve been reading a number of books including President Bush’s Decision Points. I’ve enjoyed it so far, and the chapter on Afghanistan reminded me to take a look at the U.S. Agency for International Development (better known as USAID), which a reader recommended I write about a few months ago. They are “the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.” Right now they’re playing a huge role in moderating the impact of the war in Afghanistan on civilians, while they’re also heavily focused on helping those in Pakistan who have been affected by the earthquake. While USAID’s budget is less than one half of one percent of the federal budget, their impact feels much greater.

Aid for Your Job Search

The U.S. Agency for International Development advanced U.S. policy objectives in three areas: economic growth, agriculture and trade; global health; and democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance. They work all over the world with the goal of “expanding democracy and free markets while improving the lives of the citizens of the developing world.” USAID’s work is obviously extensive, so summarizing it isn’t very easy. Your best bet is to read about all of their programs here. There is an unbelievable amount of information on the USAID website, so if you’re considering a career with them, you should really spend a good amount of time learning about the ins and outs of the the agency. Then you can head over to their Careers page. There are so many different kinds of opportunities at USAID that it can get kind of confusing, but you’ll probably want to look at their Development Leadership Initiative page and their Fellows Program page. There are way too many different kinds of opportunities to list, but you should be able to find all kinds of cool options with USAID in a variety of locations. While you browse through them, I’ll be reading on the beach.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you read any good books lately?

Lloyd’s of London

Willy Franzen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:17:19 +0000

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I still have a lot of Inc. 500 companies to look over as I try to find you all jobs; in fact, I haven’t even reached #50 yet. I’ve passed up quite a few companies that look interesting, but don’t have any entry level opportunities right now; however, one company with no jobs page really caught my attention—Exceptional Risk Advisors. They are high limit disability insurance experts, and reading about them made me instantly think of Lloyd’s of London, which has plenty of jobs (though most of them are in the United Kingdom). Lloyd’s of London is behind every cool insurance policy that you’ve ever heard of. They’ve issued a $1 million policy on Troy Polamalu’s hair, as well as policies on Celine Dion’s vocal chords, Keith Richards’ fingers, and Tina Turner’s legs. According to Wikipedia, Lloyd’s of London isn’t actually a company, but a “meeting place where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members come together to pool and spread risk.” If it helps, you can pretend it’s a company. Anyway, Lloyd’s of London has a long and storied history, as they got their start by serving mostly people in the shipping and maritime industries.

Insure That You Find a Job

It’s not often that we feature international companies (mostly because it’s hard to say whether they’ll hire U.S. students), but Lloyd’s of London is just so cool. They’re not only a company that is just generally worth learning about (I’m excited about them and I hate insurance companies), but they’re also one of the best places you could possibly be if you wanted to learn the insurance industry. Now, Lloyd’s of London has offices around the globe including ones in New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Frankfort, KY; Los Angeles, CA; and St. Thomas, USVI. Unfortunately, Lloyd’s Careers page only covers positions in the U.K. They have a great section of their site for graduates, which provides everything you could ever want to know about their hiring process—from an Introduction to a Blog to How to Apply. Lloyd’s graduate program offers opportunities in the following areas: Corporate Communications, Delegated Authorities, Exposure Management, Human Resources, Information Technology Group, International Markets, International Regulatory Affairs, Market Operations, Market Services, Relationship Management, Risk Management, Strategy and Business Planning, and Underwriting Performance. Lloyd’s will hire foreign students, but it’s up to you to do all of the visa stuff yourself—you can also reach out to people at the U.S. offices to inquire about positions here.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

If you had to insure one part of your body, what would it be?

Bridging Nations

Willy Franzen — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:32:25 +0000

International relations is becoming more and more important. There is just too much to gain from cooperation across borders for us not to put a lot of effort in developing international relationships. That’s why Bridging Nations exists. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that uses education to build bridges between nations through education. Their target audience is “leaders in government, business, and the non-profit sector,” and the organization’s message is focused on “promoting an informed, multifaceted forum of exchange.” The end goal is to promote policies that create mutual benefit for people across nations. By bringing together economics, leadership, and technology, Bridging Nations thinks that they can build relationships that will make everyone better off.

Can You Build a Bridge?

Bridging Nations pursues their mission by focusing on four key program areas: India-China-US Relations, Energy Technology and Policy, Education and Innovation, and Leadership and Governance. I find the first two more interesting, because they’re topics that are easier to nail down and focus on than the latter two. Overall, I think that Bridging Nations could do a little better on their messaging because it’s hard to get a good read on what exactly they do. With that said, I know there are plenty of you out there who are interested in international relations, so hopefully you can take a closer look at Bridging Nations and report back with your take on them. Maybe you’ll even do at as an employee of the organization since they’re currently looking for a Research / Project Assistant. The job description doesn’t give much more insight as to what the organization does, but it does look like a great entry level position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Bridging Nations?

German Marshall Fund of the United States

Willy Franzen — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:43:28 +0000

Time for a little Sunday morning history lesson. Who remembers the Marshall Plan from history class? It was a plan for rebuilding Western Europe after World War II that was named for Secretary of State George Marshall. In the four years that the plan was active, the U.S. gave $13 billion in aid to a number of European countries. You can get the full rundown on Wikipedia, but those are the basics. This may have been a goodwill gesture, but it was also self-serving. By financing much of Europe’s reconstruction, the US was able to influence the direction that these European governments were taking. That’s important when you’ve just fought a war to oust fascists who were able to gain control due to a power vacuum created by an insufficient resolution to a previous war. Of course, the Marshall Plan didn’t prevent the Cold War, but it did create a much more favorable situation for the U.S. It also helped Germany recover more quickly, and for that they thanked us with the German Marshall Fund of the United States, “a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance.” It was a gift of of DM 150 million, and it now lives on as a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “is dedicated to the promotion of greater understanding and common action between Europe and the United States.”

An International Gift

The German Marshall Fund of the United States now exists as “an independent American public policy and grantmaking institution,” but they continue to work on “the most pressing transatlantic issues, both inside and outside Europe’s changing borders.” Beyond their office in Washington, DC, they also have locations in Berlin, Bratislava, Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, Bucharest, Turn, and Stockholm. To get a feel for the kind of work that the GMF does, you can take a look at their Policy Initiatives, their Fellowships, their Experts, and their Grantmaking. If you’re interested in foreign policy, then it’d be hard to find a more interesting place to work than the German Marshall Fund of the United States. You can check out their Jobs page, and take a look at the one position that seems suitable for a new grad—Program Assistant – Comparative Domestic Policy. You can apply by sending a cover letter and current resume to hr@gmfus.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you already know about the Marshall Plan?

Just Vision

Willy Franzen — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:08:49 +0000

Sometimes you need a little recognition to keep working hard at something. Yes, we glorify those who keep persevering in anonymity, but there’s almost no better way to motivate someone than to recognize him or her for a job well done. That’s exactly what Just Vision is trying to do for “Palestinian and Israeli civilians working to end the conflict.” The media rarely talks about them. It focuses on the violence and the conflicts. This is typical of the press—the people who behave badly get their message out, while the people who keep quiet and do the right thing have to beg for a little bit of coverage. Just Vision, which is based in Washington, DC, is an organization fully focused on shining light on the positive news stories about Israeli and Palestinian civic leaders who are working for peace. Just Vision does this with the goal of making these leaders more “visible, valued and influential in their efforts.”

What’s Your Vision?

What’s really interesting about Just Vision is that they didn’t just jump into their work right away. Before they launched in 2003, they spent two years consulting with “nearly 500 Israeli and Palestinian leaders in nonviolence and peacebuilding to learn about their work, their successes, failures and lessons learned.” After learning a lot about they people whom they’d be working for, Just Vision launched with the goal of shining light on the “thousands of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians stepping forward to end the bloodshed, preserve human rights, promote reconciliation and build a sustainable, free and secure future for all.” One of the main ways that they do this is by producing and distributing films. What I really like about Just Vision is that they remain so focused. They could easily stray into working directly on the peace process, but they’ve continued to stick to their one big idea—advocating and publicizing for the people who are already doing the hard work. If you are drawn to this idea, check out Just Vision’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Development and Operations Assistant, and it seems like a new grad would be perfect for the job. The application deadline is June 1st, and you can find all of the relevant info directly on the Jobs page.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Just Vision?

Bank Information Center

Willy Franzen — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:09:40 +0000

You’ve probably heard of the World Bank, but do you know what it is? Now’s a good time to head over to Wikipedia to find out. The short version is that they’re “an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to developing countries for capital programs” with the goal of reducing poverty. Bank Information Center is a Washington, DC based non-profit that helps “developing and transitioning countries to influence the World Bank and other international financial institutions to promote social and economic justice and ecological sustainability.” Basically that means that they work at the local level in countries across the world to make sure that the interests of the people are represented in the decisions of international financial institutions. Their aim is to democratize development.

Be Informed About the BIC

The Bank Information Center approaches its mission with three major strategies: “(i) information services and capacity building; (ii) project and policy monitoring; and (iii) policy reform.” They do this by having staff who are dedicated to specific regions and who know the ins and outs of how to work in these areas to influence development decisions. It’s all really complex, so your best bet for getting a full understanding of how the BIC works is to read their About page. Once you get a feel for them, you can check out their Jobs page, where you’ll see how their strategy and mission are reflected in their positions. Right now they’re looking for a Latin America Program Assistant and an Africa Program Assistant. These positions do require some prior experience, but I think some internships in International Development or an environmental field would be sufficient. You can apply by sending “a cover letter explaining your interest in the position, a 1-2 page resume, and two writing samples to jobs@bicusa.org” with the name of the position in the subject line.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Bank Information Center?

Right To Play

Willy Franzen — Sun, 24 May 2009 14:42:08 +0000

You know all those rights that you learned about in school? All that stuff in the Constitution. I’m sure it’s important to you now, but how important was it to you as a kid? Unless you were a unique kid, you just wanted to play. That’s why Right To Play is such an interesting non-profit. They’re “an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world.” Play may seem trivial to many, but Right To Play has found that it’s often the key to opening up those other rights that many of us take for granted. They’re a Toronto based organization with a New York City presence, and they’re currently working in 23 countries: Azerbaijan, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Peru, occupied Palestinian territory, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates and Zambia.

A Job That Is Fun and Games

Although working among “the most marginalized including girls, people living with disability, children affected by HIV and AIDS, street children, former child combatants and refugees” doesn’t sound like very much fun, Right To Play does its best to change that. Part of being human is having fun as a child, and Right To Play aims to ensure that’s a reality for all children. The organization has great stories about the work that they do. They’ve done a handball clinic in Jordan and put on a Peace Dream Cup in Liberia. If you’re looking for the intersection of sport and philanthropy, this is it. Right now, Right to Play’s Jobs page has a number of openings posted. None are explicitly entry level, but I think that you should take a look at the Grand Writer and Research Coordinator and the Development Coordinator positions. To apply, you can send a cover letter and resume to usa@righttoplayusa.org with the job title in the subject line before June 1st.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about Right To Play?

Council on Foreign Relations

Willy Franzen — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 13:06:12 +0000

What happens when you put Angelina Jolie together with a suspected conspiracy to create a “one-world government?” No, it’s not an upcoming movie release. It’s actually a non-profit organization called the Council on Foreign Relations. They are “an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.” They can claim Angelina Jolie as a member, and because of their secrecy clauses and interesting membership requirements (and the fact that so many high-ranking government officials are members), people get all kinds of ideas about Council on Foreign Relations. In fact, Wikipedia says that “some believe it to be the most powerful private organization to influence United States foreign policy.” Ok, let’s cut through all the crazy stories and see what CFR is really about.

Join the Council

If it’s not already obvious, Council on Foreign Relations is the place to be if you’re interested in foreign affairs. They’ve been promoting “understanding of foreign policy and America’s role in the world since its founding in 1921.” The need for understanding foreign policy isn’t going anywhere, so I think the Council on Foreign Relations is going to continue to be an exciting place to be (at least until they accomplish that goal of a one-world government). That’s why you should consider a job with them. Right now their job listings include two positions that are perfect for new grads. These entry level jobs are Washington, DC based and include Research Associate – International Institutions and Global Governance and Research Associate – Asia Studies. They sound like fascinating jobs, and you can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to humanresources@cfr.org with the position name in the subject of the e-mail. And if you’re not interested in the jobs, you should still check them out. Maybe you’ll unravel a global conspiracy.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you believe in conspiracy theories?

Independent Diplomat

Willy Franzen — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:02:32 +0000

Since diplomacy is “the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states” according to Wikipedia, one would assume that a diplomat is a representative of a group or state. Independent Diplomat is a non-profit organization that is trying to live outside that definition. Their mission is to provide the knowledge and experience of long time diplomats to countries that are disadvantaged or marginalized to the point that they don’t have the resources to effectively practice diplomacy. Started by a former British diplomat, Independent Diplomat has worked with nations that include Somaliland, Western Sahara, Kosovo, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to prevent and resolve conflict. They’re kind of like management consultants for diplomacy.

Working for Diplomacy

If you majored in International Relations, you’re probably already really excited about the possibility of a job with Independent Diplomat. They’re a unique organization that takes a very different approach to foreign affairs. They are currently looking for a Program and Development Assistant in their New York City office. This position is closely intertwined with the Executive Director and the Director of Development, and requires someone who is truly committed to changing the practice of diplomacy. There are certainly some administrative tasks involved with this job, but there’s also a lot of room to grow and learn. You can find an extremely thorough job description here.

This is the only job that Independent Diplomat currently has that looks well suited to new college grads, but it seems like a perfect fit. To apply you should send an e-mail to newyork@independentdiplomat.org with “Program and Development Assistant” in the subject line. Your e-mail should include: a cover letter of no more that one page stating why you are interested in the job and why you believe you are qualified for it; a resume of no more than 2 pages; a sample of your writing of no more than 2 pages; and contact details for 2 references for whom you have worked in a professional capacity and who are willing and available to be contacted.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Does the idea of an “independent” diplomat seem strange to you?