I know...a general question, but are there any recent graduates who can give real life experience of what to expect, what job prospects looked like for them or anything they think would be useful/important to a prospective student? Thanks for your input in advance!
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I got out back in '03, which was a VERY bad economy... much like this one! You read my answers, so you know that I made the mistake of not interning, which meant that I had to blow two more years of my life barely making any money in order to get into a career. After I graduated, I interned with a town manager's office. Nobody will hire someone with a degree and no experience. In job interviews, government people want to know what your track record is. They want to know how you will handle tough situations. They want someone who's established in government to vouch for you and verify that you are trustworthy and effective. Interning is how you accomplish that. From the internship, I got a few side jobs, and I was the recording secretary for the housing authority. Within 8 months, I was the CEO. That's a long story, but it definitely started my career in earnest. Involvement with local boards and commissions is extremely valuable in this field and lets people know you're seriosu about government and that you can work with and, in fact, BE a decision-maker. Job prospects may be grim right now. States are facing gigantic deficits, and towns rely greatly on state aid. Non-profits, in turn, rely heavily on towns (as well as state and fed subsidies). So there are a lot of hiring freezes in government. Job prospects will be slim, as they are in business. Now is a good time to intern, because some towns may be short on help and need a set of hands who can help carry some of the load for cheap. Economies tend not to stay down for long, and the contacts you make will help you rise up in competing for more serious jobs. But it's not a field where you can get rich quick... or get rich ever, for that matter. You may not expect to break $50k until you're in your late 20s, depending on how close you are to the top of the pile. If you're a top performer, your school may recommend you for a presidential internship (and what better time than now!) but otherwise, look locally and send letters and resumes to representatives to see fi they need a hand. Good luck!
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