Dear all, 

Since I know that several members of this group are interested in starting careers in risk management or seeking new professional opportunities, while others have control over hiring decisions, I'd like to encourage all those people to post to this discussion.

Whether you have any advice for young professionals or those seeking new opportunities, or you have questions about your job search and would like to receive advice, I'd like to get the conversation started.

As an example, I'll go first: 

I'm personally looking to start a career in political risk analysis, though I have a wide range of experience and would be interested in any challenging position that would allow me to combine my academic background in international relations/security with professional experience in the fields of strategic planning, public/media relations and research. I speak several languages, and my regional specialties are Europe and the Middle East. For me, the most important element of any position is whether it would provide me with the intellectual challenge I crave. 

Given the difficult job market, and the current trend of people finding positions through contacts rather than by answering job postings, I would appreciate any advice or insight any member of the group has for optimizing my job search. 

I sincerely appreciate everyone's time in engaging in this discussion and hope that we will all benefit from it, either by helping one another find new positions or by imparting/receiving valuable advice. 

Best, 

~ Milena