Careers in Political
Science
Nicole Glenos
Career Development Center
Who Majors in
Political Science?
• Anne Rice – author of the Vampire Chronicles
• Jane Pauley – television journalist
• Steve Case – founder of AOL
• Barack Obama & Joe Biden
• Kevin McClatchy – CEO of the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Madeleine Albright – first woman to become Secretary of State
• Margaret Heckler – Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Donald Fehr – attorney for the MLB Association
• Alec Baldwin - actor
Self-knowledge
• A degree in Political Science offers a wide
variety of career opportunities.
• Knowledge of the following will help you in
the decision-making process:
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Values
Interests
Strengths
Life goals
Work environment preferences
Values
Values and your Career Development: Including values as a
directional piece in your career development is imperative to
understanding where you are headed.
• What do I want in a career?
• Where do I want to live and work?
• What kind of job appeals to me?
• What kind of coworkers will be kindred spirits?
• What kind of working conditions will be rewarding?
• What level of responsibility can I handle?
• What salary level is important for me to attain?
• Do I want to continue my education by attending graduate school?
Overview of Career
Options
• Government
• Nonprofit
• International
Affairs
• Journalism
• Law
• Politics
• Business
• Broadcasting
• Education
Career Options
• Government
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Public policy
Research
Regional planning
Intelligence (ex. CIA)
Foreign services (ex. Department of State)
Law enforcement
Legislative, judicial, or executive services
Program administration
City/town management
Career options
• International Affairs
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Governance
Policy making and analysis
Public law
Human rights activism
Organization & management development
Resource development
Public sector reform
Media/Communication Policy and Practice
Education
• Ethics and anti-corruption
• Foreign policy
Career Options
• Law
• Lawyer- prosecution, defense, constitutional,
property, corporate, etc.
• Federal, state, and local government
• Private practice
• Special interest
• Universities
• Law assistance
• Non profit/public interest
Career Options
• Politics
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Elected or appointed official
Campaign management
Political advertising
Staff administration
Special interest advocacy
• Business
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Sales
Human resources
Management
Advertising
Career Options
• Nonprofit
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Administration
Management
Public relations
Fundraising
Nonprofit organizations
Foundations
Professional associations
Special interest groups
Career options
• Journalism
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Editing
Reporting
Sales
Newspapers
Magazines
Internet news companies
Corporations
Political parties and action committees
Career Options
• Broadcasting
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News programming
Productions
TV stations
Radio stations
Independent syndications
• Education
• Public and private schools
• Colleges and universities
The Job Search
Once I have decided on a career
path, how do I find a job???
The job search
• Essential Materials and Skills
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Résumé
Cover letter
Interviewing skills
Networking skills
The Job Search
• What can I do to create/develop these
materials and skills?
• Visit the Career Development Center’s website
and use the online resources
• Practice interviewing using Interview Stream
• Research common interview questions for your
field
• Identify the contacts you already have and begin
developing your network
The Job Search
• Research your field
• How does your field recruit?
• What are the most commonly used forms of
posting jobs for your field?
• What types of jobs are available?
• What types of companies offer positions that
you are interested in?
• What are the salary ranges?
• What does a typical day of work look like?
The Job Search
• How/where do I find jobs?
• Networking
• Career fairs
• Job boards
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Cards Career Link
www.Linkedin.com
www.careers.org
www.nace.org
• Company websites
• Newspapers
The Job Search
• How long should the job search process
take?
• Consider the process a “long-term campaign”
• Give yourself at least 6 – 9 months to find a job
The Job Search
• Applications
• Follow directions to the letter
• Tailor your application to the position – do not
just cut and paste from your résumé
• Complete all fields of the application
• If uploading your documents, save in pdf form
(name the file using your name and job title)
• Save your work every few minutes
The Job Search
What should I do to prepare for an interview?
Research the company:
• Mission statement
• Competitors
• Organizational structure
• Number of employees
• Headquarters
• Employee benefits
• Client base
• Organizational culture
• Products/services
• What the company does
and how they do it
• Financials
• CEO/President
The Job Search
• Where do I find this information
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The company’s website
Annual reports
Trade journals
Job Bank
Standard & Poor’s
U.S. News and World Report
The Job Search
• Considering the offer
• The salary is not the only consideration
• Stability: is the company profitable and growing?
• Benefits could be worth 35 – 40% of your salary
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Signing bonus
Moving/relocation allowance
Health insurance- be careful
Retirement
Work schedule: flex time/maternity leave
Vacation and holidays
Tuition for education and professional development
Fitness/heath/wellness programs
The Job Search
UofL Career Development Center
Houchens Building LL03
(502) 852 - 6701
www.louisville.com/career
Monday - Friday 9:00 – 5:00