Public policy careers focus on advocating for social and economic interests. Lobbyists promote views for groups, analysts research and report on specific fields, while public administrators manage government employees and elections. A master’s degree is recommended, with opportunities in government, non-profit, foreign service, and teaching.
A career in public policy focuses on public policy and public administration issues. Public policy jobs advocate for special social and economic interests that might otherwise be overlooked. Most high-profile jobs in public policy are government positions located in a nation’s capital, while other jobs are locally, for example, with county and state government and city agencies.
One of several types of public policy jobs is a lobbyist who works primarily for the capital city of the jurisdiction or state in which he resides. The job of a lobbyist is to try to promote the views or opinions of a particular group in hopes of persuading the legislator or public to agree with the group’s views. Most lobbyists work near a nation’s capital or for large corporations and interest groups. Lobbyists have their positions strictly regulated to ensure that the lobbyist follows all the rules and regulations.
Public policy analysts are another subset of public policy jobs for anyone interested in this career. A public policy analyst may work for a specific company or organization and address the needs relevant to that field. The analyst conducts research, prepares reports and presents information to the public on behalf of the organization. For example, a public policy analyst may research low-income communities and prepare a report on how issues such as inadequate economic and financial development affect the community.
Public administration is a different kind of public policy work. In this position, a public service manager supervises government employees and other personnel, as well as oversees corporate matters. One task performed by a public administrator is the management of jurisdictional and local elections. Elections need to be monitored to make sure the voting process is fair. The public administrator also works with the media to ensure that the public receives the information it needs for elections.
An individual who wishes to pursue a career in this field should obtain a master’s degree in public policy. Upon graduation, students often intern for government or federal agencies as strategic public researchers or obtain another type of legislative internship. Some of the non-profit public policy jobs require an understanding of some health and safety regulations. There are also Foreign Service policy jobs for people with a background in foreign languages and politics. For those who prefer to be in a classroom-type environment, there are teaching opportunities available for someone with a public policy degree and a teaching certificate.
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