Nazifa Alizada works with an international research program
Nazifa Alizada graduated from the Master's Programme in Global Studies in 2019 and now works as Operations and Outreach Manager in an international research program focused on democracy.
Where do you work and what are your main tasks?
I work as the Operations and Outreach Manager at Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute which is an international research program that measures and analyzes democracy. V-Dem collects data from 202 countries with the help of a global network of 3000 Country Experts, and the database is the largest of its kind.
As Operations and Outreach Manager, I primarily work with collecting data from V-Dem Country Experts. A large part of my work also consists of reaching out with V-Dem research results. I plan and implement outreach strategies and spread research results through newsletters, social media, arranging conferences, and handling communication with our various networks.
How have your studies helped you to succeed in your profession?
My studies were closely connected to research, which I think was positive since my plan was to work within the research field. During my master’s program, I had the opportunity to do an internship in a research project which gave me an understanding of how working within the university feels.
An important skill I learned during my studies was the critical thinking, an ability which is very useful both at work and in everyday life.
What do you appreciate the most about your studies?
I appreciate the flexibility of the program, as to what elective courses I could take. For me, it was for instance great to be able to deepen my knowledge in the fields of migration and environment since I had not studied these subjects in my undergraduate studies.
Being both new in Gothenburg and in Sweden, the other positive aspect of the program was the new social context it gave me. My classmates and I still meet up and discuss interesting global issues!
What is your best advice for succeeding in the job market?
When I started my master’s program, I was uncertain about what I wanted to work with after graduation. But after taking an interesting course on democracy during my studies, I realized that I wanted to work with democracy. After graduation, I focused on seeking a job in this field. My advice is to only apply for the jobs you really want and to devote time to creating an excellent cover letter for your applications.