(By Anne-France White. Check out her blog and follow her on Twitter).

How to find work:

• Relief Web is probably the best search engine for jobs in the Congo. Others include Inspira, UN Jobs, Idealist, Devex, Media Congo, UN Global Marketplace, and Radio Okapi.
• If you want to work for the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, see their vacancies here.
• Many expats working for the UN in Congo work as so-called UNVs, United Nations Volunteers. For more about the program and how to apply, see here. If you want to get in touch with UNVs working in Congo, join the Facebook group UNV in DRC.
• Mercy Corps offers internships to expats in Congo. Norwegian Refugee Council no longer hires interns.
• At times, the Facebook pages North Kivu Life and South Kivu Life have job postings, as well.

Work permit:

• You will get your work permit at Direction Générale de Migration (DGM), Avenue des orchidées 4, Quartier des Volcans, ☎ 099 291 6957 (nkivu@dgm.cd). Check out their website for necessary documents and procedures.
• Journalists get their media accreditation from Auguy Kande Nkinda working at the Ministry of Information in Kinshasa. It costs $500 for six months. He is available at 081 651 1000, auguykandenkinda@yahoo.fr, mincomedia.rdc@gmail.com. The government information Minister Lambert Mende is available at 0854 324 219, 0815 733 533, 0810 106 365, 0991 341 990.

Work culture:

• Most aid workers wear casual outfits. That said you should definitely bring a suit. Congolese at ceremonies and business meetings are very well-dressed.

Suggested reading:

• Why do expats earn more than the rest of us? (Guardian)
• Is humanitarian work a career for escapists? (Guardian)
• NGOs need to think more about how they are perceived by local communities – but eliminating privileges like cars and security guards is not the answer (Guardian)
• After starting out wanting to reduce poverty, aid workers often find themselves living a lifestyle unimaginable back home. Does this cause more harm than good? (Guardian)
• Can only the childless and unattached manage humanitarian work? (Guardian)