Policy Career Guides

New to policy? This guide explains what public policy is, how policy change happens, why you might want to work in policy, and where you could work.

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Outline:

(00:42) What is public policy?

(02:54) How is policy made?

(10:32) Why work in public policy?

(10:35) Making a difference

(15:35) Personal fulfillment

(17:38) Understanding policy careers

(18:15) Policy fit

(19:57) Specializations and types of roles

(22:02) Career pathways

(24:27) Where could you work?

(25:51) Executive branch

(28:48) Congress

(31:09) Think tanks

(33:45) State governments

(34:28) Multilateral institutions and other national governments

(35:30) Next steps

(36:36) Further reading

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Would you enjoy working in (a particular role within) policy or be miserable? This article discusses what qualities you need to succeed in policy and suggests ways to test your “fit” for policy work to get real-world feedback.

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Outline:

(02:24) Thinking about your fit for policy

(02:54) Your fit for policy work in general

(04:43) Your fit for specific policy institutions, roles, and areas

(06:34) Attributes for policy career success

(07:29) Helpful attributes for most policy jobs

(11:14) Helpful attributes for some policy jobs

(15:20) Common misconceptions about personal fit for policy work

(17:46) Differences in fit between policy institutions

(18:40) Congress

(20:07) Executive branch

(21:17) Think tanks

(22:56) Other institutions

(23:37) Testing your fit for policy careers

(25:51) Cheap tests (hours to days)

(30:43) Medium-effort tests (weeks to months)

(36:17) High-effort tests (months to years)

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Many undergraduates consider pursuing a career in US policy but are uncertain about how to test their fit and get a foot in the door. This post provides advice and highlights opportunities for college students.

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Outline:

(00:25) Summary

(06:31) Work experience, networking, and skill development

(06:36) Mindset and goals

(07:12) Exploration

(08:27) Professional development

(09:30) Internships

(10:40) On-campus work: research and teaching assistantships (RA/TA)

(12:41) Policy fellowships

(14:08) Networking and mentorship

(14:56) Skill development

(15:30) Academics

(16:16) What to study

(19:36) Grades

(22:36) Graduate school

(24:09) Other advice

(24:12) Campus student groups

(25:47) Scholarships and funding opportunities

(27:31) Security clearances

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Your professional development consists of anything that helps you prepare for and excel in policy work, including your (1) skills, (2) knowledge, (3) network, and (4) credentials.

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Outline:

(00:11) Why professional development matters

(03:16) Components of professional development

(03:20) Skills

(04:32) Knowledge

(05:07) Understanding DC culture

(06:14) Institutional policy knowledge

(07:25) Domain-specific policy knowledge

(08:52) Network

(09:22) Credentials

(10:49) Savings

(11:22) How do I advance my professional development?

(14:24) Should I aim to specialize or become a generalist?

(16:20) What to specialize in? Issues, levers, and institutions

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Your professional development consists of anything that helps you prepare for and excel in policy work, including your (1) skills, (2) knowledge, (3) network, and (4) credentials.

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Outline:

(00:10) Policy career essentials

(00:26) Introduction to policy careers

(00:40) Testing your fit for policy

(00:58) Professional development

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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This article discusses whether you need a graduate degree to work in policy, the benefits that graduate school provides, and some considerations against.

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Outline:

(01:06) Do you need a graduate degree to work in policy?

(03:38) Professional development from a policy-oriented graduate degree

(04:37) Credentialing

(05:36) Networking

(07:25) Knowledge

(12:12) Professional skills

(13:14) Work experience

(14:10) Why not do a graduate degree for policy work?

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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This article describes and compares the most common types of graduate degrees for policy professionals—policy master’s, law school, and PhDs.

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Outline:

(01:02) Degree comparison

(01:51) When to do law school for policy work

(02:22) When to do a PhD for policy work

(04:05) Other degree types

(04:09) STEM degrees

(08:29) Master of Business Administration (MBA)

(09:23) Master of Public Health (MPH)

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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This article explains why we recommend that most people work for 1-3 years before going to graduate school and the situations when this advice doesn’t apply.

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Outline:

(00:36) The case for working before graduate school

(03:38) Exceptions: Who should do graduate school immediately?

(07:15) Applying early

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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A policy master’s degree often provides the best balance of benefits over costs for aspiring policy professionals. This article explains what makes these degrees distinctive.

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Outline:

(00:11) About this guide

(01:23) What are policy master's degrees?

(04:29) Course structure

(05:17) Academic versus practitioner-oriented degrees

(06:16) Why (not) do a master's if you want to work in policy?

(07:00) Specific reasons for doing a master's

(08:18) Why not do a master's for policy work?

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

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Some policy master’s degrees prepare you much better for a DC policy career than others. This article explains the criteria for where to apply and recommends particular schools.

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Outline:

(00:27) Summary

(03:04) Where to apply: Process and criteria for choosing a degree

(04:08) Subject and curriculum

(07:22) Location

(10:46) Reputation

(14:19) Opportunity cost

(18:22) On-campus work opportunities

(19:27) For international students: STEM degrees

(21:01) Special degree features: part-time, accelerated, and dual/joint

(23:20) Cross-registration options

(24:25) Which specific policy masters should you consider?

(25:16) Policy master's database

(26:10) Top policy master's programs to consider

(31:20) Acceptance rates

(32:32) Experience levels and demographics

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If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our Policy Career Interest Form, and we may be able to match you with opportunities suited to your background and interests.

The original text contained 25 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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