Published: May 1, 2023

Veronica Baker graduated from CU in 2015 with a dual major in International Affairs and Political Science, and a certificate in Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies. As an undergrad, she spent a total of 14 months abroad in Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan studying the Arab Spring. After CU, she worked in Jordan and Washington, DC conducting research for the State Department, Middle East Institute, Wilson Center, and Center for Strategic Studies. She then went to Yale University to earn a master's degree in Global Affairs and work as a research fellow for John Kerry.  veronica baker

While at Yale, she realized the untapped potential of rock climbing to catalyze positive economic, social, and environmental change. Veronica founded a nonprofit called The Global Climbing Initiative to equip climbing communities worldwide with the knowledge and resources to thrive. She now runs a team of 14 individuals from seven countries to help global climbing organizations access gear, education, and funding to grow. In her spare time, Veronica works with graduate school applicants who want to make a positive difference in the world, helping them gain acceptances and scholarships to top programs.

You can find her CU honors thesis here, read about her nonprofit at globalclimbing.org, and learn about her graduate consulting work at ascentadmissions.com. Connect with Veronica on LinkedIn. She is happy to provide mentorship to any students and alums working to figure out their path.

Here are Veronica’s 10 Tips for a Nontraditional Global Career

  1. Do research and/or write a thesis.
    • Having research experience or having written a thesis impresses future employers and grad schools and can make you stand out from other applications.
    • You can also take advantage of research opportunities abroad, expanding your experience and network.
  2. Know your personality and desired lifestyle, and build your path based on what you need.
    • Consider your work style. Do you see yourself as a self starter/entrepreneur mindset or do you prefer having a boss?
    • As you consider what you want to do in life, keep in mind things like if you are close to family and want to live nearby, or if you need to take care of family members. Another thing to think about is how risk tolerant you are when it comes to making decisions and simply being adventurous when it comes to building your own path.
  3. Create your own opportunities. Ask for what you want.
    • Put yourself out there by cold emailing companies and nonprofits telling them what you could do for them. By doing so, you can obtain opportunities that will propel your career forward.
    • If you don’t want to work full time it's always worth asking for roles to be part time roles, or vice versa. Ultimately, it’s up to you to make these decisions for yourself and what you want to do.
  4. Gaps, short experiences, and variety in your resume can be framed as an asset, not a liability. Frame things with confidence, as if they were your plan all along.
    • In your 20s, employer loyality is not the most important thing. If you can leran what you need to in 3 or 6 months, take that shorter opportunity and when talking about it, focus on the experience gained in that role.
    • Bouncing between sectors and role types helps inform you what you don't want to do, which is just as valuable as what you do want to do.
  5. Consider funding your experiences with side jobs, any learned skills can be helpful for your main career.
    • An unpaid but all-star internship plus working at Starbucks may get you farther than a paid but not very well suited job/internship.
    • Look for hourly/flexible experiences you can opt in or out of such as contract work (virtualrock climber tutoring, graphic design, website design, editing, translation)
  6. Consider founding a nonprofit, company, or organization- even if it's small.
    • Founding something shows leadership skills (initiative, imagination, communication, relationship building, project management, follow through) which are rare qualities employers desperately seek in the workforce. When described properly in a resume and cover letter, these skills set you apart in a way that applies to any field.
    • This also allows you to test the waters in a new interest before jumping into a career fully. Starting a blog, student group, social media account, or side hustle lets you see if you have what it takes for your idea to gain enough momentum to become your full-time path.
  7. Have a "thing" that makes you memorable (and be prepared that it could come out of left field).
    • Jobs, grad school, scholarships - people want to back rising stars adding unique value to the world. Find your “thing.” Veronica wasn’t a climber until age 22, and then it changed her life and career trajectory.
    • Veronica also had dramatic experiences (political uprisings and evacuations) while living in the Middle East during the Arab Spring - using this story for cover letters and applications made her unique from other candidates.
  8. Keep an eye out for low effort, high reward opportunities.
    • Virtual internships, consulting jobs, international events can all add a lot to your personal brand. Volunteer with an organization for just a couple hours a week, but take advantage of the connections and experiences gained.
    • Take advantage of networking opportunities and gatherings. Utilize career services or alumni networks from your university.
  9. If you go to grad school, find the school that will invest in you.
    • Take time for you to interview the graduate school, not only the other way around. You want to make sure the school is a great fit for your goals and lifestyle.
    • Consider the type of graduate program. Do you want a program that is the classic/expected route for your career? Or do you want a flexible program that can give you the freedom to pursue your own path?
  10. Seek mentors. Learn voraciously.
    • The majority of successful people have one or more mentors they can point to without whom their success would have never happened. People want to mentor others, but you will need to put in the work to find, connect, and maintain a mentorship relationship.
    • Whether you’re in school or not, keep learning. Learn from people, education, or other resources (LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, etc.). Not stopping is the key to maintaining creativity and building yourself to be an expert, which leads to better, higher paying, and more flexible career options in the future.

Specific resources mentioned that personally helped Veronica:

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