From International to Local

Essential Tips for a Successful Career Pivot

I’m Sara Miner. Like many of you, I was laid off this year after spending the last twenty years supporting USAID and its partners.

In February, it became apparent that we were really losing USAID. I decided that I’d rather pivot to a new industry than remain in global health after the cuts. Over the next five months, I explored opportunities with local government, domestic non-profits, consulting companies, and health insurance and healthcare companies.

I reached out to total strangers on LinkedIn, people with whom I shared only a connection to Peace Corps or USAID, and asked them for advice on entering their field. I called on friends and former colleagues, old and new, to ask them about their careers and tips for getting a job in their industry.

I even started prerequisites for a nursing degree (my plan B). I studied anatomy and physiology (and got an A!).

And I submitted 100+ job applications.

With the support of my amazing network, my efforts led to interviews with five local governments, a domestic federal agency, and a domestic nonprofit. Ultimately, I received three job offers, and started working with Fairfax County in a health and human services role in early September.

I’m not trying to brag; I know the job search has been a soul-crushing slog for many of you. I want to help in whatever way I can.

For now, that means sharing some tips I picked up along the way. I hope these may be helpful to folks transitioning from the international development or global health sectors into domestic non-profit or state/local government roles.

General Insights

It may seem like a daunting task to reinvent yourself professionally, especially mid-career and later. But if I know anything about the global development workforce, it’s that we are cultural chameleons.

So approach this task as you would starting a new job in a new country: survey the landscape, learn the language, make connections, and get to work.

In this context, that would mean learning about what opportunities are out there; adopting the language of your desired industry; connecting with people in that industry to learn how your skills may translate; and then, doing the work of updating your resume and submitting job applications.

While my journey led me to local government, some of the job search lessons I learned are universal. These first few aren’t just about changing sectors; they’re about rethinking how we present ourselves, regardless of what you’re aiming for next.

Update Your Language

If you’re searching for a job in the domestic sector, it’s time to learn the language. We’re no longer global health specialists; we’re public health specialists. Humanitarian assistance advisors are now human services program managers focused on emergency food and shelter. Orphans and vulnerable children experts are now child and family services specialists. Former diplomat? You’re now a government relations advisor.

Domestically, “USG” or “US Government” is meaningless. If you worked for/with the “federal government,” say that. Also, replace terms like “bureau” or “assistant secretary,” which don’t resonate outside the federal space.

Adjust terminology that may seem unrelatable or irrelevant to a domestic reader. Use “global” instead of “foreign” or “international.” Replace WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, etc. with “external stakeholders” or “collaborating partners.” Someone even suggested that I remove job locations from my resume, since most of my career was overseas (I’m passing that along, though not fully endorsing).

Having trouble coming up with domestic equivalents for past roles or translating other USAID-speak into terms that recruiters and hiring managers can connect with? Try using AI to translate the language of your previous experience into terms that fit potential future roles.

The Money is Key

If you’ve got experience working with or managing federal grants and contracts, you need to highlight that. This is a skillset that many domestic organizations find incredibly valuable.

Don’t hide it behind phrases like “managed a $30 million portfolio.” Those outside the federal government may not know what a “portfolio” means in the global development context.

Instead, try something like, “Led planning and oversight for $30 million in federal contracts and grants to deliver health services to underserved groups,” which describes both your specific role and the content of your portfolio.

Hone Your Resume

Outside academia, resumes are one to two pages. Cutting my CV/federal resume down to two pages hurt, but it forced me to highlight the most important experience. If you can’t bear to drop older roles, consolidate them into one line each at the end under “Additional experience.”

Speaking of old jobs, if past employers also did domestic work, keep them on your resume. I was surprised when one interviewer said to me, “I see you’ve worked for Abt Associates and ideas42. We’ve partnered with them in the past, so we know you’d be a good fit here.” Those were roles from 10-15 years ago!

Local Government Insights

I’m no particular expert in local government (at least not yet), but over the past six months, I interviewed with five local governments and negotiated job offers with two. For those interested in pursuing roles with state or local government, here are a few things I learned that may help you navigate the process successfully.

Look Beyond the Titles

You cannot rely on the titles alone of local government positions to determine if you might be interested in them. Of the various positions I interviewed for with local governments, the oddest titles included a grants manager titled “management analyst,” a data analyst/monitoring and evaluation officer titled “quality improvement supervisor,” and a project manager titled “data scientist.”

Apparently, local governments are no better than the federal government at coming up with job titles. To find local government positions of interest, I recommend you filter by desired salary and agency, and then spend a few minutes reading through the descriptions of whatever comes up.

Lean into Old School Methods

As best as I can tell, local governments are not yet using AI to screen applications; they seem to be screening them the old-fashioned way, with recruiters comparing your experience directly to the minimum and desired qualifications.

So, make it easy for the human recruiter to refer you to the hiring manager. Use your cover letter to roughly map the job qualifications against your resume.

For example, if the minimum qualifications are a Bachelor’s and 6 years of experience, and the preferred qualifications include a Master’s degree and specific experience in community health, you might write, “I have a Master’s degree in public health and 20 years of experience, including 12 years dedicated to improving community health through [whatever you did].”

Digging into Salaries

Finally, keep in mind that local governments generally do not hire at the top of their listed salary range. When sorting through positions, I recommend you consider whether the listed midpoint would be an acceptable wage.

You may be able to negotiate higher than the midpoint at the offer stage, up to 60% or even 75% of the range. However, that is far from certain, so if the midpoint is totally unworkable, it’s probably not worth applying

Local governments seem to use a formula based on relevant education and experience to figure out what to offer you. To make your salary negotiation easier, include all years of potentially relevant experience on your resume, even if you don’t provide details (you can always explain how it’s related later).

Moving Forward

It is not easy to watch your entire industry crumble around you, pick up and dust off the pieces of your professional life, and pivot to an entirely new career. It feels like, and it is, a truly once-in-a-lifetime event that none of us were prepared to weather.

But remember - although you have not done this before, you have the skills to navigate this transition. Draw on your adaptability and resourcefulness, your cultural competence, and your deep professional network (which is becoming increasingly broad as the global development workforce finds new roles in different industries).

I hope these insights offer a renewed sense of possibility in your job search and serve as stepping stones toward your future career.