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

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=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.[/quote]

OP, I'm 20 years into the career you want, and I second the advice above. DC non-profits/ think tanks are soul sucking, underpaid, and home to some of the nastiest people you'll meet outside of DCUM. Oh sure, they're well enough socialized to hide it for a while; but the level of micromanagement, bullying and backbiting, especially from colleagues who did time on the Hill, is wild.

Go corporate. There are jerks everywhere, but at least a corporate job won't bludgeon you with "the mission" and you'll be paid enough to make living here affordable. And you won't be taking shlt from a egomaniacal former Hill staffer who thinks she's the queen wonk of all wonks.

I am the frog, and the water is up to a simmer. I'd love to be where you are and never get into the damn pot in the first place. [/quote]
This is the right advice. You are actually lucky to be graduating in this catastrophe that will likely force you to pivot to a private sector job. If you stick it out, best case you get a handful of low paying jobs filled with non talented colleagues (dc is full of non stars in non profits) which you feel indifferent to in a few years. And be honest, federal education policy jobs aren’t achieving anything but shuffling paper across desks. I mean, federal education policy is currently being driven by a wrestling ceo. Even during dem administrations, the only people with any sway over education policy are rich tech bros. The rest of the minions are just drafting reports to justify their organizations existence. Shift to private now, make better money, and have a job with more impact.[/quote]

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