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Jobs
and Careers
for Political Science Majors
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The
Outlook:
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In
2005,
for the second year in a row, employers predicted an increase
in hiring of college graduates, according to a survey by the National
Association of Colleges and Employers, a non-profit group based
in Bethlehem, PA. Seventy percent of employers said they planned
to increase starting salaries for new college graduates! Reports suggest that the 2006 job market is better for graduates than that of 2005.
At the same
time, 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
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.
One bit of good
news for poli sci majors: government work. Roughly half of the nation's
1.9 million civil service workers (not including the postal service
and the military) will be eligible to retire in the next five years
(Wall Street Journal 5/24/2005). 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, the rewards may be substantial. ... More info on government jobs ...
More on today's job outlook ...
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" 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
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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. 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 ...
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The Job Search:
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Interviews:
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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 ...
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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.
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Building
a
Career:
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Graduate and Professional
School
The Cathedral of Learning
at the
University of Pittsburgh
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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
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