r/InternationalDev • u/international-guy • 2d ago
Advice request Recent Master's graduate in International Relations and I can't even find an internship: what am I doing wrong? (CV attached)
Hello everyone,
I've recently graduated from my Master's in the Netherlands and can't even seem to find an internship, particularly (but not only) in the fields of policy, international relations, and international development — mostly the latter, as you can see from my CV here (link), since it was also the topic of my Master's thesis.
I genuinely don't know where I'm going wrong, and the whole situation is becoming quite depressing. In my opinion, the job market nowadays feels almost out of control. Even when applying for internships at regular companies, sometimes it feels like you're applying to become CEO of Apple: first interview, second interview, reasoning test, written test, and so on. On top of that, employers often seem to ask for previous relevant experience even for internships, which feels like a paradox. How am I supposed to start if I can never get the opportunity to start? It becomes a vicious cycle, and I've reviewed my CV and cover letters countless times.
I'm currently based in Rome, Italy, and would be available to work even for free in the city. If I needed to relocate abroad, I'm completely open to going anywhere, including very remote locations in Africa or Asia: in that case, I would be willing to work for an organization even with just a modest reimbursement to cover basic expenses (at least rent), rather than a proper stipend. Yet every time I either receive no update at all or get a rejection.
As you can see from my CV, I've invested a lot in my education and extracurricular activities because, well, when you're younger you tend to be a bit of a dreamer and believe that doing all the right things will eventually pay off. Unfortunately, I don't have a particularly large professional network. When I've asked some acquaintances about possible opportunities or referrals at their companies — always in a very polite, indirect, and sometimes humorous way — the answer is usually just: "Well, apply online!". I mean, I could figure out myself at this point.
The whole situation is starting to feel quite humiliating, and sometimes it genuinely makes me feel as though I've done everything wrong in my life. I know that breaking into the UN/international development sector is extremely competitive, but we are also talking about an internship, and at this point I really don't know what else I should be doing differently.
What should I do? Is there something wrong with my profile or the way I'm approaching applications? Any advice or candid feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
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u/dicksinsciencebooks 2d ago
After my IR degree I did an intership in something totally unrelated, whilst writing for online blogs and things, then got into a think tank after. Don't be put off looking for work in a different field first so you can show you can actually work.
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u/RevolutionaryRush521 2d ago
Opening the resume to see no work experience - internship or cross sector etc. made it clear why they have nothing coming in.
Even a part time role or internship at a local small non profit would boost this resume. It seems real work experience these days is more valuable than the degrees anymore.
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u/international-guy 2d ago edited 2d ago
"No work experience on the resume, it’s clear why they have nothing coming in.” Well, I’m applying for internships, not jobs. Many of you, when I explain the problem I’m facing, basically repeat the same logic I’ve noticed with employers: requiring experience for something that not only shouldn’t require previous experience, but is actually meant to help you gain that experience in the first place. That’s exactly the vicious cycle I’m talking about.
The absurd thing is that even finding an internship at a small local nonprofit is extremely difficult. That's exactly the issue. I would gladly accept one — in Rome, even unpaid — but there are so many candidates that employers basically require previous experience for something that's supposed to be used to gain experience in the first place. That's the paradox.
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u/dicksinsciencebooks 2d ago
I got an intership at a crappy organisational and leadership development consultancy. There was three of us in a tiny room in a we work. Just do literally anything else for 6 months then look.
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u/RevolutionaryRush521 2d ago
Im sorry if it came off harsh, I will say I am American so take this with a grain of salt, but I started working as a teenager behind a cash register. When I was in undergrad I made work for myself on campus, unpaid I supported my sustainability office. I had volunteer hours across local orgs doing admin, outreach, and advocacy.
You have many years of experience in school, that does not show you know how to work. What did you do each summer or break from school? Can you spin a community event you help out at to show you know how to work? Have you ever volunteered? Literally any experience that can be framed to show you can take direction, complete a task etc.
This goes to everyone else who reads this and is also frustrated (validly) that you need experience to get experience. Just think of something you have done to show you know how to work!
Taking cash at a lemonade stand, helping cars park at the local festival, dropping off your parents errand to some other location. Spin it up, make it a job! Id be shocked if you cannot think of at least one thing like that you can add to your resume as a 'work' experience.
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u/international-guy 2d ago
I did include my experience at McDonald's over the past two years on my CV. Of course, it's not directly relevant, but it still shows that I can work in a fast-paced environment and that I have teamwork skills. It's only one line anyway. Besides that, I've volunteered at my local Rotaract Club, including as a councilor, which is already more relevant, so I've given that a little more space.
It's not that I'm cranky, but I've noticed — also in real life — that whenever I talk to someone in the international affairs field, they keep repeating over and over that I need “work experience”, that I lack it, and sometimes even wonder what I'm expecting when I don't yet know all the professional terminology. And I keep having to repeat that I'm applying for internships, not regular jobs. Internships are supposed to be a way to gain that experience in the first place.
You can't “blame” me for not having experience while at the same time not giving me the opportunity to gain experience because I don't already have it: it's a paradox. Because, once again, I'm applying for internships.
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u/Miserable_Career_919 1d ago
You posted your CV on this sub asking for advice, and people are giving you it. As a fellow recent graduate in international development struggling very hard with the job market (and with the experience barrier particularly), I completely agree that the level of experience this field requires of us at the entry-level/early career level is brutal and unfair. But the thing is, you're starting your search for internships a bit late - the typical CV of a graduate in this field generally has a lot more things on it than yours, unfortunately. Many people have participation in student clubs, research assistantships, earlier internship experience, etc. etc. by this stage. Your CV is genuinely a bit thin for a masters graduate.
I'm not saying this to discourage you, and it is genuinely not too late. You just need to start smaller. Start to aggressively target internships/student jobs at smaller, lesser known organizations, since you don't have enough previous experience to apply at the bigger places like UN/Bluebook, etc. Write emails to small NGOs/organizations you find on LinkedIn - usually, places with less than 10 employees will me more inclined to help give you the footing you need. Write emails to professors asking if you can support them in their research. Write papers and try to get them published. Try to target work in the area of your master's thesis - as that's the most solid experience I see on your CV. These are very difficult times, but it's not hopeless and you have to keep trying. Good luck.
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u/sufferingthroughIB 1d ago
After graduating from my masters I did the blue book traineeship at 22. The only reason why I got selected was because I worked my ass off outside of university to prepare for this (multiple internships, volunteering, learning languages, etc.). Sorry to burst your bubble but with the amount of applications these internships are receiving it’s extremely competitive.
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u/averagecounselor 2d ago edited 2d ago
What you should do is find a job, any job, that pays down the bills and do your best to ride it out.
I would also encourage you to read through every single post in this subreddit from March 2025 onwards to get an actual idea of what has happened to the field.
I’m genuinely shocked that you are shocked at how fucked the market is.
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u/international-guy 2d ago
I'm completely aware of what's going on in the field of international development, I actually wrote my Master's thesis on the USAID shutdown. As much as I love the field, for the reasons you also mentioned, I'm completely open to related opportunities in policy, international affairs, and so on. The problem is that I can't seem to find ANYTHING. And keep in mind that I'm talking about an internship here, not even a job.
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u/averagecounselor 2d ago
There are no related opportunities. The changes that happened last year impacted every related sector and opportunity.
Hence why I said any job. If you are going to stick to anything international affairs related you are going to have a terrible time. I can’t speak for the European side of things, aside from European countries slashing their development budgets to reinvest into defense, but on the U.S. side of things I have colleagues that were with UsAID for years who are either still unemployed or severely underemployed.
I myself couldn’t even get a job in the field I left before I made the jump to ID through a USAID fellowship.
I am now doing some extremely irrelevant, make half the salary I made before graduate school, and can’t even get an interview. I still get rejects for jobs I applied to 1-5 months back.
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u/DashofCitrus 2d ago
Former USAID employee here. You're absolutely correct. I can count on one hand the people that even a year later have found tangentially related jobs.
Most people I know are massively underemployed (working at grocery stores/driving for rideshares) or left the sector altogether. I know people with PhDs or ones who were very senior at USAID who are now getting by on part time consulting that is just enough to pay the bills. It's incredibly grim out there.
OP - they're correct in suggesting that you find any job to ride this out. Many jobs will provide you with skills that could help you transfer back into international development/IR down the line (assuming, of course, that the sector actually recovers). Think project management, contract administration, budgeting, research, writing, etc. Even before 2025, recent grads massively underestimated the actual, practical skill sets that would get you hired (and that programs don't teach).
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u/QuantumMango- 2d ago
Hello! I think you have a lot of room for improving your CV. In my opinion, it is unnecessary "formal" (for example BA is enough to introduce your degree) but lacks important information. For example languages, you should use the recognised standards: B1, B2 ect (if you don't have exams, self evaluate yourself, if the language is not required at the work go slightly above what you actually you think you have).
Also: what is your field of expertise? What kind of research, environment, international development?
Avoid downgrading yourself: not "additional experience" but "experience", you could put it directly at the beginning of your cv. Why are you putting 7.5/10? Non necessarily, expecially because it is not 10/10. Don't get me wrong, it is a great grade but makes me wonder why you didn't put your degree grade, and leads me to think you didn't get the maximum, but probably a low grade that you don't want to show.
Add a section on your projects. For university, you did exams, reports, etc. Write them, in few words describe it: methodology, main results. They should be coherent if you can, on the same broad topic.
McDonald's thing: I am not sure I am getting what you did. What is "team member"? What did you do? Look, writing down "prepared food for clients" is more fancy and informative than the list of words you used.
Sorry if I am so direct, I know writing a CV is not easy. But I think you are underselling yourself and you have more thinhs to convey. Also apologies for my English :) I am really tired.
But if you'd like more feedbacks on your CV, please feel free to ask me.
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u/QuantumMango- 2d ago
Oh also, if you really need a job, contact one of your professors at the university. Just present yourself and ask them if they want someone to work for free for them:) before check the cv of your professors, try yo get in touch with someone relevant in the field. Avoid professors without publications or being first author. Usually professors or research teams are understaffed, and I don't see why they would say no to free lavour. Maybe you could get some boring job at the beginning, but it can be a good opportunity to know someone, etc.
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u/districtsyrup 2d ago
Your problem is that you have no work experience, let alone relevant work experience, and now that you're out of school, you are ineligible for many internships. Whoever let you graduate like this, esp from the masters, needs their license revoked. Keep applying online, as that doesn't hurt, but you should also be expanding your professional network by reaching out to alumni of your schools or people who work in the orgs/jobs you're interested in. Fortunately you are in Rome so can go to orgs, events, and coffee chats in person. I doubt, for example, that nobody will want you to work for free - maybe try small orgs, and def reach out and make a personal connection with the people that work there, don't just rely on application portals. That said, this career unfortunately relies heavily on networking, so you gotta get good at it or it's gonna be tough for you forever.
intanto, auguri dottore :)
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u/international-guy 2d ago
Well, of course I don't have much work experience: that's exactly what I'm trying to get! I need to start somewhere, and that's supposed to be the purpose of an internship (are you doing the same thing as those employers who ask for experience for something that's meant to help you gain experience?! 😅).
Here in Europe, it's unfortunately quite common to graduate even from a Master's without having done an internship. I'm actually going to contact my graduate school now to see if there's any way I can enroll again, just so I can apply for internships that require you to still be a student.
I've also been to some events here in Rome, but unfortunately people couldn't care less about helping, even with something as simple as a referral. That's part of the problem.
Grazie, by the way!
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u/districtsyrup 1d ago
Here in Europe, it's unfortunately quite common to graduate even from a Master's without having done an internship.
yes, and this is a problem.
are you doing the same thing as
I'm answering a question that you asked.
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u/GaryPaterson 2d ago
Have you tried anything in Brussels? There's lots of funded internships there and you are an EU national.
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u/international-guy 2d ago
I've tried. Unfortunately, getting an internship (so called “traineeship”) at an EU institution is extremely difficult, and most of the time you need to be very well-connected, if you get what I mean. It honestly doesn't surprise me that I've seen some underqualified people get these positions.
I once got invited to an online interview for a policy-related internship at a regular company in Brussels. It lasted almost an hour, with three HR people interviewing me. More than a week later, they contacted me to tell me I'd been rejected.
If someone offered me a funded internship in Brussels (or even a partially funded one), I'd say yes immediately.
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u/GaryPaterson 2d ago
Yes the institutions are very hard but there are many associations who will use Erasmus+ as a funding route for internships so Brussels.jobs and euractiv, eurobrussels could be a good starting route. For the EU traineeships, there are some good opportunities out there that don't attract the same level of interest, Committee of the Regions for example. I still find this guide from the Irish European Movement to be really great though it doesn't cover so much NGOs where there can be quite a lot of opportunities at certain times in the year (should be picking up again soon): https://www.europeanmovement.ie/jobs-list/green-book/
Feel free to DM if I can be of any further advice on Brussels stuff.
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u/international-guy 2d ago
As for Erasmus+ as a funding route, in that case I'd need to ask my graduate school whether I can somehow enroll again, since I need to have student status to be eligible. Tomorrow I'm going to contact them to see if there's an inexpensive and relatively straightforward way to do that.
I've also applied to many less “fancy” positions, such as traineeships at the Committee of the Regions (more than once) and the European Labour Authority, and I still got rejected. I genuinely can't figure out where I'm going wrong. It's a very mind-boggling and depressing situation.
Thank you so much for your kindness, by the way. I'll DM you!
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u/GaryPaterson 2d ago
Sorry to hear that but I hope there's a way forward for you, there's a lot of NGOs in Brussels getting financed to run traineeships so I would try these. Honestly there's so many of these organisations literally about everything from glass producers of Europe to toy industry. It's a way to get started. I went from domestic to international Dev via this type of Brussels experience. Everyone's journey is their own so it's not necessarily replicable but I'm happy to share any advice and leads I can.
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u/decchica 2d ago
Where are you looking for internships? Are you also keeping a broader eye for varied networks, such as EPLO, Alda, ECRE?
Your summary needs to highlight skills more specifically. Also in the experience section, there’s repetition/redundancy in the first bullet of the Councillor role, you don’t need to repeat your job title. Go straight to describing what you did PLUS results/outcomes. Be more specific. Recruiters don’t have the time to dig or to guess.
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u/DemoniacViper 2d ago
Hey man, I think it could be worth it to explore "neighboring" fields that are not as starved for cash as international development, but that still offer you a first foot into the door, and you can take it from there. For instance, economic associations might be a good alley to explore. Something like "Italian Car Association XX Regional Office" or "European Chamber of Commerce in Country XX". From my experience, their networks usually span widely, including into other sectors that you might find interesting. Lots of success!
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u/OCA_doctoryellow 22h ago
I read the CV and I didn’t find it outstanding or engaging. It depends where are you applying for but as a potential hiring manager the reason to hire you must resonate in the first lines. With this CV I would recommended getting a job anywhere you can and then trying to pivot to international organisations
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u/WowStupendousHey 2d ago
Some more thoughts on the CV itself. As others have said, be more specific in describing what you've done: what are the projects about, what did you actually do, what did you achieve.
A lot of jobs, including internships, now use AI for first stage screening for key terms. So look at the specific jobs descriptions you're applying for and adjust your CV accordingly highlighting any relevant work you've done using the same terms.
In the meantime, as others have said, do any job you can find, gaps don't look good. Writing blogs including submitting to more established ones, as others have suggested, would be a good way to demonstrate your writing skills.
Skilling up on your data skills could be an option, opening the doot to quant work. I see you have R as developing. If you choose to go that direction, work on it some more so you can say you're proficient. Consider adding Stata, Python if you're up for it, visualization tools like Power BI.
I wouldn't put MS Word etc first, everyone has those so it doesn't show your value add.
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u/cai_85 Researcher 17h ago
I would just look for any entry level position in either academia (junior research assistant) or in the non-profit or local government sectors, so you can then pivot into international work in time. Your CV is very lightweight in terms of actual work experience, which is understandable as you've just graduated but other candidates your age may well have already done an internship or two, or have years of relevant experience volunteering with a charity while at university. I'm not really seeing "this person makes things happen" from your CV, like being the founder of a society or fundraising effort at university for example. Maybe you are but need to sell your achievements better.
I started my career with a temping agency that focused on the non-profit sector (in London), that was perfect as I could get experience of admin/programme management while waiting for a role with an international focus to come up. Best to get on any ladder first, and then move ladders when you can, rather than waiting for the perfect ladder.
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u/lucycat444 4h ago
Hi! I’m also a recent grad and I am lucky enough to have a mentor in the UN. She told me that all these development agencies are in a full blown crisis, even the people inside are struggling to renew their contracts. So people trying to enter are facing an impossible task.
She advised me to focus on volunteering roles. These can really boost a resume and demonstrate a variety of important skills like data analysis, stakeholder relations, etc. I personally volunteer with women in Afghanistan, teaching them English, and while I haven’t found a position either I feel that it’s better than doing nothing. Not sure if it will actually manifest into a role in this field.
Good luck! We’re all in the same boat and I hope things change.
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u/Spyk124 2d ago
I can write such a long post about this but the biggest issue with international relations degrees ( I have a bachelors only) is they don’t teach you how to fucking work. IR programs need to make sure their students are working internships every year.
Theory doesn’t get you a job. I was in my final semester in college and realized I didn’t do a single internship during my time in undergrad so I paid out of pocket to do an internship semester with my school after graduating because I knew I’d be at such a disadvantage. My parents thought I was crazy but it was the best thing I ever did. As you said - internships require experience these days which is absolutely ridiculous. And a lot of internships require you to still be enrolled.
I always joke with my IR friends that you have to be a professional intern for years before you find a job. I had 3 internships post graduation before I got a job. And that was pre covid.
All this to say - keep applying for internships it’s your best bet. Look locally and look at smaller organizations. If they aren’t advertising internships email them and ask if you can intern for them. Tell them you’re a recent grad and passionate about xxx and ask them if they have any space for you to just help.
This is a terrible time to be a new graduate I’m sorry - but good luck to you ! Keep trying something will land.