There’s a lot of aid that’s currently being sent over to fragile states, and that means that charities and other organisations need you. They need people to go to these states and work with the people the organisation is helping, and you could be that person. Here’s what you need to know if you want to gain experience in such roles, and what you’ll need to know before you go.

Be Aware Of The Sacrifices You Need To Make
If you’re looking to work in a conflict zone, you’ll need to be aware of the sacrifices you’ll need to make. For example, many roles expect you to travel ‘unaccompanied’, so you won’t be able to relocate with your family. As well as this, personal freedoms can often be restricted in order to keep you safe. These issues, along with others, can take its toll on many people who work in these roles.

You’ll have to be honest with yourself in how you can live with these issues. Is the role important enough to you that you can live with this in order to do the job?

Build Up Experience In Your Field
If you want to take on a role that takes you into conflict zones, you won’t be able to do it right away. Recruitment specialist Andy Tamworth at UK Top Writers says, “If you’re looking to get into conflict migration, it’s a good idea to get into immigration support, for example. Look for roles you can do in your country, that will help you build up experience before you apply for more dangerous roles.”

Understand The Danger Involved
If you’re going to apply for roles in fragile states, you’re going to need to be aware of the danger that you may be going into. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t do the role, but if you know what you’re walking into, you can be more prepared. You’ll need to listen to the security who’ll be working with you, as they’ll be the ones who’ll be keeping you safe.

Help Recruiters Get To Know You
Recruiting for these kinds of roles can be very tough. If you recruit the wrong person, you can cause a lot of setbacks to vital programs. To ensure they pick the right person, help the recruiter get to know you. Include any information that could be vital to them, such as experience in Afghanistan, for example. “You may not be the right person for that role, but you could be perfect for another one” says recruiter Paula Deacon from Revieweal. “Help the recruiter get the right person for that role.”

Decide If You Can Live With A Pay Cut
One thing you should know, if you’re going to work in conflict regions, is that you’re very likely to take a pay cut. As you can imagine, no one does these roles to get rich. Look at the pay grades on the roles you’re interested in. Are you happy being paid that much money? If you’re not, the best thing to do would be to start looking elsewhere.

However, some roles will offer hazard pay, depending on where you’ll be working. These will often be in the most dangerous areas, so you’ll have to balance the extra pay with the extra danger that you may experience.

Be Upfront With Your Employer
If you’re already working in the right field, but you want to start working in conflict zones, then it’s worth bringing this up with your employer. “Your employer will want to know if this is a goal of yours” says HR manager Dean Brighton from UK Services Reviews. “If you tell them this, then they can keep you in mind if roles do come up. They’ll know you through your current role, so they can make a good call as to whether you’d be right for the new role or not.”

As you can imagine, working in conflict zones can be dangerous, taxing on you, and of course hard to do. However, the rewards can vastly outweigh these issues. If you want to do this, follow these tips and you’ll be able to find a role that’s just the right fit for you and your skills.