Working World

264 pp., 5.5 x 8.5
Paperback
ISBN: 9781589012103 (1589012100)

July 2008
LC: 2007050931

EXPLORE THIS TITLE

Working World

Careers in International Education, Exchange, and Development

Sherry Lee Mueller

Finalist for Foreword Magazine's 2008 Career Book of the Year Award

Are you looking for a career with professional rewards and personal satisfaction? Perhaps you'd like to find meaningful employment in the field of international relations? Working World is the perfect resource for making sound career choices, and is particularly valuable for those interested in exploring a career in international education, exchange, and development.

Sherry Mueller, president emeritus of a large nonprofit organization with an international focus, and Mark Overmann, a young professional on his way up, serve as spirited guidance counselors and offer valuable insight on launching a career, not just landing a job. The two authors—representing contrasting personalities, levels of experience, and different generations—engage in an entertaining dialogue designed to highlight alternative approaches to the same destination: making a difference in the world.

With a rich mix of anecdotes and advice, the two authors present their individual perspectives on career development: identifying your cause, the art of networking, the value of mentors, and careers as "continuous journeys." Mueller and Overmann push job seekers to challenge assumptions about what it means to pursue a career in international relations and to recognize that the path to career success is rarely straight.

To help the job seeker chart the best course, Working World provides specific resources including annotated lists of selected organizations, websites, and further reading. Profiles of twelve professionals, from promising young associates to presidents and CEOs, illustrate the book's main topics. Each professional provides insight into his or her career choices, distills lessons learned, and offers practical advice about building a career in international affairs. All of these resources were chosen specifically to help job seekers map the next steps toward the internship, job, or other opportunity that will give shape to the career they envision.

Sherry L. Mueller, Ph.D., had her first international experience as a student on an Experiment in International Living program in Germany. Several years later she led an Experiment group to the then-USSR. Her work abroad ranges from serving as a State Department speaker on NGO leadership in Saudi Arabia to teaching English in Brazil. She currently serves as president emeritus of the National Council for International Visitors, a national network of program agencies based in Washington DC, and more than 90 community-member organizations throughout the United States.

Mark Overmann made his first trip abroad during college to study in France. Following his graduation from the University of Notre Dame, Mark spent a year in Northeast China teaching English and studying Chinese. He subsequently earned his master's degree in International Communication from American University, and then worked as a program associate at the National Council for International Visitors. Mark currently serves as the Director of College Communications at Georgetown University, where he works closely with the university's international exchange programs, specifically those with China.

Reviews
"It is a very good book that I think should be part of every campus career services library. Any young international education professional contemplating a career change or transition to another field will benefit from reading this book."—International Educator

"A rich compendium of advice and resources for those interested in pursuing a career in international education, exchange, or development . . . This is a 'must-have' resource; it provides quick access to relevant organizations, resources, and websites that have been selected and critiqued by experts."—Journal of Employment Counseling

"[This] book is useful and inspiring. It is also a valuable reference guide to relevant resources, especially crucial while at a career crossroads. The multiple viewpoints presented enable readers to tailor their progression within the field in ways that work for them."—IATEFL Voices

"Sound and different advice by two leading professionals. To be read when you are starting to search but especially when you are interviewing, where most impressions are formed and jobs are lost. Working World will help make what you say something your interviewer will want to remember."—Allan Goodman, president, Institute of International Education

"Any young professional seeking to explore or to enter a career in international exchange will find this book invaluable. Mueller and Overmann provide tried and true advice from the voices of experience. The cross-generational, multiperspective approach is both practical and exemplary of the spirit of the field."—Catherine Pfaffenroth, editor-in-chief, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs

Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: Idealists Preferred

PART I: SHAPING YOUR CAREER PHILOSOPHY

1. Identifying Your Cause
Sherry: Your Place in History
Mark: What Am I Going to Do with My Life?

2. The Art of Networking
Sherry: Encountering Potential Employers and References
Mark: Do I Really Need Business Cards?

3. The Value of Mentors
Sherry: Identifying Your Mentor
Mark: The Seinfeldian View of Mentors

4. The Continuous Journey
Sherry: An Evolving Approach
Mark: The Never-ending Job Story

PART II: SELECTED RESOURCES AND PROFILES

5. Your Job Search: A General Approach
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Alanna Shaikh, Director of Communications, Outreach, and Public Relations, for AZ SHIP, Abt Associates
PROFILE: Allan Goodman, President, Institute of International Education

6. Professional Associations
Sample Professional Associations
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Fanta Aw, Assistant Vice President of Campus Life and Director of International Student and Scholar Services, American University
PROFILE: Belinda Chiu, Princiapl, Hummingbird Research Coaching Consulting

7. Internship Opportunities
Exploitation? No, a Chance to Learn and Grow
A Good Internship Depends on You
Not Just for Students
Finding an Internship
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Jennifer Clinton, President, National Council for International Visitors

8. Volunteer Opportunities
Sample Volunteer Organizations
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Tom Garofalo, Legislative Assistant, Office of Congressmen James P. Moran (D-VA, 8th)
PROFILE: Deirdre White, President and CEO, PYXERA Global

9. Nongovernmental Organizations and Educational Institutions
What is an NGO?
Sample Nongovernment Organizations and Educational Institutions
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Adam Weinberg, President, Denison University
PROFILE: Peggy Parfenoff, Executive Director, WorldChicago

10. US Government
The Executive Branch
The Legislative Branch
Sample Government Departments and Agencies
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Ambassador Kenton Keith, Embassy Inspector, US Department of State
PROFILE: Sarah Loss Mathur, Political Officer, and Amit Mathur, Vice Consul, US Embassy, Seoul, South Korea

11. Multinational Organizations
The Cultural Context of Multinational Organizatoins
A Crowded Bazaar, Not a One-Stop Shop
Sample Multinational Organizations
Selected Resources
PROFILE: Fayezul Choudhury, CEO, International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)

12. International Business, Consulting, and Research
Sample Business Organizations
Selected Business Resources
Sample Consulting Organizations
Selected Consulting Resources
Sample Think Tanks and Foundations
Selected Think Tank and Foundation Resources
PROFILE: Lobna "Luby" Ismail, Founder, President, and Senior Trainer, Connecting Cultures, LLC
PROFILE: Karl Dedolph, Senior Manager, Accenture

Conclusion

Index