I Don't Think I'll Ever Make it in DC, Thinking of Giving Up

[Anonymous]

I’m sorry, OP. I was just thinking about the MPP and MPA students out there. I got an MPA years ago, there were so many government and nonprofit openings. Of course, I got RIF’efd a few years ago. But I can’t imagine how hard it is right now. Maybe look at contractors and nonprofits or local governments based outside DC.

[Anonymous]

There are no internships in DC this year. It's not you. My friends kid is wasting 90K a year on GWU thinking she'd get an internship like they promised. Yeah she's transferring after this.

[Anonymous]

Also, when I was a grad student trying to find a job in science after the stimulus funding ran out in 2012 I thought the same as you. My situation was different, though, I had a child and custody so had to make this area work. I did. It took me a little over a decade and remarriage to purchase a starter home. Almost 20 years now and we're thriving. I made very bold career moves to advance and make more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in this field and my DC-based organization has cancelled its summer internship program for this summer for first time ever. The company just can’t afford it when it’s had to do mass layoffs and is trying to preserve as many jobs as possible. I’d imagine other companies in the field are taking similar steps. That means more competition for the few DC-based intern slots available. In my opinion, as a manager, a summer internship just doesn’t carry that much weight in this field. Cast a wider net and consider staying put in your current city or see if you can extend with your current nonprofit. I would stay focused on getting good grades in the program you’re in and in building additional connections for the post-graduation job search. Also start brainstorming adjacent careers you could target upon graduation where the market is better than it currently is in DC policy jobs. For example, if you’re in health policy, instead of working for a think tank, you could work for a hospital/health system or a health plan.

+1 it's an awful time in DC and for these jobs and all policy adjacent stuff.

It's great that you have quant skills, I would lean on that - still lot of demand for various analytics in different fields. Frankly that pivot might be more interesting. I work in policy and am a former fed and a lot of that work feels pointless now.

[Anonymous]

Why not tutor or teach or work at a camp, given your education policy major?!

[Anonymous]

Please look elsewhere in the country right now OP. Your home state? Where you went to undergrad? DC is a dumpster fire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look for jobs in local and state government - more administration, less policy. You’ll build real skills that will be greatly valued later in your career by all of the places you’ve been applying. The pay will be awful initially, but the experience will be worth it. And yes, work your professor network!

This is a good suggestion. Target state and local governments. Get some direct work experience

[Anonymous]

Hang in there. This is a horrible time for young people starting out

[Anonymous]

Get a corporate job. Seriously, any kind of professional job, while working on your policy area on the side. This is a lot like the 2008/2009 job market was in DC: it blows. It will get better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the school you attend or the topics you focus on make it abundently clear what your political leanings are? I.e. you attend Liberty and you have a background in gun rights? Or you attend an Ivy with a background in policy-making to help immigrants? If so, you are likely not getting offered interviews because some of those organizations see something on your resume that is a red flag for them.

OP here. I attend an ivy+, top-ranked school and have a full scholarship. My interest is in education policy.

A PP...education policy is a pretty broad area (not identifying/niche as you feared). Unfortunately, it's a troubled area right now because the Dept. of Ed is a political target.

I know you must have a passion for this work. If you are still struggling to find a job and can afford to take a volunteer position, I recommend that you try to create your own at a school district.

I think a still fruitful and massive area of inquiry is recovery from Covid/learning loss. What it actually takes, how fast gaps can be closed, what programs have worked and are still working. There will be enough before and after Covid and 2020-2024 data anywhere you might feasibly work.

Employers love:

-In the trenches work experience
-An independent, well-reasoned POV
-Generosity of spirit

Volunteer work combines those things.

Maybe devise your own pitch for a summer spent analyzing trends in one particular school district's data, comparing observable trends to larger studies, and making recommendations based on best practices on how to address issues.

If you don't want to focus on covid recovery, you could study ed tech implementation/device use in schools.

The point would be to create a project that would showcase your skills while providing real help to a district. Perhaps you could publish something from this if you worked with faculty. Maybe you could get stipend or grant support from your school if your financial resources are strapped.

To find a district, cold call superintendents. Do it ASAP if you like this idea. Need to start work in June because July is a vacation zone for K-12 educators. And you might need school board permission or something like that.

[Anonymous]

OP, horrible timing and honestly your whining makes you seem out of touch with all those that have lost or will lose their jobs.

Lots of good advice here; gov adjacent where possible, state or local gov, can’t you do a stint as a research assistant at your university?

Buckle up, buttercup, policy life in DC is rough, particularly now and particularly in certain fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, horrible timing and honestly your whining makes you seem out of touch with all those that have lost or will lose their jobs.

Lots of good advice here; gov adjacent where possible, state or local gov, can’t you do a stint as a research assistant at your university?

Buckle up, buttercup, policy life in DC is rough, particularly now and particularly in certain fields.

DP. Apparently person above doesn't remember what it's like to be young, and to have never been on the inside, and to keep mentally staring at all the closed doors.

It's okay, OP, a lot of midlife people with career problems remember young people problems too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I just wanted to say thank you all so much for the wonderful and kind responses. It really means a lot and makes me feel less alone. I will also take a lot of the advice shared in this thread.

I have a follow up question, if anyone knows. Someone told me that I should just apply for whatever full time job I can get, and that by applying to internships, I am underselling myself given my prior work experience, and that internships will reduce my salary potential. Is that true? I thought internships would help me get my foot in the door.

Does your program require an internship?

Quite frankly I am surprised. What is your program doing go support you?

Princeton SPIA which offers paid tuition and a living stipend for all their graduate programs required a summer internship for their 2 year, MPA program. They help you find one (not always in DC) and if the organization can’t pay you then SPIA pays you. I am shocked that your Ivy+ program is not doing more. Was there a deadline? So many top internships have deadlines you can’t miss. I heard from others that students might missed certain deadlines. I understand DC is difficult right now so I would look elsewhere.

If this is Harvard look at Cambridge and Boston. Tons of roles up there. Look at State and Local, nonprofits and tech firms in the area. Harvard also has centers you could ask about internships over the summer. City Year has an office there they might have a summer internship or look into the Boston school district and see if you can do an internship with them.

Same for other programs. I would be surprised if this is Yale since Jackson is a small program but similar look in New Haven or NYC.

If it’s Columbia look in NYC although with all going on at Columbia I think it might be hard to place someone. Maybe see if you can intern or work for a Center within SIPA or Teacher’s College.

Contact career services. Contact alumni relations. Attend events with alumni (there should be some at graduation) and network. Ask to be connected to alumni who might have internships or a role you’re interested in. This honestly is what every Ivy does so they really should be helping you or connecting you with people.

But it’s up to you to really do the work. You can ask for the connection but you have to make it and have a good interview.

Look at edtrust
Teach for America

Room to Read- had a remote internship posted 2 days ago!

Save the children

Girls inc has a policy internship in DC

[Anonymous]

I’m PP you said Ivy+ so maybe you’re at Harris or Stanford. There are tons of nonprofits in Chicago. Start networking where you are now.

[Anonymous]

OP, trust me, you don't want to work here right now.