Experienced professionals can contribute to high-impact work without fully embedding themselves in the EA community. For example, one of my favorite things is connecting experienced lobbyists (20-40+ years in the field) with high-impact organizations working on policy initiatives. They bring needed experience and connections, plus they often feel like they are doing something positive.
Anyone who has worked both inside and outside of the EA community will admit that EA organizations are weird. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can mean that people very established in their careers could find the transition uncomfortable.
For EAs reading this, I highly recommend seeking out professionals in their fields of expertise for short-term or project-specific work. If they fit and you want to keep them, that’s great. If not, you get excellent service on a tough problem that may not be solved within the EA community. They get a fun story about an interesting client, and can move on with no hard feelings.
Experienced professionals can contribute to high-impact work without fully embedding themselves in the EA community. For example, one of my favorite things is connecting experienced lobbyists (20-40+ years in the field) with high-impact organizations working on policy initiatives. They bring needed experience and connections, plus they often feel like they are doing something positive.
Anyone who has worked both inside and outside of the EA community will admit that EA organizations are weird. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can mean that people very established in their careers could find the transition uncomfortable.
For EAs reading this, I highly recommend seeking out professionals in their fields of expertise for short-term or project-specific work. If they fit and you want to keep them, that’s great. If not, you get excellent service on a tough problem that may not be solved within the EA community. They get a fun story about an interesting client, and can move on with no hard feelings.