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

(04:44) Your fit for specific policy institutions, roles, and areas

(06:35) Attributes for policy career success

(07:30) Helpful attributes for most policy jobs

(11:16) Helpful attributes for some policy jobs

(15:32) Common misconceptions about personal fit for policy work

(18:01) Differences in fit between policy institutions

(18:56) Congress

(20:24) Executive branch

(21:34) Think tanks

(23:13) Other institutions

(23:54) Testing your fit for policy careers

(26:07) Cheap tests (hours to days)

(31:00) Medium-effort tests (weeks to months)

(36:35) 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.

The original text contained 5 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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