The
Outlook:

The recent global economic slowdown has reached historic proportions. Yearly U.S. job loss in 2008 was the worst since 1945, with nearly two million positions shed in just the last four months of the year. While the nation's official unemployment rate hit 7.2 percent in December, 2008, fully 13.5 percent or the workforce was either unemployed, too discouraged to look for work, or working part-time because they couldn't find full-time employment.

An October, 2008 survey of employers (taken before the worst of the downturn) by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) indicated employers intended to hire only 1.3 percent more graduates in 2009 than in 2008, reflecting the worst outlook in six years. At the same time, roughly 1.5 million students will take bachelor's degrees this school year, up approximatley 41,000 for 2007-2008. Not surprisingly, starting salaries are expected to remain level or decline, according to separate NACE survey. (Wall Street Journal 10/22/2008:D1)

Competition for jobs is fierce and many employers are now relying on computer tests of skills and personality to screen job applicants. ... more on personality tests.

The news for political science graduates, however, is not completely bleak. Government work remained one of the few bright spots in the employment picture. Data from the Labor Department indicated an unemployment rate in the government sector of just 2.3 percent in December 2008 (Wall Street Journal 1/10-11/2009). The long-term outlook is brighter still. Roughly half of the nation's 1.9 million civil service workers (not including the postal service and the military) will have become eligible to retire between 2005 and 2010 (Wall Street Journal 5/24/2005). By 2016, fully 61 percent of current full-time government employees will be eligible for retirement, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Mangement (Wall Street Journal 10/22/2008:D1). Many potential applicants are discouraged by the lengthy and ardous application process. Others are find the unweildy bureaucracy daunting or prefer the often higher salaries and potential for promotion in the private sector. For those who can overcome such obstacles, however, the rewards may be substantial. ... More info on government jobs ...

Political science grads may also be competitive for positions in three other sectors of the job market that have remained strong: education, insurance, and health. Industry experience is not required at some insurers, and some will assist recruits in obtaining licenses and certifications. "We look across the board for people who are ambitious, collaborative and have great communications skills," noted Matt Hamlet, vice president of talent acquisition at Traveler's Cos., a major insurer. (Wall Street Journal 12/23/2008:D1)

According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, (1/4/2005) while many employers continue to target business and technical majors, this doesn't mean they don't want to hire liberal arts majors.  It does mean that you will have let employers know why you are the job candidate they are looking for!

Today's labor market is increasingly a global one.  Yet, according to a McKinsey & Co. study described in the Wall Street Journal (6/16/05 A2), while there are already almost twice as many young university-trained professionals in low-wage countries as in high wage countries (even before counting health-care professionals), many potential hires in low-wage countries language skills, ability to relocate, or otherwise don't fit. Still, the potential supply of suitable talent from the 28 low-wage countries studied by McKinsey exceeds the demand for offshore talent from companies in high-wage countries.

In short, today, those job candidates prepared to relocate, possess computer, language, math, and communications skills, and who can work well with international colleagues are advantaged in virtually all fields.

More on today's job outlook ...   

 

 

 

 

" A world 60 years from now in which Chinese schoolchildren are taught that the U.S. did what it could to speed their economic growth is a much safer world for my great-grandchildren than a world in which Chinese schoolchildren are taught that the U.S. did all it could to keep China poor."

-- Brad DeLong
Department of Economics
University of California at Berkeley

quoted by David Wessel
in the Wall Street Journal, 6/16/05

 

 

 

 

... The vast majority of Americans--black and white, poor and middle-class--are now in the same turbulent sea of economic uncertainty. The Sociologist Mark Rank has estimated that more than half of white Americans will spend at least a year below the poverty line by the time they are 75 (the results are not materially changed by excluding college students).

--Jacob S. Hacker
Department of Political Science
Yale University

The New Republic, July 4, 2005

Perhaps the best place to start a job search is with one's self. Utilizing career and personality assessment tools can help you identify your likes and dislikes. They can also help you catalog your assets and accomplishments in ways that demonstrate your passion, initiative and leadership, perhaps the most important aspect of your job-hunt (Joann S. Lublin, Wall Street Journal 2/1/2005 B1).  ... Links to career and personality resources ...

According to a study of large company hiring practices by CareerXroads, a Kendall Park, N.J. consulting firm, cited in a Wall Street Journal story (3/1/2005 B4) by Jessica Mintz, employee referrals accounted for32 percent of new hires, up sharply from recent years and slightly more than the share of new hires coming from the internet (30 percent).  Of internet hires, half came from the company's own web site. Big job boards like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com provided about 8 percent each. This points to the increasing importance of social networking as employers become deluged with online applicants. Also, keep in mind that in addition to listing potential jobs, online job banks can be an excellent source of information about the skills employers seek. Other websites featuring career and social networking opportunities and information include LinkedIn, CareerCast.com, Vault.com, Indeed.com, Plaxo, Brightfuse.com and Glassdoor.com (a salary review and employee-review site). Bear in mind that, as one job seeker put it, "there was a lot of garbage that came back," (through the online searches) "but some quality opportunities too." (Wall Street Journal 11/25/2008:D1).

Finally, keep in mind that converting temporary or contract employees accounted for about 15 percent of hires in the survey. Knowing who manages the part-time workforce can be quite helpful! Indeed, some job seeks have found success by tracking down hiring managers directly rather than relying on submitting resumes via the "click-and-hope" method alone (Erin White, Wall Street Journal 1/18/2005 B6). Company websites can be an excellent source of such information, as well as job listings that list the supervisor's position or hiring manager. ... Links to online job banks ...

Locating job listings at employer websites may get easier with the approval of the ".jobs" suffix by the non-profit group overseeing internet addresses in April, 2005. For a fee, employers will be able to list site names such as www.verizon.jobs for jobs at Verizon.

Today, job applicants can visit a wide range of websites designed to assist them in various aspects of their jobhunt. Most career-oriented websites will have special pages devoted to topics such as resumes and cover letters. Other sites are tailored to applicants seeking specific opportunities such as government employment.  ... more on online career resources ...

 

The Job Search:

• Career/Personality Assessment Resources
• Job Banks
• Resumes
• Cover letters
  
  
  

Successful job searches include successful interviews. While job interviews can be highly stressful, you can reduce the stress and improve your chances for success if you prepare yourself properly.  The Career Center at San Jose State University has summarized the keys to effective interview preparation:

• Conducting self-assessment
• Developing career objectives
• Researching employers and positions
• Anticipating questions and formulating answers
• Preparing good questions
• Practicing and rehearsing

A good interviewer will want to learn three things from a prospective employee, according to David Schmier, founder of GetHired.com (a New York company that teaches job-finding skills): whether the candidate fits the employer's culture, whether they can do the job, and whether they will be likable and work well with colleagues (Wall Street Journal, 6/21/2005). As a prospective employee, you should take advantage of every opportunity to make those points, preferably with examples from your own experience.

More specifically, there are a number of questions that you can anticipate hearing in job interviews, and you should prepare yourself in advance to answer them effectively. The Career Center at San Jose State University has compiled a useful inventory of questions asked during job interviews.

Job hunting can be a demoralizing process, especially if it drags on or if you have been laid off recently. It is vital that job applicants concentrate their attitude so as to convey enthusiasm and optimism, rather than letting one's natural disappointment or anger with previous employers show through during the interview process (Perri Capell, Wall Street Journal 7/5/2005 A16).

According to Joann Lublin, career columnist at the Wall Street Journal, some of the common mistakes jobhunters make during interviews include insufficient homework about a potential employer, inadequate preparation of your pitch, belated realization that you misunderstood a question, and allowing far-fetched questions to become distractions. If you are not sure you heard or understood a question, do not hesitate to seek clarification. One way is to repeat perplexing questions out loud and then ask the interviewer, "do I have this right?" (11/30/2004 B1).

The most successful interviews (ones that get jobs) are where the applicant and interviewer talk and listen equally. Today, it is not uncommon for interviews to be conducted by overworked managers who may like the time, preparation, or training to do a good interview. Some career counselors say the worst thing an applicant can do is stand by passively without having stated why he or she is the perfect person for the job.  Sometimes, using phrases such as "I know your time is limited, can I give you some information about myself and the job" can help steer conversation in productive directions, according to Carole Martin, founder of Interviewcoach.com (Wall Street Journal 6/21/2005 B4).

Here are some other tips for job seekers from the Wall Street Journal (2/1/2005 B1):

• Prepare a script before phoning hiring managers
• Call while standing, leave voice-mail slowly, and use an upward-inflection to demonstrate your enthusiasm
• Remeber to send personalized, handwritten notes thanking anyone who interviewed you!

Of course, not all interviews will successfully lead to job offers. You may be able to learn from them nonetheless. Some interviewers will speak frankly with you if you ask them to share their honest assessment of your performance. You must be very careful to do so in a non-threatening manner. Hiring managers are quite concerned about potential challenges from disgruntled applicants and may not be forthcoming if you do not convey sincere appreciation for their insights. If you repeatedly find yourself coming in second, consider overhauling your approach. You may find it a blessing in disguise. ... more interview resources ...

 

Landing a job is but a step in the larger march of your career. While each person's career path will be different, there are some common situations that you can begin to prepare yourself for. Two of the most important are your relations with co-workers and your plans for career advancement. Not surprisingly, the two are connected.

Your relations with co-workers will depend in part on the nature of your workplace. Some employers may hire many recent graduates for entry-level positions at the same time, providing a group of people that share your circumstances. Others may find themselves in a more isloated situation, perhaps being the only college hire, or facing a large generation gap, for example.

"Every new employee feels like an idiot" at some point, according to Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, a Chicago-based career counseling service (Wall Street Journal 5/31/2005 B6). Do not be afraid to ask questions! In such situations, you may be able to find guidance from a boss or supervisor, but often that will not be possible. Developing relationships with more experienced colleagues or "mentors" is a vital part of workplace socialization. The key to a good mentoring relationship is to find people who can help you whom you are comfortable with and who are comfortable with you. Sharing your experiences with friends or relatives who may be going through similar things at different places can also provide context. Sometimes, of course, you will have to be your own "mental cheerleader" (Erin White, Wall Street Journal 5/31/2005 B6).

Another common workplace issue, unfortunately, is how to deal with less than ideal behavior by colleagues. Brigid Moynahan, a leadership coach and president of Next Level, a consulting firm in Montclair, N.J., conducts workshops to teach people how to confront "microinequities," things like subtle putdowns, snubs, dismissive gestures and sarcastic tones that drain a person's motivation. Being excluded from projects or even conversations often provokes personal reactions, but "taking things personally is a way to get stuck," according to Ms. Moynahan. Instead, she counsels first reaffirming your relationship withthe microinequity sender, perhaps by saying you want to be a part of the team. Then pose questions in a nonthreatening manner. Additional tips: describe the offensive behavior factually, express how it affects you and others, suggest specific changes that require feedback, and spell out the potential benefits for all involved. It is, of course, just as important that you avoid subtly dissing your co-workers. Teamwork still counts! (Joann Lublin, Wall Street Journal 12/7/2004 B1).

Eventually, almost everyone comes to a point where they will change positions or think about doing so. It can be tempting, knowing you will leave, to let your soon-to-be-former-employer know what you really think about certain things. Tempting as that may be, keep in mind that especially in today's job market, what goes 'round comes 'round. Former employers may be contacted by future employers. People know people. And so on.

Building a
Career:

• Career Resources
• Examples of Careers in Political Science
  

Graduate and Professional
School

• Graduate and Professional School Resources
  

The Cathedral of Learning
at the University of Pittsburgh

Many college graduates choose to continue their education beyond their bachelor's degree by pursuing graduate or professional education such as law school. Admission to graduate and law school is competitive, and fiercely so at the top institutions. Your grades and scores on standardized admissions tests such as the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) are typically the critical determinants of whether or not an applicant is admitted.

Is law school right for you? Check out the list of "29 Questions" about law school from the University of Miami. Donald Ostdiek, the Pre-Law Advisor at Rice University, has compiled a law school application timetable that can help alert you to when you should be doing what if you are planning to apply to Law School. Prospective law students may also wish to consult the Boston College Law Locator, which allows you to see how your GPA and test scores compare with those of the recent incoming classes at law schools across the country.

... more