The Musk-led DOGE, supported by the Trump administration, has locked down USAID. According to Devex, 10’000 colleagues have lost their jobs. The global suffering as a consequence of closed USAID programs is impossible to predict, but it will have a severe impact on the poorest and most fragile people on earth.

In a series of four articles, I'm offering guidance to USAID colleagues on navigating the transition path to a career at the UN. I will introduce you to what organizations to apply for, the most common job titles, what contracts to target, how the quota works, and fundamental career transition theories. I will share in what organizations US citizens are over-represented, and where they are not. What to emphasize in a job application to stand out, and what organization to avoid applying for as an American national.

To be transparent, the first article is accessible with a free Impactpool membership. However, subsequent articles require a Fellowship subscription. If you've previously used our fellowship and discontinued your subscription due to recent changes in employment at USAID, please contact me and I will offer you a complimentary three-month subscription.

I hope you will enjoy them.

—-----

About the author: Henrik Ryden is a former international recruitment manager at the UNDP. He is Impactpool's cofounder and has more than 20 years of experience in the Impact career sector. He started his career at the Swedish Sida, a foreign "relative” of USAID.