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Careers Advice and Further Studies

If you are considering a career in a development-related area, already looking for a job in the sector or considering options for furthering your career, you will find useful information here that may point you in the right direction. You will also find below information about further studies and courses development-related areas.

Information for Job-Seekers

Landing that first paid job in the development sector can be quite a daunting prospect and it is all the more challenging in the current financial climate. Here you find useful links to sites where you can find out about current vacancies in Ireland and overseas, including paid work, internships and volunteer positions in the development and voluntary sectors.

Job-seekers will find links and references below to useful resources, both online and printed publications, where you will find tips and advice on how to go about successful job-hunting. If you are struggling in your job search you may like to consider adopting different strategies, a good place to start might be What Colour is your Parachute or The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers. Particularly useful to those thinking of a career change into the sector may be The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for Sector Switchers.

Visit Comhlámh’s Jobs Noticeboard for listings of vacancies in the community, voluntary and development sectors. Also available are listings of relevant job sites which advertise positions in the development sector both at home and overseas, including paid positions, internships and volunteer opportunities.

A great source of information on upcoming vacancies are Dochas Wednesday’s News, a weekly e-newsletter containing information on events, courses and vacancies in the sector in Ireland. Sign up on the Dochas website - www.dochas.ie. Another useful resource is Activelink, which includes listings of jobs in the community and voluntary sector in Ireland. You can also sign up for the weekly jobs bulletin – www.activelink.ie.

 

Careers one to one sessions

Comhlámh can offer, at a very low cost (Euro 35), a limited number of one-to-one sessions with a professional careers guidance counsellor. These sessions can assist with CV and cover letter preparation, interview skills and strategic career planning. If you would like further information please contact deirdre@comhlamh.org or call 086-3367683.

Further Studies and Courses
If you are thinking of pursuing further studies in a development-related area there are many possibilities, including courses in development studies, development education, community and adult education, equality and intercultural studies, community and youth work, humanitarian aid and environmental studies to name but a few of the options available.

Comhlámh’s Careers and Courses Leaflet contains comprehensive listings of third-level courses in development-related areas in Ireland and contact details for many of the educational institutions which provide these courses. These listings are by no means exhaustive, but they may help you to get an idea of the range of options open to you and point in the right direction in your search for the right course for you. Contact supportservices@comhlamh.org for a free copy.

There is a whole range of shorter courses and workshops on specific topics available also that you may be interested in. Comhlámh offers a range of training courses on different aspects of development and solidarity work, from one-day introduction workshops to ten-week trainings. Courses cover topics and skills such as global trade and sustainable development, how to work for a better world from Ireland, skills in development education, teaching about global justice, diversity using the arts, campaign and lobby skills and much more.

The following websites provide information on other courses you may be interested in:

Activelink - www.activelink.ie
Activelink includes information on a range of full and part-time courses, trainings and workshops relating to the community and non-profit sectors.

Dtalk, Development Training and Learning Programme - www.dtalk.ie
Dtalk is training and learning programme offering a broad range of short courses and workshops for development workers active in international development.

Learning Point - www.learningpoint.ie
A resource from The Wheel. An extensive database of training courses and providers for the community and voluntary sector in Ireland.


A Note on Volunteering
The development sector can be a challenging area to get into. While educational qualifications in the area would further boost your chances, even then it might be necessary to get involved with organisations on a voluntary or internship basis if possible. This can give you a valuable insight into the sector if you’re new to it, it fills what might otherwise look like a gap on your CV, and when paid vacancies do arise you are much better placed if people know your work and you know the organisation. Volunteering can be a good way to get to know an organisation while doing something worthwhile and building relevant experience. Many of the websites and e-newsletters listed above contain information about volunteer vacancies relating to the community and development sectors.

If you are thinking of volunteering overseas there are a number of resources available from Comhlámh’s Volunteering Options Programme that can assist you to make an informed decision. Check out www.volunteeringoptions.org for information on issues to consider and the types of organsiations and placements that exist. The Volunteering Options team run regular advisory sessions, information evenings and workshops for potential volunteers, keep an eye on the website for upcoming events.

 

Volunteering: A Stepping Stone to a Career in Development?

On January 22nd 2011 Comhlamh hosted a seminar to explore volunteerism as a possible catalyst or stepping stone for a career in the development sector. Don Mullan opened the seminar with a motivating and inspiring speech.  He spoke about his own career path and what inspired him to be involved in social justice, as well as the compassion of volunteers and the importance of networking and imagination.  Panel speakers included: Concern Worldwide’s HR Manager Kate Malone; Trocaire’s Eoin Murray, and human rights activist and volunteer Andrew Forde.  Eilish Dillon, professor at Kimmage, was the chair of the panel and brought forward an academic angle. 

Below is a clip from Don Mullan’s keynote speech.



Careers in Development Seminar: Where will we be in 2015?

To read the report from Careers in Development: Where will we be in 2015? please click here

Careers in Development: Where will we be in 2015?
Seminar hosted by comhlámh with support from Irish Aid

Useful Publications and Resources

  • Bolles, Richard Nelson. 2010. What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters & Career-Changers. UK, Ten Speed Press. The definitive guide to finding your 'life mission' and the job which goes with it. 
  • Comhlámh, 2010. The Coming Home Book. A comprehensive guide to the process of returning home from an overseas assignment, including information on further studies and careers. Available in hard copy on request or downloadable here.
  • Chapman, Andrew. 2001. The Monster Guide to Jobhunting: Get the Perfect Job, Double Click. Great Britain, Pearson Education Ltd. 
  • Gallwey, Timothy, W. 2003. The Inner Game of Work: Overcoming Mental Obstacles for Maximum Performance. Texere Publishing.  
  • Grace, Corina. 2009. Take Charge of Your Career ... and Find a Job You Really Love! The Essential Handbook for Job Seekers and Job Changers. The Liffey Press.
  • Greenbury, Linda R. 1992. Portable Careers: Surviving Your Partner’s Relocation. London, Kogan Page. An excellent reference book for everyone on the move - single or attached. 
  • Idealist.org, 2010. The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for Sector Switchers and The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers for First-time Job Seekers. Available to download for FREE at www.idealist.org/sectorswitcher and www.idealist.org/beginacareer.  
  • Krechowiecka, Irene. 2002. Net That Job! Using the world wide web to develop your career and find work. London, Kogan Page. 
  • Houston, Eugenie. 2001. Working and Living in Ireland. Working and Living Publications. Continually updated electronic versions of the Working and Living titles can be bought online at www.workingandliving.com 
  • Houston, Eugenie. 2000. Go Contracting in Ireland. Working and Living Publications.  
  • Houston, Kathleen. 2000. Changing career to change your life. Surrey, Trotman.  
  • Khoo, Lisa. 2001. From here to e. Equip yourself for a career in the wired economy. Great Britain, Pearson Education Ltd.
  • Laredo, Joe. 2001. Living & Working in Ireland : A Survival Handbook. Living and Working Guides. London, Survival Books Ltd.
  • Tolle, Eckhart. 2009. A New Earth: Create a Better Life. Penguin.

Comhlámh, Ballast House, Aston Quay, Dublin 2  /  Tel: + 353 1 4783490  /  Fax: + 353 1 4783738  /  Email: info@comhlamh.org