International Relations (IR) is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. It examines all activities between states—such as war, diplomacy, trade, and foreign policy as well as relations with intergovernmental organisations (IGOs), international nongovernmental organisations (INGOs), international legal bodies, and multinational corporations (MNCs).
International relations is widely considered as one of the major subdisciplines of political science, along with comparative politics and political theory. However, in addition to political science, it draws considerably from international economics, law, and world history.
Here are various career options for those interested in International Relations field.
- Diplomat - Maintaining good relations between countries. As a diplomat, you will represent and protect a nation's interests abroad in terms of politics, trade and consular services. You’ll spend usually around three years in a foreign country. Some of your responsibilities will be:
- Act as a link between the country you represent and the country where you are stationed.
- Collect and report on all the information that would affect your nation’s interests.
- Discuss, negotiate and mediate with the local government issues about peace and war, trade, commerce, economics, as well as social and cultural aspects.
- Check out a selection of international Master's degrees in Diplomacy.
- Intelligence Specialist - Gathering state-critical information - As an intelligence specialist, you can work in the military, the navy, national security departments, or almost any state department of one of the national government agencies. Your main duties will include:
- Collect and analyse operational intelligence data
- Create mission reports, using data, maps and charts
- Evaluate results and prepare reports, statistics and graphics
- Maintain intelligence databases, libraries, and files
- Political Analyst - Explaining the political climate, Generally, you’ll be employed by the government, but you can also find work opportunities within media companies or research institutes. Your tasks will be to:
- Inform about and interpret various political developments
- Analyse laws, public policies, and government decisions
- Advise government officials, political parties, or the media
- Forecast political trends and election results
- Put events into historical context
- Lobbyist - Promoting ideas to those who can make them a reality. Lobbyists are usually hired by an association, corporation, or non-profit organisation to convince government members to make a decision that would benefit the organisation or company they are representing. As a lobbyist you will perform tasks like:
- Monitor, research and analyse legislation
- Attend congressional hearings
- Reach out to government policymakers
- Use communication tools to promote ideas to the public
- Communication Specialist in a non-profit body: A degree in International Relations can land you a job in a non-profit organisation that operates at an international level. As a Communications Specialist, you’ll have the chance to develop your career in a local office that has a global reach. Non-profit agencies like World Vision and Red Cross provide such global service, but there are many other options, too. Your main duties will be:
- Creating effective communication strategies
- Handling internal communications
- Writing content for media and social networks
- Journalist: With social media creating alternative options to consuming news, there is a growing need for citizens to be able to make informed decisions about politics, travel and current affairs. IR majors are particularly knowledgeable about the world, making them ideal candidates for any correspondent or journalist post. Skills marketable in this field include having a global awareness and how to effectively communicate news to the world.
To qualify for becoming IR, one must do a Masters in International Relations from a reputed University.
A graduate degree is a prerequisite in the sphere of international affairs. Recruiters expect their new hires to have not only cross-cultural experience but also cross-disciplinary skills. Among different graduate programs, a Masters in International Relations would be the most relevant, helping give students both the skills and experience necessary.
Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the program, a master’s in international relations will open the doors to a wide range of international relations careers. It not only allows students to gain expertise across a wide set of disciplines including languages, humanities, economics, politics and business, among others, but also to gain transferable professional skills including writing, quantitative and qualitative analysis, planning and organization and cross-cultural awareness. Joint degrees in business or law can also serve you well in such positions. Along with the soft and hard skills developed on a master’s program, you will also be able to draw upon your undergraduate major, your previous field experience, and personal interests in a specific functional topic in order to develop expertise which will serve you well in the international affairs arena. In addition to Masters degree, following the below will help substantially.
- Do some international relations career research: Due to the differing focuses and specializations of international relations programs offered by universities, it is necessary to do in-depth research before sending out an application. Career research needs to be done even earlier than program research, as choosing a program which resonates with your interests and career goals should form a crucial part of your career strategy. One useful resource for conducting program research into international relations careers would be the website of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA.org).
- Find international relations internships: If you are a first time job seeker in the international affairs sector or a career switcher, then international relations internships or volunteering work with an organization could be a good place to start. Internships offer several advantages: you can get insights into and an understanding of a particular career field, form a network for your future job search, raise your visibility and get access to unadvertised job opportunities. Organizations like the UN, the European Union, international NGOs, and multinational corporations all have annual internship programs for graduate students or recent graduates.
- Gain international experience and learn a foreign language: In addition to technical skills, recruiters in the international relations arena look at candidates’ international experience, cross-cultural awareness and language skills. A proven ability to work well in cross-cultural teams, evidence of an international mind-set, field experience in developing countries, and fluency in a foreign language will definitely help you in your search for international relations careers.
- Use your business networking skills: One of the best platforms to apply your business networking skills would be relevant events or conferences. If you decide to pursue a Masters in International Relations, then remember to network with your professors; the best practitioners in the sector who can help you land your first job and send you along your way to your perfect international relations career.
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