Skills You Need To Work For An International NGO

Which organization do you want to work for?

When you ask any professional this question, some of the common answers you’ll get include Red Cross, The United Nations, AMREF, and UNEP.

What do these organizations have in common? They’re all NGOs.

Non-governmental organizations have for a long time been the epitome for most professionals. While NGO’s main focus is to have a positive impact on a specific area, they also serve as a growth platform for professionals.

NGOs receive countless applications every day. Shortlisting these applications to get the best fitting employee can be a challenge.

With the stiff competition, what can you do if you want to work for an NGO?

Speaking with Nancy, a hiring manager from an international NGO headquartered in Nairobi, she insists on the qualities and skills they look for when shortlisting candidates.

“Most of the professionals who apply for jobs with us meet most of the qualifications. However, very few have the skills that would help us achieve our organizational goals,” says Nancy.

What are these skills that NGOs are looking for when shortlisting?

Here’s a list of the top skills you’ll need to develop if you wish to work for top NGOs.

1. Communication

In an NGO setup, you constantly have to liaise with other departments, colleagues, and bodies outside the organization.

In most cases, you’ll find yourself interacting with the public, some of whom cannot communicate effectively. As a result, you’ll need to communicate both in a professional setup and a more social setting.

Finally, these skills not only help you get a job in NGOs, but they will also help you grow professionally and move up the corporate ladder.

Take a practical short course, work part-time, or volunteer to develop these skills and watch your career grow.

2. Project Management

NGO’s always have projects running. These projects have targets, deadlines, and timelines they should be competed under. When you can successfully manage a project, an NGO will be willing to bring you on board.

Some of the projects are small scale while others are intricate. You should, therefore, have adequate training on how to effectively handle projects from the planning stage, the execution phase, and the completion.

While you may have some training or experience in running a project, you also need practical training in project management.

Join Practical Project Management Training and develop the skills needed. After the training, you’ll receive a certificate, which is recognized by NITA. Afterwards, you can also register for exams with the Association for Project Management (APM) or Project Management Institute.

3. Fundraising

Since most organizations rely on grants, donations and funding from donors, they are constantly on the search for professionals with effective fundraising skills.

NGOs have closed down due to the lack of funds. This shows the importance of a professional who can source funds for the organization and its projects.

To succeed as a fundraiser, you need to develop creative ways to source for funds from donors. Some of the approaches you can take include; holding fundraising events, developing and cultivating a relationship with donors, and fundraising through online and mobile techniques.

While there are ways to learn effective fundraising skills, you can also take up a voluntary role in an NGO and work with a professional fundraiser to better understand the skills and techniques needed to build fundraising skills.

Go ahead and sign up for our upcoming Project Management class that starts on Monday, 9th March 2020 and acquire these skills and so much more.

To book your slot, email our training coordinator Kellen, at events@corporatestaffing.co.ke or call her at 0768 669 030.