International affairs

Jobs in this sector are diverse, encompassing a wide range of issues. These include governance, healthcare, education, gender, disaster preparedness and response, infrastructure, economics, finance, human rights, the environment and many more.

Jobs in international affairs often fall within the following categories:

  • Practitioner: project management and implementation
  • Policy, advisory, consultancy: research, analysis, evaluation, and providing policy recommendations
  • Advocacy and outreach: campaigning, lobbying, fundraising, media, and communications
  • Support: human resources, finance, logistics, IT, etc.

Common job roles include:

A typical entry point to the international affairs sector includes working for an international organisation. International organisations have international membership and presence, and they are typically classified as either an intergovernmental organisation or an international non-governmental organisation.

Working in international affairs within the private sector is also common. This can include working in consulting, international banking and finance, or international business.

Contents

How to prepare

Key skills that are useful in this sector will vary according to the role, but often include:

  • language skills
  • adaptability and flexibility
  • demonstrable cultural sensitivity and intercultural fluency
  • exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, which include written, verbal, and active listening skills
  • creative problem-solving and resourcefulness (often within a limited budget)
  • effective research and analysis skills (quantitative and qualitative).

Develop employability skills

Saints Skills Awards

Saints Skills Awards help you get and talk about the skills employers want. 

There are two awards: 

Both awards are open to all students, in any year of study. 

Consider joining a club or student society that may help you develop and refine your skills.

Build commercial awareness

To stay informed about current trends or issues facing the sector, subscribe to sector-focused newsletters or publications, such as the journal International Affairs (student subscription fee available). You can also consult reading lists, monitor organisations’ websites and follow them on social media, and listen to sector-specific podcasts.

Make a connection

Networking is an integral aspect of working in the sector. To connect with people already working in international affairs, consider joining Saint Connect, the University of St Andrews’ exclusive, global, online community for networking and career mentoring. Also, speak to faculty, tutors, colleagues, peers, or any additional contacts you may have that work in the field or know someone who does.

Consider joining an external professional association, such as the Development Studies Association (student membership available) or Scotland’s International Development Alliance.

See more ideas for making a connection.

Internships and traineeships

For a general initial search for internships in international affairs, refer to International Relations Careers' paid internships in international relations page.

Some organisations, companies, and firms often have established internships, vacation schemes, or insight day programmes that connect to their graduate recruitment. Previous St Andrews students have worked for firms and companies with international services, including FTI Consulting, WSP, KPMG, HSBC, NatWest, PwC, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Grant Thornton. Examples of undergraduate opportunities at these firms include:

Please note that undertaking undergraduate work experiences such as these does not guarantee graduate-level employment. However, it does establish an important connection between you and the employer, which can influence future recruitment decisions.

Other internship and traineeship programmes in international affairs include:

Volunteering

The Scottish Council for Volunteering Organisations (SCVO) offers guidance on getting involved in volunteering.

When considering volunteering abroad, think critically about:

  • selecting the right project – is the organisation ethical and reputable? does the project support local communities through genuine partnership or is it voluntourism? how will this experience align with your academic, professional, or personal interests?
  • costs – what costs are involved? are these made clear on the organisation's website?
  • funding your volunteering – how can you raise funds?

Examples of volunteer organisations include:

Further study

Securing a job in international affairs often involves a combination of postgraduate study, experience, skills, and networking. Postgraduate courses are available in subjects such as international affairs, international relations, international development management, international development studies, international health management, aid management, global social policy, and more.

You may also consider acquiring a specialist qualification in a field relevant to the direction in which you want your career to develop.  For example, a qualification in conflict resolution will be useful for work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), or a qualification in forced migration studies for work with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

For more insight into what courses are available, see FindAMasters course search and FindAPhD course search. Also, speak to relevant faculty members and sector-specific contacts to learn which programmes they recommend.  

For further information on further study in general, see the further study pages.

How to get a job

Applying for a job

The application process for international affairs work will vary according to which organisation you are applying. Research the organisation to understand the skills, competencies, and values they value. Also, review the organisation’s website, as they may provide details on their recruitment and selection processes.

For large organisations, you can expect to:

For a smaller organisation, you can expect any combination of the above, though completing an online application form or assessment exercise is less likely.

If you would like personalised help on any aspect of applying for a job, you can book an appointment with a careers adviser.  

Additional resources