Getting hands-on experience
Experience in real-world situations will help you solidify your knowledge and competencies while learning from others.
Your first practical experience can serve as an entry point into the evaluation labour market. Beyond acquiring technical and professional skills, it can also help you develop transferable skills and access professional networks.
Get your first hands-on experience in evaluation
Your first hands-on experience with evaluation can take various forms, such as serving as a research assistant, engaging in voluntary work or participating in internships. It is also possible to secure a position as an evaluator by highlighting your transferable and technical skills. Remember to document your journey—secure reports and examples of your work as they will help you in your future job search.
A work journal can be helpful to help you document your journey. Examples of helpful content to document include:
- Your activities and projects you worked on
- Relevant statistics or numbers that show your accomplishments.
- Methodologies you used or learned about
- Personal wins
- Challenges and how you approached them
To find programs that offer internships, see the Internship program of the GEI.
Advocate for hands-on experience in your current role
Explore opportunities within your current role to connect with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). Identify ways in which evaluative thinking can enrich your daily tasks at work. For example, consider integrating data analysis, feedback loops, and impact assessments into your responsibilities. Find opportunities to propose projects explicitly centred around M&E by highlighting the value that this work can bring to your organisation.
Gain experience by giving back to your community
A great way to gain experience in evaluation is through volunteer positions with non-profit organisations. For example, as a volunteer member of a VOPE, you can seek opportunities to support evaluations of conferences or surveys to understand members’ needs. You can also offer your services to a non-profit organisation that has limited resources and works in an area you are passionate about.
While these tips are helpful for those trying to enter the evaluation labour market, experienced evaluators can also apply these strategies if they are looking to transition to a new sector or type of employment within evaluation.