What it takes to build a career in development amid a changing landscape

I regularly receive messages on LinkedIn from fresh graduates aspiring to enter the development sector, as well as mid-career professionals seeking to move into the United Nations. Their questions are often similar: How do I get started? What qualifications do I need? Is a master's degree enough? How can I move into the UN?

These are important questions. But in today's employment landscape, there is another question that deserves equal attention: Are you prepared for the kind of career the development sector actually offers?

A meaningful sector but not always a stable one

Careers in NGOs, INGOs and the UN can be deeply rewarding. They allow professionals to work on issues that affect people's lives — from poverty and inequality to climate change, displacement, governance and humanitarian response. 

Yet, meaningful work does not automatically guarantee job security.

The sector is heavily influenced by donor priorities, international politics and changing funding flows. Recent reductions in foreign aids have made this particularly visible. 

According to official preliminary data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), net Official Development Assistance (ODA) from member countries of the Development Assistance Committee fell by 23.1% in real terms in 2025. This represents $174.3 billion in total funding, the largest annual contraction in the history of ODA.

Core contributions to the UN system also recorded a significant decline. Further reductions are projected in 2026. These shifts inevitably affect programmes, organisations and employment opportunities across the sector. 

However, this does not mean that young people should avoid the development sector. It means they should enter it with both ambition and realism.

Before choosing this path, it is worth asking yourself: Do I need the certainty of a permanent job and a predictable career structure? Or am I comfortable working through fixed-term contracts, moving between projects and organisations, and periodically having to prove myself in a competitive market?

There is no universally correct answer. A government career may offer long-term security and institutional continuity. Development and corporate careers may offer greater mobility and variety, but often with more uncertainty. What matters is understanding your own priorities and temperament before committing to a particular path.

Development career does not follow a straight line

My professional journey has reinforced my belief that careers no longer need to follow one rigid trajectory. I began my career in the UN system, gaining practical exposure to development programming and learning how institutions translate broad policy commitments into activities, partnerships and results. 

After approximately two years, I stepped away from full-time development practice to pursue an MSc at the London School of Economics (LSE) as a Chevening Scholar.

That decision was not a departure from my career. It was an investment in its next phase.

After completing my degree, I returned to Bangladesh and re-entered the UN system. Over time, I moved into roles requiring a combination of monitoring and evaluation, research, reporting, communication, programme coordination and stakeholder engagement. Today, I work in a mid-level position as a Project Analyst with UNDP.

One of the most common mistakes young professionals make is preparing themselves for a particular organisation rather than building a broader professional identity. 'I want to work for the UN' is an aspiration, but it is not yet a career plan.

Alongside this journey, I have remained connected to academia. I briefly taught as an adjunct lecturer at United International University, continued writing and publishing, and participated in fellowships and professional programmes related to climate change, development and public policy. I am now preparing to begin a PhD-another transition that will allow me to deepen my technical expertise while keeping multiple professional pathways open.

Looking back, none of these moves was disconnected. Development practice informed my academic interests; higher education strengthened my professional work; teaching improved my communication; and research helped me approach development problems with greater analytical depth.

The thread connecting these experiences was not a fixed job title. It was a broader sense of purpose, supported by skills that could travel across roles and sectors.

Do not prepare for just one job

One of the most common mistakes young professionals make is preparing themselves for a particular organisation rather than building a broader professional identity. 

"I want to work for the UN" is an aspiration, but it is not yet a career plan. The UN is not one profession. It recruits programme specialists, researchers, economists, engineers, communication professionals, monitoring and evaluation experts, data analysts, climate specialists, humanitarian practitioners and many others.

The more useful question is: What expertise and value can I bring to the UN-or to any other organisation working on similar issues?

Qualifications matter, but they are rarely sufficient on their own. Employers increasingly look for people who can combine technical knowledge with practical delivery. 

Depending on the role, this may include research, policy analysis and evidence-based writing, monitoring, evaluation and results-based management, project design, implementation and reporting, communication and knowledge management, partnership-building and stakeholder engagement etc. 

This does not mean trying to become an expert in everything. Specialisation remains important. But it should be accompanied by transferable skills. I often think of this as having professional depth without professional rigidity: knowing your area well, while remaining capable of adapting that knowledge to different roles and contexts.

Are master's and PhD degrees worth it?

A master's degree remains valuable for many development-sector careers, and a PhD is certainly not necessary for every UN or NGO position. Practical experience, judgment and the ability to deliver results can be just as important as academic qualifications.

However, the employment market is increasingly competitive. A carefully chosen PhD can provide deeper technical expertise, stronger research capabilities and greater authority within a specialised field. It can also create options beyond a single sector, including academia, policy research, consulting and technical advisory work.

My own decision to pursue a PhD comes from a longstanding interest in academia, but it is also part of a wider professional strategy. I do not see development practice and academia as mutually exclusive. It is possible to move between them or to combine research, teaching, consultancy and development work over the course of a career. 

The important point is not that everyone should pursue a PhD. Rather, further education should be connected to a clear purpose. A degree should expand your expertise and possibilities, not merely add another credential to your CV.

Agility is becoming a professional necessity

The idea of joining one organisation and remaining there throughout an entire career is becoming less realistic for many people. Projects close. Funding priorities change. New technologies alter job requirements. Entire areas of work can expand or contract within a few years.

Career agility is therefore not a lack of commitment. It is the ability to respond intelligently to change.

That might mean moving from communications into knowledge management, from programme implementation into monitoring and evaluation, or from development practice into research and academia. It might mean learning new digital tools, strengthening quantitative skills, or developing expertise in an emerging area.

It also means not allowing one organisation, contract or designation to become your entire professional identity.

For fresh graduates, my advice is to focus less on securing the perfect first job and more on building a strong foundation. Learn how to write well, analyse information, communicate ideas, work with people and deliver assignments reliably. Take internships and entry-level roles seriously, but do not expect one opportunity to determine your entire future.

For mid-career professionals aspiring to enter the UN, begin by identifying which of your existing skills are transferable. You may not need to start all over again, but you may need to reposition your experience in language that reflects development-sector priorities and demonstrate a credible understanding of the issues you want to work on.

For both groups, remain ambitious but stay adaptable. Build expertise, but do not become trapped by a single designation. Continue learning, but choose qualifications purposefully. Seek meaningful work, but understand its risks. Build a professional identity capable of surviving and evolving beyond the changing shape of the sector.