Growing Your Skillset: A Guide to Professional Development

By Emma Nardone

On May 29, InterAction hosted the third session in our new series, ConnectAid, which brings InterAction Members and outside experts together to discuss pressing issues within the humanitarian and development sectors.

The session, which focused on reinforcing and expanding professional skillsets for the social sector and beyond, featured a panel discussion with Hannah Sobran and Kate Capparelle. More on their professional background can be found below.

As organizations continue to adapt to an evolving foreign assistance landscape, many humanitarian and development professionals have developed a need to strengthen, diversify, and build up their professional skills. Sobran and Capparelle, who have held a wide range of positions in non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and political offices, offered advice to those seeking to bring their expertise to different facets of the social sector.

To view the recording, please visit our YouTube channel.

Key Takeaways

• Many people underestimate the extent to which skills developed in the humanitarian and development sectors are transferrable to other fields. However, organizations and companies often seek candidates with experience in project management, contract review, and language translation. (If you do not have direct project management experience, emphasizing skills like organization, delegation, and attention to detail can be helpful.) Humanitarian and development professionals also bring excellent writing, communication, and stakeholder management skills to the table.

• LinkedIn is not the only useful platform for searching for employment or volunteering opportunities. Humanitarian and development professionals have developed a lively community on channels such as Discord, Reddit, and Substack. These platforms will often post job opportunities that are not available on LinkedIn.

• Networking should be conducted strategically. Reaching out to individuals at different stages of their careers will provide you with a well-rounded sense of what typical career paths may look like and what different fields have to offer.

• Once a connection has been established with a potential mentor or peer, reaching out every few months can allow the relationship to develop naturally. The strongest relationships are those that are based on a genuine desire to learn more about a particular career path.

Professional Development Resources

Humanitarian and development professionals who are looking to pivot in their careers are encouraged to browse the following resources:

• Forbes: Try This LinkedIn Outreach Strategy To Build Your Network Online

• Substack: Impact Funding Opportunities

• Substack: Career Pivot

About the Panelists

Hannah Sobran graduated from George Washington University with a double major in Political Science and International Affairs. She has worked with the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the Democratic National Committee, and U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. She is passionate about protecting democracy and human rights.

Kate Capparelle is an international affairs and development professional with experience working in government, non-governmental organizations, and think tanks centered around diplomacy, education, and gender equality. She has taught internationally in France and supported strategic events at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. She has also contributed to USAID projects in Africa through the Kaizen Company and advanced women’s access to education with the Asherah Foundation.

The discussion was moderated by Sara Franks, Event and Meetings Coordinator at InterAction.

About ConnectAid

ConnectAid was inspired by the need to create opportunities for shared learning and collaboration as the conversation around foreign assistance issues becomes increasingly complex. Led by InterAction staff and industry experts, ConnectAid provides a space for InterAction Members to enhance and expand their practical skills.

ConnectAid will be hosted on a monthly basis. Members should regularly monitor their inbox for upcoming event invitations.

To learn more about previous and upcoming sessions, see HERE. Please contact Sara Franks with questions or ideas for future sessions.