Government, Politics & Think Tanks
Overviews
Although these three careers are often considered similar in student's minds, they have very important distinctions in terms of both job responsibilities and how to secure a career in that field.
Government
When referring to the Government, this includes all federal, state, and local agencies. The Government is a sector not just a career field and there are numerous employment opportunities that are as varied as they are in the private or nonprofit sectors. Almost any job that exists in the private sector also exists in the Government sector, such as economist or human resource specialist. This field is known for its benefits. Especially the ability to take your benefits from job to job, something that you cannot do in the private or nonprofit sectors.
Politics
A career in politics at the entry level most usually involves acting as a legislative assistant in a politician's office on the hill. These jobs are often hard to come by, not often advertised and include a lot of administrative work as you work your way up from the bottom rung. Offices differ dramatically in their size and structure. Because of this, the type of work you do can vary and job responsibilities may change regularly. Flexibility and a willingness to do "grunt work" are important characteristics in this career field.
Think Tanks
The first thing to consider when working for a think tank is what issue is most important to you. There are think tanks that deal with issues both politically and socially. Some think tanks take a more active role with the issues they are researching while others may be less advocacy oriented. Also important is the level of interaction the think tank has with the Government and its policies. The level of direct activism effects the type of job responsibilities you may have, as does the size and structure of the organization.
|
