After the excitement of completing your thesis and obtaining your degree in Public or Global Health, it can all of a sudden feel daunting to figure out what is next in your career. You might be facing these or other similar challenges:

  • I don’t know what career options are out there, besides academia

  • I want to find meaningful work where I can make a real contribution, but I don’t know what that looks like. 

  • I’ve sent a lot of job applications and I never hear back - it’s discouraging 

  • I’m unsure of the value of my CV and skills, and my job hunting abilities. Why do I keep getting rejections?

  • I’m not clear on how to “build” a career, how to think long-term, and plan toward where I want to go instead of reactively looking for jobs. 

  • I’m not sure where to find new opportunities (jobs, training, courses, and other learning opportunities) within my field of work 

  • I feel like I really need guidance or a mentor in this journey.

  • I don’t know how to look for jobs apart from applying to job offers.


If any of these sounds like you, keep reading, you’re in the right place. We can help.

Welcome to the Thrive course

The goal of Thrive is to provide you with the guidance you need to find meaningful work and plan a successful career in Public or Global Health. 

Thrive provides you with a clear template for how to get clarity on what are the career options in Public and Global Health. You will also learn the smart ways to get the job you want and attract the right opportunities to you through strategic networking. We all have limited time, and the end of a degree is the busiest time of all. This course will help you figure out where to apply your efforts in career development and job hunting for the greatest return on investment.

Finding meaningful work where you are engaged and motivated is key for your personal and professional growth and it’s also critical to the Global and Public Health community. We need you to use your talents and skills at the right job to solve the myriad health challenges in this world. 

What will you learn in the course?

In the course, you'll learn and practice proven strategies to:

  • Gain a better understanding of your passions and interests and what type of jobs, organizations and sectors are a good match for these

  • Set up a long term, flexible career development strategy for yourself, based on this understanding

  • Create meaningful relationships - starting with the people you already know - that can lead to job opportunities and offers

  • Develop efficient job application skills that can lead to job offers targeted for you, and move away from inefficient job hunting strategies such as applying for random jobs online

  • Overcome self-doubt and the 'imposter syndrome' that can set in after receiving many rejections to your job applications

  • Nurture a group of mentors and peers in global and public health that support you in your career growth overtime

  • Identify your experiences and skills (even if you think you have “no work experience”), and showcase them effectively in CVs, cover letters and interviews

  • Establish the pillars of a successful and meaningful career in Global and Public Health, today.

Testimonials

“If you are exploring career options in global/public health, I highly recommend this course! I’m a nurse by background and recently completed my MPH in Global Health. Prior to Thrive, I was feeling defeated by the job search process. I was unsure of what roles would be the best fit for me and how to successfully transition from the clinical / acute care world into the global health / humanitarian sector. Through Thrive, I’ve gained the tools, resources, and confidence needed to shift careers. I’ve learned how to network, pivot my clinical resume for a global health job, combat imposter syndrome, and what different career options exist. Candela’s video modules are filled with career development insights, helpful tips, and actionable recommendations. The added handouts and bonus materials are a great addition! My favorite part of the course was joining the Thrive online community. Candela and her team are truly wonderful, and I loved being able to connect with them and numerous other Thrivers in the LinkedIn group and on zooms! I appreciated the opportunity to build community with others who are new (and not so new) to global health, share resources, and learn from everyone’s unique background and experiences! ”

Kaitlyn Farrell

“After reading the description of the course I felt it was just made for me. Feeling alone and lost in the process of shifting my career into Public Health, I learned through the modules valuable tips to develop professionally and even personally. The video modules, bonus material, and online group meetings gave me the tools to better understand the direction I wanted to take, and through the interaction with the online LinkedIn community, I felt supported and motivated to believe that I could do it! I put all this into practice and I have recently got my first invitation to a job interview! I have experienced a great improvement in my Career development strategy and I have grown an international and fruitful professional network. Therefore, I can only highly recommend this course! ”

Silvia Garcia Soto

“I liked that the course is so comprehensive and to the point. It made me realize I am not the only one feeling overwhelmed when it comes to which track in Public Health to pursue. Learning the “Warm Lead” networking strategy was eye-opening and I am sure it will exponentially boost my networking effectiveness. It was also really insightful to learn how CVs should highlight wins/accomplishments and not just mere activities. The bonus PDFs were honestly what I have been looking for; job titles and descriptions as well as recommended websites and resources for professional development. I am so grateful for the time and effort dedicated to bringing us such a comprehensive course. I also appreciate how Alanda works to ensure education accessibility (SGD-4) by providing sponsored seats. ”

Rehab Meckawy

“Thrive is a unique course. As a career shifter, I felt a bit lost, and Thrive is exactly what I was looking for. It’s a huge added value to a person moving from one career to another. I loved the whole course and especially the LinkedIn group! (online Thrive community) Candela is brilliant and approachable. She communicates well and is a great mentor. The workbook and bonuses are unique materials… It was like going to a candy shop! ”

Parvathy Ramakrishnan

“Being in career transition, the course really ... tackled key challenges faced such as imposter syndrome. To have a facilitator boldly tackle this was refreshing, It was reaffirming to understand that career transitions are a part of life and can be made easier by engaging those who have gone ahead. In addition, in an era where there are many online courses, the Thrive course stood out because not only was it an online course, but was a community where I got to know the facilitators and fellow Thrivers one-to-one thanks to the friendly nature of Candela, and the honest open space for discussions. The webinars were my favourite bit of the course.”

Marie-Claire Wangari

Who is this course for?

We see two groups of people benefiting from these career development resources (read more in the FAQ section below):

  • Students and Recent graduates

    People just finishing their Master's or Graduate degrees in Public Health, Global Health, or similar.

  • People switching careers

    People who have completed a healthcare or biomedical degree (medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy, psychology, biomedicine, etc), have worked for some years, and have now decided to switch to Global or Public Health.

Testimonials

“I would definitely recommend this course to people switching careers/ applying for jobs. I talked to a lot of my Masters' classmates about it. The basics of the course were really useful. I come from the medical field, so I was not aware of the different fields of interest. It gave me a good feeling, getting an idea of the kind of organizations for instance, but also job titles out there. I like the flexible format of the course so that you can do it when you have time and access it for a long time and go back to it in the future. ”

Yana Leven, MD

“I would recommend this course. For me, it was very insightful to learn how global health organizations seek and hire candidates, for instance. It’s a good support tool for the transition from academia to the workforce… Candela is very down-to-earth and her delivery made things less intimidating. I liked the LinkedIn community best and I would love to have more interaction with the other participants… The course delivery employed a mix of different styles, allowing you to go back and forth in your own time which was good. I liked the workbook too because I could print it out and practice alongside the videos”

Courtney Dillingham

“The Thrive course created a safe and conducive environment to ask questions, learn/discuss practical strategies to navigate various questions and situations we may face in seeking a meaningful career in public health/global health! It was so refreshing, encouraging, and energizing to hear Candela Iglesias Chiesa share about her journey so generously and candidly including her struggles and what she has learnt along the way. There are many actionable ideas, which one can tailor and adapt to one’s unique situation. The Thrive community is another great resource and support. I am grateful to have had this opportunity and recommend you consider this course! The experience and support continues even after the course.”

Sapna Sadarangani

“I repeatedly heard it's important to network, to know what job you're looking for, to negotiate your salary etc. but I had no idea how to do so. Among other things, Candela provided me with practical steps and examples on how to tackle these challenges. I now have a better understanding of the possibilities that are out there for a meaningful career in global health and I gained confidence in translating my skills and knowledge into added value for employers. ”

Coralie Gagnard

“...I was at a loss with career possibilities in the public health field. During our career development discussions, Candela opened my eyes to the vast opportunities, provided direction, and helped me understand my value as a job candidate. I now work for a healthcare start-up company on the marketing and business development side, connecting and forming partnerships with directors and executives of health organisations.”

Tinnie Louie

A word from our course facilitator

Candela Iglesias Chiesa, MPH, PhD

“Eleven years ago I decided that I wanted to leave my biomedical research work. I had spent the past decade building my credentials in the field, with a Master's, a Doctorate, and a postdoc, and yet I could not see myself working in the lab any longer. 

It took me over a year of getting career coaching, talking to people, and doing the work to figure out what I wanted to do next: Public Health. 

Since then, I have built a successful and meaningful career in Global and Public Health and worked in a variety of sectors: hospitals, government, academia, small NGOs, large humanitarian organizations, the UN system, consulting businesses, and social enterprises. 

Along the way, I’ve become a mentor to young Public and Global Health professionals who are just starting their career pathways. I’ve had many one-on-one chats with motivated and curious professionals who are uncertain where to go next. I hear again and again the same challenges, they ask me many similar questions. 

They need the right tools and support to figure out their way. And it’s essential that we give them those tools because, if the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us anything, it is how much we need motivated and engaged Public and Global Health professionals. 

Thus this course. In many ways, it’s much better than a one-on-one chat with me, because:

  • It’s much more systematic and you can go back to the material (videos and exercises) as many times as you need

  • You get to connect to others in a similar moment in their careers and start building a network with engaged Global and Public Health professionals like yourself. 

  • Plus, I do get to meet you! Both through the online group and during an “Ask me Anything” webinar!

I hope to see you in the course!”

Testimonials

“I wish I saw this course at the beginning of my Master because it would have given me more time to realize the importance of networking. The videos were short and everything was in there. The platform is also easy to use. Very well delivered. I would recommend this course to incoming students (in GH/PH). I already know some fellow students to whom I will recommend the course. ”

Anonymous

“Thank you IMMENSELY for this opportunity! I am grateful for the guidance and support provided throughout this course. I am thankful for the safe space created, our #thrivecommunity, the wonderful connections made, our commitment to uplifting & supporting one another, and sharing useful resources and information (from personal development tips, book suggestions, life experiences, school opportunities, global & public health updates, to career advice & opportunities etc.). The simple and practical delivery of valuable, thought-provoking and detailed information on building a meaningful career in Global & Public Health is highly commendable. ”

Kelechi Nwanosike

“If I were to use one word to describe our career counseling chats with Candela, it would be, FANTASTIC. As a fresh Public Health Graduate, not only was I confused but also unaware of all the Global Health career pathways and options. These career counseling sessions were not just informative but also very reassuring. They definitely helped me establish a streamlined pathway for job searching.”

Annapoorna Prakash

“The career chats with Candela have been massively helpful in guiding my chaotic thoughts about a career in Global Health. Candela explained vague concepts like networking and career trajectory in concrete terms with actionable steps that made the world of job searching a lot less intimidating. A down-to-earth view of things was just what I needed!”

Dorien Lijnzaad

How is the course structured?

Thrive is an online workshop course and training package containing evidence-based features for the most effective professional learning (at Alanda we’re all about evidence!).

You can access the resources anytime, anywhere around the world. You’ll have unlimited access to the course materials for at least a year. Once registered, on the date the course starts, you'll get immediate access to all the course materials so you can go through the course at your own pace. 

We’ll also send you weekly emails with suggested materials to cover and exercises to do that week, as well as prompts and fun challenges to keep you on track. This allows a more paced experience, similar to what you would get from a face-to-face workshop, for those who prefer it.  

What does the course include?

The Thrive course workshop includes:

  • Six video-based training modules addressing your most pressing challenges in your global/public health career development. We recommend watching and working through one of these modules per week. Research shows that a course unfolding over a period of time allows participants to better digest the content and take action.

  • A workbook to put into practice the learnings from the modules, with exercises and weekly challenges. This enables you to take action immediately after going through the video module. The exercises go from self-reflection and analysis to smart networking and job hunting tasks, as well as fun challenges to get over internal self-doubt and external obstacles to your career development.

  • A dedicated, closed community of peers where you can find accountability partners, share your challenges and get support. Job hunting and career development can feel lonely and difficult, but with the right community of like-minded individuals to back you up, you’ll be more motivated to complete the weekly challenges and jump-start your career. You’ll also have access to a wealth of ideas and resources from the people in the group, and the Alanda Thrive team.

  • Two facilitated group meetings, where you can meet other Thrivers, share challenges and solutions, and find accountability partners in your Thrive journey.

  • A 90-minute “Ask me anything” career development webinar with me, where you can bring your questions and challenges and hear my insights, as well as interact with your peers in the community.

  • A guest webinar, where you'll here from people in various jobs and organizations in Public and Global Health talking about their jobs and their career pathway. This can help you undertand the wide variety of career options out there, as well as which ones resonate with you and inspire you.

Bonus material

Thrive participants have found these bonus materials extremely useful in their career development and for finding a job. We keep adding materials each course, including:

  • A list of our favorite websites to look for jobs, trainings and work opportunities

  • A list of common job titles and what they mean (e.g. what is a Program officer?)

  • A list of our favorite books, podcasts and TEDx talks to guide you through your career growth

How much time does the course take?

You can of course go through all the materials in a single day if you prefer, as you’ll have access to everything from the day the course starts. 

However, we recommend working your way through the course over a 5 to 6-week period. Plan to spend 2-3 hours a week going through the material, reflecting on what you learned, carrying out the exercises and prompts, and connecting in the online community. 

We have aimed to set a realistic and sustainable pace - one that allows you to make meaningful progress while taking into consideration that you may be finishing your thesis, still having lectures, and potentially holding a job. 

How do course participants interact?

Course participants interact in our closed online community. Here you’ll have a chance to get to know other motivated and talented global and public health professionals who, like you, are committed to working on their career development and contributing to the world through meaningful work. 

An engaged Thrive community manager from Alanda keeps the group running, and I interact with participants online regularly. Here you can ask questions and give and receive support, advice, and share useful resources. It is also a great place to find the accountability and motivation you need to keep you on target to accomplish your job hunting and career development goals. And, who knows? Potentially a source of future common projects and meaningful friendships!

Ready to start building a meaningful career?

Next course starts on Sep 20th, 2023. Seats are limited.

How do I know Thrive is right for me?

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Thrive course

  • Should I take the course if I’m only in the first year of my Master?

    If you are not yet looking into the job market and thinking about what you want to do after your studies, it might be better to wait to take the course. But if you’re eager and curious and prefer to start thinking about and working on your career development as soon as possible, then your studies are a fantastic period to grow your network, build strong relationships, find mentors, and grab opportunities to develop useful skills that may serve you well later in your career. Thrive helps with all of this.

  • Is this only for people with a Master's in Public or Global Health?

    We aim to support everyone in the health space, but Thrive is indeed more tailored to people in Global and Public Health (or similar degrees, such as Community Health, International Health, Health Economics, etc), than for healthcare careers (such as nursing, medicine, etc). Of course, you can still join if you are in a healthcare career, but are keenly interested in Global and Public Health.

  • Does the course provide a Certificate?

    Thrive is not affiliated with a learning or academic institution that offers certificates. The Thrive course is intended as a personal development tool for you. If you would still like to receive a document showing that you completed the course, we can provide a signed one from Alanda.

  • Should I take the course if I have no idea where I want to go next?

    That’s ok. Some sections of the course are aimed at helping you define where your interests and passions lie and how those match with the wide variety of careers in Global and Public health. If you’re looking to get out of the health sector altogether, then this course might not be a good fit.

  • I started in a clinical or biomedical career and have now shifted to global or public health. Is this course for me?

    Yes. In fact, we see two groups of people benefiting from these career development resources. The first one is composed of young people just finishing their Master's or Graduate degrees in Public or Global Health or similar. The second one is composed of a somewhat older group who have completed a healthcare or biomedical degree (medicine, nursing, dentistry, physiotherapy, psychology, biomedicine, etc), have worked for some years, and have now decided to switch to Global or Public Health. The Thrive course is useful for both groups.

  • I really don’t have any skills or experience yet in Global or Public Health, is this course for me?

    Many of us have had doubts about our skills, experience, and qualifications, especially when we are just finishing our studies. The Thrive course will help you identify the skills and experience you already have from your life and studies and how to showcase these in your job hunting efforts. We also talk about "Imposter Syndrome" and how to overcome it. If you're a smart and hard-working professional who truly wants to contribute to the Public and Global health fields, Thrive will help you get there.

  • What if something gets in the way in the next few weeks and I can’t fully participate?

    That’s ok. You have ongoing access to the course, so you can return to it anytime when you're less busy. The 90-minute “Ask me anything” live webinar is recorded, as well.

  • I don’t live in a major city (or I’m not based in Europe). Is this a problem?

    No. The course is completely online, so you can access the material from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a good internet connection. The 90-minute “Ask me anything” live webinar will happen in a CET compatible time zone, which also works for most of Africa, but we do our best to ensure it also works for people in the Americas and Asia. If you can't make the webinar, you can email in your questions beforehand, and you can watch the recording afterward.

  • Is this course useful for people living, studying and/or working (or aiming to work) in other areas of the world (not Europe)?

    Yes. Many of the young Public and Global Health professionals that I encounter come from the Americas, Africa, or Asia (Australia, Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, USA, and Zimbabwe, to name a few). Many of them have reported that the career development strategies that we share have helped them get meaningful work wherever they are based. The principles and strategies are quite universal and work in a variety of cultural contexts.

Who is the course NOT right for?

 The course won't be a good fit if:

  • You’re at a very early point in your studies or career (e.g. studying for your Bachelor’s degree), as you might not have a strong need for these resources for a few years. It’s better to take the course closer to when you’ll be actually starting to look for work in Global and Public Health.

  • You’re not sure if you want to stay in the Global or Public Health field or you’re looking to make a career switch away from these fields. 

  • You’re not willing (or able at this time) to put in the work and effort to apply the strategies and learn from the course. As in that case, you most likely won’t get any results. 

Testimonials

“Candela has a built-in mentorship mode, which in my experience, is constantly running. Working with her means the opportunity to be consistently provided with small pieces of advice and gentle, yet meaningful, pushes towards professional betterment. Candela is particularly mindful of the challenges women face in the workplace; reminding me to always negotiate for myself in all aspects of my professional life and to be confident in my worth.”

Rochelle Caruso

“Our chats provided me with a great toolbox, including ideas and insights on professional development, networking, and time management. ...there was also space to openly discuss topics that are often not talked about, such as salary negotiation or balancing a career in global health with family life.”

Ines Böhret

What does the course cost?

The Thrive course has an estimated actual value of $200 EUR.  The course is subsidized by Alanda to ensure the price remains accessible to young public and global health professionals, even those who might still be studying. 

We are proposing a reduced rate of 79.5 EUR. What we ask in exchange is that you give us detailed feedback so that we can improve the course and keep making it available in the future. 


SPONSORED SEATS

At Alanda, we believe in the need to give promising young Public and Global health professionals the tools to help them find meaningful work where they can truly make a difference. There are too many challenges in global and public health that need your talents. 

For some people, even this reduced fee is an obstacle. Thus we also propose a limited number of sponsored seats. 

If you would like to participate in the course, you’re committed to doing the work and completing it, but at the moment you do not have the ability to pay, please fill out this short form. As sponsored seats become available we will be contacting people on this list, on a first-come-first-served basis. Please don’t use this option if you have the means to pay for the course.


Note: Neither participants nor facilitators in the course will know who has paid for their own course and who has benefited from a sponsorship. 


ARE YOU ABLE TO SPONSOR OTHERS? 

We are also looking at other sponsorship opportunities so we can support more students. If you have any leads, or you, your organization, or family would like to become sponsors, get in touch with us at [email protected]


How to register

If you're trying to figure out whether the course is the right fit for you, or you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]

We recommend that you do not join if you aren't sure. Talk to us first. Research shows that people who are truly committed are more likely to do the work and thus will get better results - which is our goal. 

If you’re ready to sign up for the course, click on the Course Fee - ENROLL NOW button below. 

We recommend enrolling early as there are a limited number of seats per cohort. 

We look forward to welcoming you at Thrive!

Course fee

Limited seats. Course starts on Sep 20th, 2023.

Course curriculum

1. Welcome and how to make the most out of this course

2. What are my options for a career in Global or Public Health?

  • Understanding the variety of career options
  • Figuring out what options you like

3. Change your job searching strategy for a much higher return on investment

  • Effective job searching strategies
  • Ensuring the basics are in place

4. Stand out when applying for jobs - look at it from the hiring side

5. Figure out what you like and deal with imposter syndrome

6. Develop a short and long term career strategy




Thrive Course facilitator

Candela Iglesias Chiesa

Global health specialist and author of “Build your Dream Team”. Through her organization, Alanda, she supports international and local players (Red Cross, UNICEF, WHO-PAHO, etc) to improve their health projects and save lives through better leadership and strengthening their evidence-base. She holds an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and did her Ph.D. research at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. She’s a board member of Women in Global Health Norway and a guest lecturer at the University of Maastricht and Oslo Met.

Take control of your career

Enroll now. Seats are limited.