If someone asked you how to start a career in government, what would you tell them?

Here’s my advice: get involved through volunteering, look for internships or entry-level roles to build experience, and connect with people already working in the field. Be patient and keep growing your skills!

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Don’t. If they are insistent, though, I'd tell them to focus on what they want to do, a lot of government jobs out there, well recent times aside. Meet and greet with people, watch the job boards like a hawk, and keep trying to get experience if you have none.

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I couldn't agree more. I started my career through volunteering/shadowing and actually figuring out which path I wanted to take. I'm grateful to have gone about it that way rather than packing on the student debt before figuring it out.

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So glad that worked for you! I had a similar start but also had made a few connections though university.

Consulting, then flip.

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I’d tell them they first need to decide what they actually want to do for a living. “Work in government“ is far too broad to allow for meaningful advice. Once they know what they want to do, study it, get relevant work experience, and then watch and wait like a hawk. They also need to practice interviewing, and be mentally prepared to reapply after repeated rejections.

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It does seem like it's a challenging time to get into government work and highly competitive.

Suggest working in a for-profit company for a bit first.

High level applicants in order to be extremely hirable should have demonstrated personal attributes that align with idealism, politics, leadership, and overwhelming desire for power, and did I say power. And no guilt about spending other people's money.

Lower level jobs just need competence and desire for no accountability, and need for security and relatively good benefits and pay.

Otherwise grad from MIT or other big name E College and know somebody.

Depending on where they wanted to start I’d advise to steer clear of anything attached to new funding pools focus on strategy and policy

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