In today's newsletter edition I dive into the world of HR. Walid ALI, MHRM (AUB) is a professional HR person at Save The Children International Lebanon , leading recruitment processes in Lebanon. I was impressed by his dedication in supporting job-seekers even beyond his official job, by providing practical recommendations around job applications here on LinkedIn and in dedicated workshops. I wanted to know more about what the latest trends in HR are, including new skillsets, the role of LinkedIn vis-a-vis traditional CVs and red flags.
Thanks so much for being here today, Walid. Before we dive into the specifics of applying to Save the Children - which plays such a crucial role in child protection and development - could you tell us a bit about your journey and the organization you work for?
Let me give you a bit of background about myself. I have a master's degree in human resources from the American University of Beirut, and I've been working with Save the Children since 2019 as the HR coordinator for the Bekaa area. We have offices across Lebanon – in Beirut, Bekaa, and the northern regions of Tripoli and Akbar.
Save the Children is an international organization that's been working since 1953, becoming Save the Children International in 2012. Our mission is simple but crucial: ensuring every child has the chance to grow up healthy, educated, and safe. We protect children under 18 from all forms of abuse – physical, verbal, emotional, sexual – and tackle issues like child labor and early marriage.
Our vision is a world where every child has the right to protection, education, survival, development, and participation. While our headquarters is in London and our regional office is in Amman, Jordan, we operate in over 100 countries. We focus on child protection, case management, education, health, nutrition, food security, and livelihoods. We also offer roles in support functions like mental health services, finance, human resources, security, administration, and media – really, any position that helps us achieve our mission of protecting children.
Based on your HR experience at Save the Children, particularly in education and child protection roles, what makes candidates stand out positively? What are common mistakes to avoid in applications and interviews?
Let me start with the positive part – that's always good! For the CV, candidates need to have a clear, tailored resume highlighting skills and experiences that are directly linked to the role they're applying for. This means really focusing on relevant experience rather than listing everything they've ever done. They should demonstrate a genuine passion for education and autonomous learning, along with strong communication skills – both verbal and written. These are absolutely essential in our field.
Speaking of communication, at Save the Children, our first step in recruitment is what we call a pre-screening video call, conducted by HR only. During this call, we focus on assessing their communication, English language skills, personality, attitude, and cultural fit. We need to ensure that candidates align with our values and culture before moving them to the next stages, which include written tests and face-to-face interviews. This initial screening is crucial because it helps us identify candidates who not only have the technical skills but also the right mindset for working in child protection and education.
Candidates should also have relevant certifications, advanced degrees, and specialized training that matches the role requirements. Strong references from previous employers are particularly important because we conduct thorough vetting through our center in London before making any offers. The reference check is a critical part of our process – we need to be absolutely certain about who we're bringing into an organization that works with children.
Now, for the red flags – I've noticed several common issues over my years at Save the Children. First, candidates often apply to any advertised role without carefully reading the job description. I really advise applicants to only apply for positions that align with their experience, skills, and educational background. Another concern is unexplained gaps in work history – these need to be addressed clearly during the interview. What's particularly concerning is when candidates speak negatively about previous employers during interviews – this is always a red flag for us.
On the technical side, poorly written resumes and cover letters with grammatical errors or unprofessional language are immediate concerns. While we don't request cover letters for all positions, managerial and senior roles do require them, and the quality of writing really matters. How candidates present themselves in these documents often reflects their attention to detail and professionalism, which are crucial in our field.
You mentioned work history gaps as a red flag. Given that career paths today often include short-term positions and frequent role changes, how do you evaluate these gaps? What makes the difference between an acceptable gap and a concerning one?
Look, what we call a "job gap" isn't automatically a negative point on a CV or work history – it just needs to be explained. Let me give you some examples. In Lebanon, for female candidates, taking time off for pregnancy and maternity leave is completely understandable. Other candidates might take a break to pursue their master's degree or get additional certifications. I have a colleague right now who's taking a year off to get a certificate from Canada.
These aren't really gaps in the traditional sense. And we have to be realistic, especially considering the current situation in the Middle East – it's not easy to find a job. Sometimes you try your best but end up unemployed for six or seven months without finding something, despite your best efforts.
The key point is that as long as the gap is explained and makes sense, it's okay. We're looking to understand the story behind the gap, not to penalize people for circumstances that are often beyond their control.
Having been with Save the Children since 2019, what changes have you observed in the required skill sets for education and child protection roles? Beyond basic requirements like communication skills, what emerging competencies are becoming more important, and what trends do you anticipate?
Yes, I've noticed several significant changes throughout my years at Save the Children. First, there's been a growing focus on diversity and inclusion, which honestly makes me happy. It's become very important in our organization – even in HR, when recruiting, we always strive for gender balance. For instance, I'm currently working to achieve a 50-50 male-female ratio in the Bekaa area.
There's also been a major shift toward tech proficiency – familiarity with new tools and software, including AI, across all programs. This applies to everything from teaching tools used by educators to HR software and supply chain systems. I've also noticed an increased emphasis on soft skills like communication, leadership, collaboration, and adaptability.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought another significant change. Since we shifted to remote work during that time, candidates now come prepared with remote work experience. They demonstrate strong virtual collaboration skills and self-motivation. Data analysis has become increasingly important too – the ability to interpret data and use it for decision-making is now a key skill we look for.
What advice would you give to recent graduates who want to start a career in international organizations like Save the Children? How can they overcome the challenge of lacking experience while having strong academic credentials?
First, I need to address something I often see – most fresh graduates want to join international NGOs and immediately apply for officer roles or above. But you need to start from scratch. Start by applying for volunteer positions or internships. That's your first step. From there, you can progress to assistant roles, then officer, coordinator, manager, and director positions.
For international NGOs, certain skills are crucial. Grant and proposal writing is very important – I advise graduates to read extensively about grant writing and fundraising and attend related trainings. They should also work to understand diverse educational contexts and methods, whether through online training, workshops, or self-study. As I mentioned earlier, data analysis skills and familiarity with online learning platforms are becoming increasingly important.
There are also practical steps they can take: polish their CV and cover letter, learn new languages, get relevant certifications, and if they're interested in educational roles, develop knowledge of curriculum development and pedagogical methods. Networking is crucial too – build relationships with stakeholders and partners. I also recommend maintaining an updated LinkedIn profile, as this can help you get noticed by HR professionals.
I'm curious about your perspective on this as an HR professional in a major organization. In my consulting work, I find myself relying more on my LinkedIn profile to showcase my expertise, while my CV has become more of a supporting document. How do you see the role of LinkedIn versus traditional CVs in recruitment? How do you use both in your work?
LinkedIn has become really important in our recruitment process. Sometimes what we call "cold recruitment" or headhunting happens when our regular interview rounds haven't been successful, or we're looking for specific candidates who haven't applied. In these cases, we start with LinkedIn profiles because we don't have CVs yet.
What do we look at? First, the profile organization itself – it reflects attention to detail and organizational skills. The profile picture needs to be professional, and candidates need to clearly list their skills, especially soft skills. We check their experience, educational background, and how they present their overall professional story. All this happens before we ever see a CV or cover letter.
Here's something crucial that candidates often miss: we use keywords when headhunting. If your profile doesn't include these key skills and terms, you won't show up in our searches. So it's really important to explicitly mention your soft skills and relevant keywords in your profile. The platform plays a huge role now, especially when we're actively searching for candidates rather than waiting for applications.
Thank you so much for sharing all these insights. As we're coming to the end of our time, I'd love to hear what personally drives you in this work. What keeps you motivated to support candidates and develop talent, especially given the challenging context you're working in?
Honestly, it's the feedback I receive that keeps me motivated and going. I'm seeing real improvement in people and candidates who attend my training sessions, and that's incredibly rewarding. The emails and messages I receive tell me I'm making a difference.
Let me give you an example of what's happening this year – after interviews at Save the Children, I often receive thank-you emails from candidates telling me they prepared for their interview by studying my LinkedIn posts. They tell me, "Thank you, Walid, for your time, and thank you for your LinkedIn content – I printed out all your pages, and this is how I prepared for the interview." I've received this kind of message several times, and it really shows me that sharing knowledge and guidance makes a real impact.
The fact that candidates are using my content to better prepare themselves, to improve their chances – that's what keeps me going. It's about seeing concrete results and knowing I'm helping people advance in their careers.