How do You Pursue a Career in Public Policy?
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Public policy jobs are available in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Public policy jobs aim to create policy or to encourage a government or organization to create a policy that addresses issues the public is facing. Finding a public policy job involves obtaining a degree, determining which area to focus on, and making connections in that sector.
By Lora Korpar
Think of the term “public policy,” and you might imagine people in suits in a closed-door meeting, making decisions that will affect us whether we like it or not.
In reality, public policy positions come in many forms. The Center for Civic Education, a nonprofit providing civic education resources for students, defines public policy as what any policy-making official “does or does not do about a problem that comes before them for consideration and possible action.”
These policies often respond to a public issue and take the form of laws or regulations. Research.com says “every industry has policy-related jobs.”
“Public policy as an area of study truly creates the ability to analyze policy directions, strategic initiatives, look for best practices, and look for improvements in those,” said Stacia Lozer, an associate faculty member at the Indiana University (IU) O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. “The end goal is working toward more innovative problem-solving.”
Public Policy Jobs
Public policy jobs are available at the local, state, and federal government levels. Nonprofits and private organizations also provide public policy jobs to lobby the government for change.
“All of those sectors are available for employment for individuals with public policy degrees because all of those sectors intersect with each other at some point in time. And the intersecting point is impact policy,” said Thomas Guevara, the director of IU’s Public Policy Institute. “For example, if one looks at the private sector, many corporations and firms have interests in public policies, whether it has to do with things like infrastructure, wage levels, regulations, etc. Those affect the ability for a business to thrive, so individuals who understand how public policy is made may work for a private sector firm and help them understand and devise strategies to influence the policymaking process.?
“In the public sector, everything one does — whether it's, for example, environment, public management, welfare programs, healthcare programs, or public safety programs — requires policy analysis, evaluation, construction, and implementation.”
Public policy students can focus on many areas. Here are examples from Lozer and BestColleges:
Research.com says the highest-paying industries for public policy majors include software publishing, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, and financial investments like securities and trusts. Each of these sectors pays more than $140,000 per year on average.
The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy says government and public sector public policy employees have the lowest median annual salary at $60,000. The median is $65,000 for nonprofit employees and $75,000 for private sector employees.
Public Policy Education
Many universities offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in public policy. A public policy degree differs from a political science degree by focusing more on the “technical background to be able to understand and analyze the possible effects of proposed policy,” according to Guevara.
According to BestColleges, many public policy bachelor’s programs focus on “foundational skills like administrative leadership, policy development and implementation, and research methods.” Lozer said undergraduate degree programs tend to be wider in scope so students can find which area speaks to them.
“I would say through that educational process we focus on that idea of building strategic mindsets and systems mindsets,” Lozer said. “How do you think globally? How do you problem-solve? How do you approach collaboration, whether it be internal or external? We do that a lot through classroom participation, plus internships and practical experiences. And so those mindsets help prepare you to be able to take what you learn about policy and then take that to the next step.”
A master’s degree prepares you for management positions and teaches you more advanced policy analysis. A doctoral degree can help you obtain an executive position in private and public organizations or prepare you to teach public policy at a university.
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Nick Fahnders, director of career and professional development at the Harris School, said each public policy educational experience is different. Some schools focus more on one sector. Others have an array of programs.
“There's a core component of classes that are incredibly economic and quantitative in terms of how to analyze numbers and methods and bring a critical — as our dean would say — clear-eyed lens to weighing the winners and losers or doing a genuine cost-benefit analysis for how a decision is made and being able to consider those implications from a people standpoint, system standpoint, and resource standpoint,” Fahnders said.?
Finding a Public Policy Job
The first step in the public policy job search is determining which area to work in. Most public policy students enter the field with a policy area already in mind.
“[Ask yourself] do you want to analyze data all day long?” Fahnders said. “Or are you a person that wants to convert that data into action in a public office, as a management consultant, or a more client-facing individual?”
“What you want to do is focus your job search on those businesses, organizations, or agencies that are most closely aligned with your interests,” Guevara said. “And then you might want to make inquiries with a set of targeted organizations that you might be interested in working with, even if they don't have immediate job openings. It might be useful for you to see if you can engage someone to give you some ideas about the kinds of skills, abilities, and experiences they're looking for when they do make hires.”
Take advantage of opportunities available while still in school, like internships and career fairs. Fahnders said the Harris School calls students “candidates” because they are graduate students who should be ready to be candidates for career opportunities.
Important skills for a public policy position are communication (written and verbal), empathy, problem-solving, curiosity, and innovation.
“Policies require adaptability and creativity,” Lozer said. “Sometimes it's not as easy as a black-and-white answer. So we want to prepare students to think in a collaborative and creative mindset, thinking toward that idea that adaptability and innovative problem-solving is how many policies are developed and addressed.”
Also, don’t discount your skills. You can be confident in your abilities without appearing self-important, especially if you have an advanced degree.
“Our talent is ironically so humble about their skills that they don't necessarily rate themselves as experts in areas where they absolutely are,” Fahnders said. “If you aren't going to say ‘expert’ because it feels egocentric or arrogant, explain specifically how you would solve a problem. The reality for employers is they don't want perfect. That's because work isn't perfect, and neither are they… Show [the interviewer] how you ask for information, your logic, and how you are collaborative in school with student organizations or starting your own events. That kind of collaboration is what every employer is screaming they need.”
Throughout the job search, remember why you want to enter the public policy space. Aim for a job that has intrinsic and extrinsic value to you.
“Sometimes people look at the differences in salaries and things like that, between the private and public sector… but I would say that one of the areas where public policy probably surpasses the private sector in terms of rewards is being able to implement good policies and improve a community, state, or nation,” Guevara said. “And that reward sticks around for a long time and it's very personal for people. People think about career choices and think about not just simply what might be the material rewards of whatever career they choose, but also think about intrinsic personal rewards from engaging in something like public policy.”
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