Government (read time: 35 min)

Written By Second Day

So you want to work in Government?

By the people! For the people! If you believe in the power, responsibility, and potential of the government to improve the lives of communities in the United States and abroad, you’ve come to the right place.

Working in government can be an excellent way to direct resources to critical social issues, craft long-lasting policies, and implement changes in your community. By taking a job within government, you have the opportunity to work for and with your community (your neighbors’ taxes might *quite literally* be paying your salary). Entry-level jobs in government allow you to explore the complex processes that influence how policy is made and money is spent from the inside. Bureaucracy be damned: the potential for affecting change as a government employee or political representative is as vast as your imagination.

Government jobs are hard. And for many, that is why they are so enticing. The intellectual, emotional, and organizational challenges of passing anti-discrimination legislation, building public-private partnerships, or leading emergency management will force you to stretch the way you think, work, and learn. A career in government means you will be serving your community rather than just your organization (looking at you corporate America), and that makes this work both so important and so challenging.

If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and make this government thing work for more communities, this career guide is here to demystify the process of finding a job in government. To inform our work, Second Day has spoken to experts in the field and gathered the best information out there for upcoming and recent graduates. This document will outline government opportunities broadly and then will link out to more detailed Second Day career guides if you want to learn more. Let’s get started!

This guide was written by Phil Dearing, Brigit Goebelbecker, and Rachel Angle (SDIF ‘20) in partnership with the Second Day team.

Layers of Government

What we mean by “government”

As the diagram below exhibits, government in the United States is … massive. There are literally thousands of distinct types of government jobs employing over 20 million people. Maybe you’ve heard of what “‘working for government” entails, but we are here to tell you that the experience is far more variable than stereotypes might imply. This sector overview will walk through the different layers of government you could pursue, and link out to our detailed guides about working for local government, working for state government, working on Capitol Hill, and working on political campaigns. This guide will give higher-level overviews to help assess which piece of the government puzzle makes the most sense for you, and then dive deeper into how to get jobs in that sector via our follow-on guides.

Federal

If you are looking to impact the greatest number of people, the federal government could be the place for you. With over 8 million employees or contractors and a budget of about $5 trillion dollars, the federal government has incredible power to transform society. While the federal government is based in DC, there are many opportunities across the country. Some popular entry-level opportunities in the federal government include working as a staffer for an elected member of congress, at an executive agency/bureau/department, as part of the White House staff, or with the federal judiciary. However, the federal government also employs analysts, tech geeks, librarians, caseworkers, accountants, and more. If you have a skill and an interest in serving, the federal government has many options for you to choose from...

  • Pros: Potential for large-scale impact (money available, populations served), national prestige, transferable skills/network across federal bureaucracy

  • Cons: Can feel distant from the issues themselves and populations served, highly bureaucratic and sometimes slow moving

State

The state layer of government can be a happy medium between national politics and a small town experience. States still operate at a huge scale, but can often feel more connected to the community. These governments operate in the middle ground, using federal funds for initiatives and influencing what cities and counties do on the ground. Within the state government, you can work for the governor's office, a state legislator, a state agency, or state courts. Some common entry-level routes include administrative roles with state agencies or political roles with the governor or state legislators.

  • Pros: You will build an excellent network with political and other stakeholders in the state, roles are a bit more flexible, and it is easier to gain an understanding of the government’s inner-workings.

  • Cons: Connections are not as transferable if you want to move geographies, roles can be fairly partisan, and progress can still be slow

Big Cities

Large cities operate similarly to states in many ways. In fact, New York City’s Budget ($88B) is bigger than that of 45 states (a smaller big city like Seattle has a budget equivalent to the ten smallest states, between $5B-$10B). Large cities vary in structure and size, but they often have a strong mayor and city council, with numerous opportunities to get involved. Traditional roles include working for the mayor, working for the city council, working for city agencies, and working in municipal courts. Because big cities vary tremendously, we recommend reading the State Government Guide and the Local Government Guide.

  • Pros: Big cities can serve as a microcosm of larger geographies (states and even countries). They can be a great place to “cut your teeth” by testing out innovative projects and connecting with your community, supported by big budgets. You can easily transition from a role in big city government to roles across the layers of government. Big cities attract competitive talent, so you have a high likelihood of working with great coworkers

  • Cons: Big city politics can often be fierce and getting these jobs can be competitive. Many people use jobs in big cities as a launchpad to graduate school or other employment. While this could be perfect for you, it often means the high rate of turnover can have detrimental effects on the work.

Towns and municipalities

Small towns will often be governed by an administrative mayor, a board of selectmen and selectwomen, or even a town manager (someone hired, rather than elected). Larger towns usually include a set of city councilors, though they will rarely have full-time staff and oftentimes work other full-time jobs themselves. Some of the most promising opportunities in hyper-local government can be with county-level or region-level initiatives or boards, where there are more often enough resources to bring on full-time staff.

  • Pros: You’re closest to the issues and see the concrete impact governments can have in individual lives. You’ll build tight connections in your town and set the stage if you’re interested in running for office. You can make an impact in a place that is important to you, especially if you’re moving back home.

  • Cons: There are fewer available jobs, especially at the entry-level. Your network is not as transferable to other towns. The range of your impact is limited by funding/resources available and the political dynamics of the town.

Campaigns

Across all levels of government, you will find campaigns. Three cheers for democracy! Campaigns are very different from other government careers: they are short, fast, far from bureaucratic, and far from stable. Nonetheless, there is an important flow of talent between campaigns and all other levels of government. You will see throughout these guides that working on campaigns is sometimes the main way to get into some full-time government roles. See our guide on political campaigns here.

  • Pros: Opportunity to learn quickly, to advocate for candidates or causes you care about, and to build a broad network.

  • Cons: Roles are often intense and low-paying, with a clear end date for the role that might lead to temporary employment lapses

Political vs apolitical government careers

As you read this guide, you will notice mentions of “political” roles. In this context, a “political” role is one where you serve at the pleasure of an elected official, candidate, or political party. For example, all staffers in congressional offices are hired and fired at the discretion of that member. If that official loses their next election, the winner would most likely not retain those staff. You can also lose a political job if the official who hired you loses confidence in you or you make a scandal-inducing mistake.“Apolitical” roles, on the other hand, are civil service jobs in which you are hired into a permanent position and protected against firing and negative personnel actions by law and public sector unions. In apolitical jobs, you are often an expert on an issue or function who follows the policy guidance of ever-changing political leaders, providing continuity and know-how. While senior leadership might be political appointees (aka the Secretary of Transportation), most workers in the budget office at the Department of Transportation will be the same regardless of which political party is in power.

You can never truly escape “politics” while working in government (democracy! yay!), but you can control how political your career trajectory will be. If you love the political game, working in the legislative branch of government or on campaigns will allow you to entrench yourself in a political party, navigate the world of elections, and network with people who can support your political aims down the road. If politics feels messy to you, you can veer more towards work in agencies or focus on executing the critical daily work of the government. You can even do both! Many junior staff on winning presidential campaigns wind up in entry-level administration jobs.

Working in federal government

If you are passionate about global development or the policies of the United States, working for the federal government is a great opportunity. There is a wealth of entry-level roles available in the executive and legislative branches of government. Because this world has a lot of turnover, starting in a role in the federal government gives you a chance to either stick around and move up quickly or transition into other layers of government or other sectors. Of course, as you see on the news every day, the scale of the federal government also makes changing its course challenging. But if you are up for the challenge, working in the federal government is a great way to go.

The Legislative Branch - Working on Capitol Hill

US Legislature (read time: 14 min)

OVERVIEW

The legislative branch controls billions of dollars in funding, makes laws that affect all US citizens, and helps to set the agenda on almost every major political issue. In other words, it’s a great place to make change. Members of congress are the most visible representations of the work that happens on Capitol Hill. However, behind the scenes, hundreds of staffers help these members establish policy positions, create and advance legislation, and manage the day-to-day responsibilities of serving constituents. Who do you think actually writes the 600 page bills while elected officials spend all of their time in meetings? Many of these staffers are recent college graduates who have worked their way up through the ranks. That might just be you!

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST

Most jobs on Capitol Hill will be either working for a member of congress or for a congressional committee. Member’s offices are highly structured and rather uniform from member to member. In each, the most common entry-level job is a Staff Assistant. They are responsible for running the member’s front office, managing interns, and doing other administrative work. The next rung on the ladder is the Legislative Correspondent (LC), who manages communications with constituents. The Staff Assistant helps the LC with some constituent correspondence, which is a way to prove your writing/research skills and move quickly up the ladder. Above the LC are a number of Legislative Assistants (LA), who lead policy portfolios for the members. As an LA, you can really begin to shape the legislation being done in congress on issues like housing, education, and the environment. The Second Day Capitol Hill guide breaks down each of these roles and other places to get started on Capitol Hill in more depth.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

Much like the structure of an office on Capitol Hill, getting your foot in the door is relatively uniform. It comes down to doing a congressional internship, networking, and leveraging location. An internship will help you understand the workings of Capitol Hill and are now rightfully paid. If possible, apply to your hometown representative's office or somewhere else you have a connection to, as constituents are prioritized in the application process. If you do your internship earlier on in your career, make sure to stay in touch. Get your supervisor’s personal email, and check in occasionally until you’re officially in the job search. The people you meet during your internship can also help you increase your network. If working an internship isn't in the cards, there are other ways to network your way in, but we don't recommend only applying cold. 'Coffee chats' are very typical on Capitol Hill, so don’t be afraid to play the game.

Working at the White House

OVERVIEW

While four million people are employed by the agencies that make up the Executive Branch, only 1,800 actually work in the Executive Office of the President. To get an idea of what offices fall into this category, take a look at the offices within the Biden, Trump, and Obama administrations. In general, these offices focus on advising the President or helping to coordinate the President’s agenda with the other stakeholders in government. If you get your foot in the door at the White House, you’ll build excellent connections for any future political jobs, and work in an exciting, fast paced environment.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Given their proximity to the highest officials in the nation, jobs within the White House are highly coveted. Unfortunately, this also means that anything close to entry-level will include a lot of administrative work. For example, you could start out as a Staff Assistant or Scheduler, and then have the opportunity to work your way into a more policy-heavy job. These jobs are not going to be your typical 9-5, but they’re also time limited (by the administration), so it’s typical not to spend more than a couple years in a White House job.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

In a similar vein to political appointed jobs, working on a campaign is the best way to get a job in the White House. In particular, getting in early on a primary campaign will give you the connections necessary to get your resume flagged. Most campaigns also have volunteer policy teams for key issue areas which can similarly be a path to a White House job. To find these jobs, you’ll need policy experience and the right connections, but it’s not impossible. Serving as a White House intern is another pathway into an executive office job. The White House has a large internship program with about 150 interns a semester (spring, summer, fall). To learn more about the program, check out this page for updates, and this overview of the internship from the Obama administration

Working for federal departments and agencies

OVERVIEW

The network of federal departments and agencies and their staff help distribute large amounts of federal funding, provide guidance and oversight for policy implementation, and represent the government in international affairs. The sheer size of government agencies corresponds to both a huge potential for impact but is also responsible for a sometimes frustrating degree of structure and bureaucracy. The same goes for the application process. Once you do make it in, however, you can benefit from stable benefits, a structured promotion process, and room to move between agencies.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Within federal agencies, there are thousands of politically appointed jobs and millions of apolitical jobs. The political appointees' jobs change every four years, and are chosen by the new administration. In contrast, career service jobs are often consistent from administration to administration. These jobs are designated using a GS scale that describes the position’s level seniority and pay (3-4 corresponding to internships/undergrad, 5-7 corresponding to entry-level, and so on). Job postings on USA Jobs will come with a GS level so you can see which jobs you’re eligible for. If you like the idea of a job in the federal government, but don’t know where to start, Best Places to Work has helpful rankings of federal agencies, or you can browse the USA Jobs page. If you’re interested in one of the political positions, the Plum book is a great way to browse the appointed positions in the administration.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

To get a political appointment in the administration, it’s essential to have worked on a campaign or have a deep network in DC. You’ll have to wait a couple of months after the inauguration because it takes a while for the appointment process to trickle down to more entry-level jobs. Though campaigns are the best way in, working for a member of congress who has connections to the administration can be another way to get a political appointment.

The process of getting a non-political job in the federal government is less about networking, and more about explicitly showing that you have the right qualifications. Most Federal jobs are posted on USA Jobs with very specific qualifications. It is a good idea to create an account and set up alerts because many jobs will only accept applications from a certain number of people before closing. Applying for federal roles also requires building out a federal resume, which is different in several ways from a standard resume. Check out this guide, this example, or this overview of Federal opportunities to learn more. The other way to get your foot in the door is through specific programs or fellowships like the Pathways Program, the US Digital Corps, or the Presidential Management Fellows program.

Working in state government

While the prospect of working for the federal government can be exciting, the closer you get to local government, the more you will understand the concrete applications of policy. Some people love working in very local government, but for many, state government is the happy medium between sweeping impact and close community.

Working in state legislature

OVERVIEW

Most state legislatures operate similarly to the US Congress. They have a House and a Senate and perform the same types of lawmaking, budgeting, and oversight functions. The number of legislators in a chamber ranges from ~20 to a few hundred, with each legislator representing a geographic area and sitting on several committees with a distinct policy or administrative focus (e.g., healthcare, ways and means, transportation, etc.).

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

The most common role in a state legislature is a Staff Assistant. Because the offices are small, this role includes everything from answering the phone to conducting research. Constituent outreach is often a critical role--making sure that individuals in your jurisdiction are able to get their housing/street needs addressed as well as access to the right healthcare/Medicaid/elder services at the state level. You might meet with interest groups or help prepare talking points for your representative. In small offices, you might also be writing press releases, supporting scheduling, or handling social media.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

The easiest way to get your foot in the door is to volunteer as an unpaid intern. You can make a big impression by working 10-15 hours per week. If you do good work and impress your boss, there are very good odds that they’ll look to hire you the next time a position opens up. If a position doesn’t open up or you don’t click with the Legislator, they’ll still often send your resume around to other legislators or committees that might need someone. Except in the larger states or with better financed programs, this isn’t usually a formal program. Instead, you should email the legislator or the chief of staff to ask for a meeting to learn more about their work and pitch an internship or volunteer experience. If doing an internship isn’t possible, you can try to network your way into a role as well by meeting with as many current staff members as possible and asking them what jobs they’ve heard might open up soon.

Working for the governor

OVERVIEW

The governor’s office is a relatively small team that focuses on a wide range of issues. Since departments and agencies are responsible for the day to day operations of the state, the governor’s office is more fluid in its focus. Depending on the time of year or what is happening politically, the governor’s office might focus on a range of different topics. But in general, working in this office is geared towards supporting the policy priorities of your specific governor. If you love being in the center of the action and are ok being in a political role, working for the governor’s office could be a great place to start your career.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Each administration structures their team differently, and governors will often have a wide range of advisors who reflect their key priorities. In general though, there are five main teams that may hire entry-level roles and are fairly consistent across states: the legislative liaisons' office, intergovernmental affairs, office of constituent relations, policy office, outreach office. Within these teams, common entry-level roles include titles such as analyst, assistant, or associate. For more details on these roles, see Second Day’s state government guide.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

Because the governor’s team is so small and sought after, you generally need to have worked on the governor’s campaign team or be well-connected in some other way to get a job in the governor’s office (your friend that magically got that awesome job might just have rich parents/donors). Sometimes, if the team is looking to hire a specific skill set, they may post a job publicly, but generally roles are navigated by word of mouth. Within the governor’s team, the policy office roles are hardest to get at an entry-level, but many of the other roles hire for analysts or assistants from the ranks of campaign staffers. If your heart is set on policy, it may make sense to work in research first before joining a campaign or being ok with working in a different office for a couple of years before pivoting into more of your policy interests opportunistically.

Working for a state agency

OVERVIEW

Similarly to federal agencies, state agencies are broken up into various departments such as education, environment, housing, health and human services, etc. Especially if you are interested in a specific issue area, working at an agency is an excellent way to gain expertise in the real life applications of that issue.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Different states and departments have different roles, but there are some common role titles across state Agencies that often hire entry-level folks

  • Financial/Fiscal Analysts utilize financial and outcomes data to evaluate and improve programs.

  • Project/Program Managers make government programs happen. Whether that is improving existing programs or launching a new initiative, this role works with stakeholders across government and the community to implement programs effectively.

  • Data Analysts use data to understand outcomes, inform Legislation, amend current or proposed policy, design new algorithms, and much more.

  • Grants Administrators assist in the financial management of federal and state grant programs. This work on the state level can either be focused on securing and utilizing money or disbursing money to state and Local sources.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

In many agencies and departments, a few key leadership roles are politically driven, typically for people that helped support the governor’s election. While the Director or Deputy Director roles are senior level positions, they will often have a few Special Assistant or Chief of Staff roles that are closer to entry-level. But beyond these select few roles, the hiring process is largely apolitical. Unlike the black box of federal job applications, there is often the potential to do some networking and informational interviews before applying for a job within the state government. If you reach out to a director or a leader at another department to share that you are excited about their work, they are often willing to chat with you. If you show them that you understand their work and would be really valuable to the team, they can often flag your resume to the HR team to get an interview. This isn’t always the case, so tread lightly and don’t ask for them to flag your resume explicitly. Instead, ask them about the department and see if they have any advice on applying to the role that you are interested in.

Working in big city government

Big cities often have a strong mayor and/or city council, with a large municipal bureaucracy (a.k.a. lots of opportunities to get involved). Because of the sheer size of these cities (Philadelphia budget of $4.5B, Cleveland budget of $1.8B, Los Angeles budget $11.2B), there are always opportunities to work. Closer to “the work” than state government but generally more powerful than smaller towns, big city government can be a happy medium between the two.

Working in the city council

OVERVIEW

The largest five cities in the country (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia) all have a Mayor-Council form of government. This structure, most popular in older and larger cities, means that the mayor is elected separately from the council for a full-time, paid position. Nonetheless, some large cities like Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin employ a Council-Manager model of government. In these cities, the council oversees the general administration, makes policy, and sets the budget. The council appoints a city manager to oversee day-to-day administration, and the mayor is chosen from among the council on a rotating basis. This is the most popular form of city government, and is particularly common in cities with populations over 10,000.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

The primary roles available in big city councils are Staff Assistants, Legislative Assistants, and Project Managers. Similar to state legislatures, the role of Staff or Legislative Assistant can include everything from answering the phone to conducting research. Constituent outreach and press relations can be a critical part of this role, particularly as you gain experience. Larger city councils may also have the capacity to hire support staff that serve the entire council, not just one councilperson. For example, big city councils may have divisions or departments within them, and they will often hire Project Managers to help with the organization, implementation, and coordination of these departments. These Project Managers also wear many hats and can range from representing the city council at community meetings to creating graphic or written materials on a specific topic.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

The easiest way to get a job in a city council is to take an internship with an elected official that you want to work with. If they have a formal internship program, you should apply! If they don’t, we recommend reaching out to someone on their team to learn more about potential opportunities for you to be helpful. Doing this type of internship is the easiest way to get to know the local political landscape, make a great impression, and land a full-time role after graduation. Working in a city council will expose you to political roles in municipal government, allowing you to make connections with mentors who could support you in launching a political career.

Working for the mayor

OVERVIEW

As described above, the institutional power of a mayor (and the corresponding size of their team) depends on whether a city has a Mayor-Council or Council-Manager form of government. If Mayor-Council, the mayor’s office likely wields significant power, and they will have large teams to support them. The mayor’s office is often broken down into various departments, including an office of constituent relations, a policy office, an outreach office, intergovernmental affairs, etc. Working for “city hall” generally means working for the mayor, but the mayor can have broader “offices” that serve functions closer to city agencies. For example, a “Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity” might report to a mayor一but it functionally is much more like an agency. Working in City Hall, on the other hand, often involves responding directly to the needs of the mayor.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

These are fast-paced, hectic jobs where you will learn a lot. Working for the mayor means balancing the variety of events and emergencies of a big city. Work in city hall is heavily influenced by the press一if an antagonistic article comes out at 4am, the team will launch a response by 6am, if not sooner. While the intensity of the job varies based on the city, the mayor, and the position, working for a big city mayor has high turnover because of how fast-paced it can be. It can be a fantastic learning opportunity, but it can also be incredibly draining. Common roles in the mayor’s office include Special Assistant or Staff Assistant, and they usually involve (you guessed it) wearing many hats. While there may be topic-specific roles available (Staff Assistant on Land Use), it is more common that you would be a general Staff Assistant一hopping in to support with research, communications, and content production whenever necessary.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

Big city mayor’s offices are extremely competitive. While working on the mayor’s campaign team will give you a boost, most jobs in a big city mayor’s office rely on you being in the right place at the right time. Nonetheless, these are some factors to get yourself in that “right place.” Most importantly一networking. The mayor’s office is a political place, and it can be incredibly complex to understand who does what and who even can hire anyone. Networking with people in city government, particularly in the mayor's office, will help you identify what types of roles are available in your city, and when those roles are open. Finally, mayors often have term limits, so take this into account when exploring opportunities in the mayor's office. There will be many job openings at the start of a mayor's term, and about two years into that term you will see additional turnover from junior staff who have left for new opportunities.

Working for a local agency

OVERVIEW

Big city governments are broken up into many departments such as education, environment, housing, economic development, health and human services, etc (see the NYC list of agencies for context into how large the bureaucracy is). Agencies are largely apolitical, so they can be a much more stable place to start your career in big city government. Agencies have much larger teams than the executive or legislative branches of big city government, so it is more likely that you will be able to find an entry-level job at an agency. If you are interested in a specific issue area, working at an agency is an excellent way to gain expertise in the real life applications of that issue.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

The types of jobs vary significantly by which agency you are interested in, but common roles include: Project Manager/Coordinator, Financial Analyst, or Research Assistants. Project Managers or Coordinators are common when an agency administers grants or other types of “projects.” Think of the headlines like “LA disperses $10,000 to small businesses!” Behind each of those headlines is a Project Manager. These positions are generally reserved for entry-level talent but have significant levels of responsibility, making them excellent jumping-off points for a career in city government. Project managers could be managing millions of dollars in grants one day, speaking at conferences the next, and interfacing directly with stakeholders in between. Financial Analysts, on the other hand, are much more focused on in-house financial management. This could involve making tax models, structuring budgets for grant recipients, or assessing the financial viability of the agency itself. Research Assistant roles vary based on the theme of the agency, but they generally involve conducting data analysis to guide policy and program development.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

The easiest way to get a job in a big city government is to take an internship with an agency that you want to work with. Some big city agencies will have a formal internship, often in partnership with local colleges and universities. Doing this type of internship is the easiest way to get to know the local political landscape and land a full-time role after graduation. Otherwise, it is common for big city entry-level roles to demand 2+ years of experience, though there always are exceptions. There are also some fellowships that give participants access to a variety of roles in city government, including the NYC Urban Fellows and the Coro Fellowship.

Working in small towns (local government)

Local government (read time: 20 min)

Local governments employ more people than state and federal governments combined, but the vast majority of these positions are front-line workers like teachers, firefighters, police officers, or healthcare workers. These areas will often be governed by a more administrative mayor or even a town manager (someone hired, rather than elected). If there are city councilors, they will rarely have full-time staff and oftentimes work other full-time jobs. Some of the most promising opportunities in these areas can be with county-level or region-level initiatives or boards, where there are enough resources to bring someone on full-time. In county and town government, it is expected that you know folks. Because of the complexity of how government works, talking to people is essential to understanding how government is structured and run in your community. Volunteering, interning, or working in the local community is a great way to better understand the landscape and get your foot in the door for future full-time government roles. The local government guide walks you through potential roles and opportunities if you are interested in this path.

Working in municipal legislature

OVERVIEW

The structure of municipal legislatures vary widely based on the location. Some towns have stronger councils with appointed administrators, some may have no legislature whatsoever. As a general rule of thumb, the more elected officials in a legislative body, the fewer staff each of them will hire. For instance, a decent-sized city with 6 council members will likely have a staff person for each member, whereas the same sized city with 40 aldermen might not have any staff at all.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST

In local government, budgets are very tight. There just aren’t that many full-time positions beyond direct service roles or some program manager positions. Most city councilors work full-time in another job and local boards are staffed by volunteers. If none of the full-time roles available in your community make sense for you, you can still have a really strong impact on the Local community by working a non-governmental job that helps you stay engaged with what is happening. See our local government guide for more information.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

While national and state-wide campaigns have hundreds of staff members, many local campaigns have small teams. A city council might have only a few full-time staff. This means that they will notice and appreciate it if you sign up to help them make phone calls, knock on doors, or help out their campaign in any way. This experience will provide great exposure to the candidate and a lot of other engaged citizens and staff in the city. Those people can serve as a great network to help you find a full-time role in government once you graduate!

Working for the mayor or town manager

OVERVIEW

These areas will often be governed by a more administrative mayor or even a town manager (someone hired, rather than elected). As a result, these teams tend to be extremely small, and opportunities for entry-level staff vary significantly.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Similar to the municipal legislature, entry-level roles in small town mayoral offices vary significantly. Topic analyst roles (such as “Policy Analyst” or “Assistant to X”), involve working in the city manager's office and helping with operations or writing policy. Executive branches almost always have some form of public affairs arm, so communications roles are fairly common. Communications could entail content production like newsletters and social media or constituent and press engagement.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

The easiest way to get a job in the executive branch of local government jobs is to take an internship. However, there is rarely a formal internship program. That means that if you send an email to the staff of the mayor or town manager asking to get more involved, they are often delighted to have you. If you can come into the office 2 days per week (8-12 hours per week), that is enough time to make an impact. Doing this type of internship is the easiest way to get to know the local political landscape and land a full-time role after graduation. Be warned, though, that while it is possible to pitch paid work, most local government roles do not pay their interns.

Working for a local agency

OVERVIEW

Similar to big city governments, smaller municipalities are broken into various departments or agencies that cover topics like health, education, public safety, etc. The specific makeup of those agencies varies widely, so it is critical that you do your diligence to understand how your area is structured. These agencies can range significantly in size: a Department of Education tends to be a larger entity, while a Department for Economic Opportunity might not exist at all in some geographies.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Entry-level roles in local agencies are typically general support and administrative roles. Project Coordinator is one of the more common titles, where those individuals assist the agency on a variety of projects. The type of role and it’s topic-area focus will depend heavily on the unique agency, so be sure to network with individuals at those agencies before accepting a role. There is generally very little information available online or even on Glassdoor about these small agencies, so reaching out to past or present employees is a key step to assess the caliber of the work environment.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

Similar to the legislative and executive branches of towns and municipalities, volunteering and internships with local city agencies can be an excellent way to get your foot in the door. An additional option is to consider direct service work. This could mean being a firefighter, community health worker, or childcare worker. Your on-the-ground experience supporting your community via publicly-funded programs can build your credibility as someone invested in their community and experience on the front lines of government work. Lead for America is a fellowship program that can help you identify and secure substantive opportunities in local city agencies.

Working on a campaign

Political Campaign (read time: 19 min)

OVERVIEW

Working on a campaign is an excellent way to 1) affect change by influencing who is elected to represent a given community and 2) get your foot in the door in government. The people who have proven themselves by working hard on a campaign and built the right connections will be the first to be called when it’s time to staff a new administration at each level of government. Many of the White House staff today were those who got in early on the Biden Campaign, or were campaign staff during the general election. The same goes for staff within a gubernatorial cabinet. In terms of the size of the campaign, a smaller campaign will give you better access to the candidate, more flexibility, and better location-based connections. A larger campaign will provide a larger network, better pay/benefits (usually), and more robust training. To learn more about pros/cons of different campaigns, check out the Second Day guide here.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS EXIST?

Starting out on a campaign, the most common entry-level job is the Field Organizer. You can do this job without a ton of previous experience, and it’s a great introduction to working on the campaign. Your day to day job revolves around the management and recruitment of volunteers to contact voters through phone banking and door-knocking. The hours are long and irregular, and it’s a sprint until election day, but you’ll also build great relationships, have fun, and learn all about the inner-workings of a campaign. Depending on the size of the campaign, other departments beyond field/organizing include digital work, data, political, finance/fundraising, and research. Learn more here.

HOW TO GET THE JOB

In order to be a field organizer, you need to manage volunteers, and there is no better way to learn to do that than to be a volunteer yourself. If you’re a consistent volunteer, you will have the opportunity to serve as a volunteer leader where you’ll be given more responsibility like leading training and helping other volunteers. You can also look for paid internships with state parties or unpaid opportunities for a more structured experience before your first job. In addition, anchor your search in a place that means something to you. Check out more tips in our campaign guide.

How to get a job in government

This is a lot! We know. Below, review some questions to help guide your next steps, and general tips that apply regardless of which layer of government you choose to pursue.

Questions to get you started

  1. Do you love or hate politics? Your answer to this question can set you off in polar opposite directions! If you love the strategy, competition, and energy of politics, then direct yourself towards working in the legislative branch of government or on a campaign. If you prefer to avoid the messiness of politics, your best bet is to work in an agency.

  2. Do you care about a specific cause? Are you passionate about immigration reform? The environment? Housing? You can build a career in government that is explicitly focused on these topics. To do so, identify which agency in your area is addressing this topic, or identify which legislators are specifically vocal about the issue. You’ll likely spend your career jumping in and out of government roles, but establishing relationships on a campaign or as a Staff Assistant early in your career can go a long way to substantive roles on causes you care about down the line.

  3. Do you care about a specific geography? You might be passionate about serving your home community. That could be as specific as your neighborhood or as broad as your state. Alternatively, you might have always wanted to move to a rural community, a big city, the rust belt, or some other specification. If you have a specific location you are committed to, that will help quickly hone your search. If you are open to exploring and learning from a diversity of geographies, it is imperative that you enter a new community with humility. Working for any community outside of the one where you grew up or have lived in can be challenging to gain the rapport and context to create smart policies. If you’re moving, put in the effort to get to know your new community outside of work by volunteering or actively seeking community events. Working on a campaign is a great way to embed yourself in multiple different geographies and learn about the communities and cultures that shape how the federal government is implemented.

  4. Do you find bureaucracy fun or painful? This is not a trick question! While bureaucracy often gets a bad rap, it represents structure, systems, and accountability. It can also involve a level of strategic maneuvering that some find thrilling. If you like clear organization and expectations, working in a more bureaucratic part of government could be a great start. As an extra bonus, there are simply more jobs available in the more bureaucratic sides of government (most notably the federal government and agencies across levels of government). If you find bureaucracy painful, veer more towards campaigns or smaller teams in municipal or local government.

  5. Do you want to “do” things right away or learn some more in order to “do” things on a larger scale? Simply put, it takes a long time before your individual ideas or projects get implemented in federal government, but you can have direct influence in local government. If you want to directly impact a community early in your career, look towards the smaller layers of government (small towns, big cities, and maybe states). If you want to embed yourself in government to learn how it’s done and positioning yourself to make a large impact down the road, then focusing on a career at the federal level makes perfect sense. There is no magic formula. Instead, you need to decide whether it is more important to have more influence on a smaller scale or less influence on a larger scale.

  6. Do you want things to be fast? Similar to the questions above, think through how patient you are willing to be with the process of government. Some projects can take years to implement, and it is quite possible you may never see one project through from start to finish at the federal, state, and sometimes local levels of government. Some initiatives, particularly in more autonomous regions like small towns or big cities with large budgets, can be rolled out in a year or less. If you are eager to see your work implemented quickly, lean towards campaigns or city governments. If you are ok with waiting for the overall impact, with that impact often being much broader, then consider work at the state or federal level.

General tips

No matter which government branch you want to start down, there are a few general tips to keep in mind:

  • Get engaged in the community you want to serve. This can be as simple as subscribing to the Patch or other local news sources, volunteering during election season, working at a food bank, or attending community board meetings. The more in tune with the needs and priorities of people in your community you can be, the better candidate you will be for future job opportunities.

  • There are a variety of roles you can pursue as you begin your career in local government, and a range of avenues to get there. While Engaging Local Government Leaders and PublicServiceCareers.org have stepped up to aggregate job listings from around the country, most jobs are posted on discrete department webpages (which can be frustratingly challenging to navigate). If you want to work in policy long term, it’s good to keep an open mind to lower-level admin roles and be willing to work your way up! The line between constituency and administrative work can often be blurred, and there’s far less specialization within roles at the beginning.

  • For most entry-level positions (in any industry), there will often be a fair amount of grunt work, so it’s important not to get discouraged by the tactical needs of these positions. Remember, the government is often slow for a reason. Using taxpayer funds in a democracy means that you need to be very careful about how funds are spent. This slowness can sometimes be infuriating, but it can also provide serious opportunities if you can figure out how to work within these systems and get money to the causes that are critical for an equitable society. As opposed to state and federal politics, many local governments are less driven by partisan politics. Different teams or departments also have quite different cultures or requirements, so it is important to ask questions during the interview process to understand how things work.

Last updated: September 2023

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