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The School of Politics and International Relations is funding a field trip to the Careers in International Affairs Forum on the 30th April 2020 in central London.
To be considered for a place (event tickets and coach travel from the Canterbury campus to London*) please email aspirations@kent.ac.uk with a short motivational statement by 25th February 2020 .
* Please also advise if you will want coach travel from the Canterbury campus to the event in London, or if you plan to make your own way there.
Careers in International Affairs Forum
Is an annual meeting in which students, graduates, recruiters and experts will network, share their offerings and exchange insights in the field of international affairs. The fifth edition will take place on the 30th of April 2020. Young people interested in pursuing their careers in foreign relations and diplomacy will have a chance not only to meet representatives of prospective employers but also of the academic institutions .
Pursuing a career in international affairs is an exciting path that requires a multitude of skills and knowledge as prerequisites before embarking on this international journey.
Multi disciplinary background sounds to be crucial especially for practitioners career path in foreign service, international organisations and media rather than research career path in think tanks or universities. Understanding of complex interrelationships, profound knowledge of other countries, political systems, and different mentalities, in addition to interest in people and the ability to combine this knowledge are qualities of successful international affairs professionals.
One of the ways to acquire these competencies is a postgraduate degree which provide participants, in addition to knowledge, with global network of contacts valuable as they progress in their careers. Learning foreign languages is another factor that is necessary in pursuing a career in international affairs. If you speak Arabic, Russian or Chinese in Europe and United States, it will definitely give you an advantage in your career in the field. Interpersonal skills are very important for a successful career in this field as it is required to be able to build and maintain good relationships – ultimately between nations, but starting with individuals and smaller groups. International experience such as studying abroad or volunteering for an NGO is an asset for an international career.
It is a competitive career , the more professional courses you can take, the better- the more internships and summer jobs that are relevant to the field, at places people have heard of, the better, the more relevant skills and competed projects that you can talk about in your interviews.