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. --- 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 typ...

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. --- 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 (06:3...

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. --- 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 (1...

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. --- Outline: (00:10) Policy career essentials (00:26) Introduction to policy careers (00:40) Testing your fit for policy (00:58) Professional development --- If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technolo...

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. --- 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) Do...

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

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

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. --- Outline: (00:36) The case for working before graduate school (03:38) Exceptions: Who should do graduate school immediately? (07:15) Applying early --- If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emerging technology policy, complete our P...

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. --- 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...

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. --- 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 opportuniti...

This article explains how law school works (e.g. curriculum, time commitment) and outlines steps you could take to assess your personal fit for a law degree. --- Outline: (00:12) About this guide (01:39) Summary (02:36) About law school (02:51) Curriculum (05:35) Internships, externships, and other experiential opportunities (07:17) Time commitment (09:15) Cost of attendance (09:48) Path to law sc...

The cost of policy master’s degrees can be high. This article explains these costs and how to make them more manageable through careful planning and research. --- Outline: (00:27) Summary (01:48) Tuition and other costs of policy master's programs (05:13) How to fund graduate school (05:53) University financial aid (08:10) Financial aid bargaining (09:04) Federal financial aid (09:37) Loans and lo...

This article outlines the benefits of attending law school (e.g. learning, skill development, networking, and credentials) and potential downsides (e.g. opportunity cost, mental health). --- Outline: (00:26) Summary (01:57) Law school benefits (02:00) Structural knowledge about how law and public policy work (02:40) Domain-specific knowledge about particular areas of law (05:14) Developing skills...

This article outlines some promising career paths after law school, focusing on government and policy work. It also explains the difference between practicing law versus shaping policy. --- Outline: (00:26) Summary (01:22) A framing note: Practicing law vs. shaping policy (02:57) Roles practicing law (06:31) Roles outside the practice of law --- If you’re interested in pursuing a career in emergin...

Not all law degrees are created equal—some JDs advance your professional development more than others. This article gives advice on where to apply, considering different career paths and program options. --- Outline: (00:26) Summary (01:27) How much to prioritize rankings? (02:42) Considerations by career path (02:46) Practicing law (05:04) Policy (07:40) Legal academia (07:52) Schools to consider...

The most expensive law schools charge nearly $70,000 per year in tuition. This article provides advice on how to fund your law degree, such as through scholarships, federal financial aid, and loans. --- Outline: (01:08) Institutional scholarships (02:14) Federal financial aid (02:46) Loans and loan forgiveness programs (05:53) Application fee waivers (06:21) Do a master's or PhD instead of a law d...

This article discusses the motivation for working “on the Hill”—direct impact, professional development, and exploration—and how you can assess your personal fit for congressional work. --- Outline: (00:12) About this guide (01:57) Why (not) work in Congress? (02:24) Opportunities for meaningful policy change (07:05) Acquiring policy knowledge, skills, and connections (10:31) Assessing your fit fo...

This article explains how to think about whether to work in the House or the Senate, in a personal office or a committee, and for the majority or minority party. It also discusses office culture and political affiliations. --- Outline: (01:16) House versus Senate (05:14) Committee versus personal office (09:14) Majority versus minority party (11:45) Office culture (13:26) A note on partisanship an...

This article discusses how to identify the offices and committees working on your policy areas of interest, particularly those in emerging technology and security policy. --- Outline: (00:57) Which committees have jurisdiction over your issue? (05:35) The power of the purse: Authorization versus appropriation (11:07) Analyzing committee jurisdiction (12:47) Committees relevant to AI (14:15) Commit...

This article explains the different roles available in Congress, provides networking advice, and explains how to search and apply for jobs. --- Outline: (00:28) Explore what job(s) you can get (00:41) Relatively loose credential, citizenship, and security clearance requirements (03:19) The congressional office org chart (05:24) Congressional opportunities at different levels of experience (05:30)...

Policy fellowships—term-limited positions in congressional offices, often sponsored by nonprofits—allow you to build first-hand experience in Congress and benefit from training, mentoring, networking, and more. --- 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 bac...

This guide outlines full-time roles in Congress and how to find job openings, including information on (1) entry-level jobs for recent graduates, (2) jobs for terminal degree holders or mid-career professionals, and (3) senior and non-legislative jobs. --- Outline: (00:36) Entry-level jobs for recent graduates (03:07) Jobs for terminal degree holders or mid-career professionals (04:52) Full-time l...

Most congressional staff are former interns, as are many Members of Congress. This article explains what congressional internships involve and how to decide where to apply. --- Outline: (00:14) About this guide (01:47) How do congressional internships work, and why should I apply for one? (02:21) How do congressional internships work? (04:22) What do congressional interns do? (05:15) What are alte...

This article explains how to learn about congressional internship opportunities, the application process, and important application advice. --- Outline: (00:09) Congress (00:24) Working in Congress: why and how (01:00) 1. Why (not) work in Congress? (01:18) 2. Where to work in Congress? (01:35) 3. How to assess office and committee relevance? (01:52) 4. How to apply for and land a job in Congress?...

This article explains how to learn about congressional internship opportunities, the application process, and important application advice. --- Outline: (01:06) Timeline (01:41) How to learn about internship opportunities (03:48) How to prepare for the first round of the application process (05:12) Writing a good cover letter (06:50) Drafting a good resume (08:21) How to prepare for the second rou...