Hello I have a high school project that requires an interview with some who works in the field we selected could anyone who works in the field of political science answer a few questions.

1.How hard is it to get a job in political science currently?

There are several strains of political science, and my general answer would be it is low-to-moderately difficult to get a job.

a. With development studies there is work in non-profit management, government work (although this pool is becoming smaller and smaller with aid programs being cut all the time), host country aid work, and home country non-profit management. If you want to do actual aid work in foreign countries then I would find out what the highest need is in the area you want to work. Often the highest needs are something along the lines of electrical, plumbing, construction, computer science, and sometimes medical.

b. In IR and conflict studies there is more work in government, non-profit, international business, and possibly military industrial contract positions.

c. In “country of residence” political science, people often go on to pursue law degrees, or work with local government agencies or apply for federal government jobs.

d. Federal government jobs are often extremely competitive, and one of the more difficult jobs to get. Additionally, more and more you need a Master's degree to even apply and military service looks really good for these positions as well.

  1. Who makes up most of the employers for example universities or the private sector?

"Most employers" are definitely not at the universities.

Places to apply with a political science degree: local government, federal government, local non-profits, international NGOs, international businesses, law programs.

  1. In relation to number one what are the benefits of a doctorate compared to just a masters when applying for and on the job?

If you want to work in the private or public sector it isn’t worth getting a PhD. If you want to work in research and academia as a specialist, then getting your PhD might be worth it. I only recommend getting a PhD if that education is fully funded and if you really have a passion for research.

4.What does an average day on the job entail?

This is impossible to answer without knowing what you are looking for in terms of a specific job.

For example, a policy analyst with a foreign affairs department the job consisted of helping inform and write policy that is driven by people who have been elected or appointed. It entails a lot of research, writing briefs, preparing presentations, and going to meetings. It also has moments of high intensity when an official needs something that day because they had an impromptu meeting with X.

5.Whats your favorite part of the job?

It feels good knowing that you are doing something that may actually mean something.

  1. What the biggest negative of the job?

Bureaucracy can be difficult to navigate and frustrating to deal with at times. This is especially true in government where policies can change based on elections and everything you worked on for the last however-many-years becomes obsolete when the new government wants to change directions.

/r/PoliticalScience Thread