Impact Tuesdays
The latest from humanitarian and early career coach Daniel Higgins
Hey Everyone!
Welcome to your weekly dose of Impact Tuesdays- still workshopping the name (open for suggestions) - your go-to roundup for students and recent grads ready to launch a career that matters.
Each edition, I’ll share 4 quick wins, fresh tools, and real-world lessons to help you move from “just thinking about it” to actually building your impact career. Expect practical tips, honest reflections, and a few shortcuts I wish I’d known when I started out.
Something new with me
Looooots of new stuff.
Newsletter is launched, free workshopsare being held, credibility scorecard is being finalised, new partnership is in the pipeline. The ecosystem of knowledge is on it’s way!
Something cool for you
If you already joined a workshop, then maybe you saw me using this prompt in an example. It’s a cool way to help you decide on a career niche, which is a vital step in building a solid profile & career.
Try it out!
Crazy prompt for helping you find your career niche
“Act as an expert career coach for the humanitarian and development sector. I want you to help me find my personal career niche by analyzing the following information I’ve mapped out about myself: Top interests in the humanitarian and development fields: _________ Personality test results (e.g., MBTI, Enneagram): _____ Core skills: _________ Personal values: __________ Passions and hobbies: ________ Career desires and ambitions: ____________. My Ideal Work Environment: _________. My Ideal Lifestyle: ___________. Sector trends or areas with growing demand that interest me: ________ Any preferences or non-negotiables (e.g., work-life balance, location, salary): _________ Based on all this, please: Suggest 3-5 specific career niches or roles in the humanitarian and development sector that fit my profile and current sector trends. For each suggestion, explain in plain language why it matches my interests, personality, skills, values, and sector demand. Point out any skill or experience gaps I should work on for each niche, and give practical, simple ideas for how to fill those gaps (like courses, volunteering, or networking). Give me a quick action plan-1-2 next steps I can take right now to start exploring or moving towards my top niche. Please organize your answer in a simple table or bullet points for easy comparison. Be clear, concise, and supportive-like a coach who wants me to take real action.”
Something useful you might not know
You want an easier route into the UN?
United Nations Young Professionals Programme - YPP - is a competitive annual initiative that opens doors for talented graduates and early-career professionals from around the world to kickstart a career with the UN. If you’re passionate about international work, development, and making a difference (in the monstrous UN behemoth), this could be your launchpad.
Keep an eye out for updates, and consider applying—this just might be your next big step!
Good stuff: Every year only under-represented countries can apply to positions => Less competition if you are from one of those countries. P.S western countries can be underrepresented at UN e.g. Norway was underrepresented recently.
Bad stuff: This year they are a bit vague on announcements (probably because of all the disruption via USAID), but calls are usually in June/July.
Quote from the sector
“The United Nations was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.”
— Dag Hammarskjöld, Former UN Secretary-General
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