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How can I find internships related to public policy and also prepare myself for the public service career?
Hi everyone,
I am currently a undergraduate freshman at Baruch College. I am interested mostly in public policy, law, and non-profit organizations. I like jobs where employees are interactive, communicate with people, goes to different places and helps others.
I wanted to ask how do I build myself as I continue my college journey to make sure I can secure a career path in Public service? What are the strategies I should follow from now to secure some good internship on this field? In addition to that what type of internship would be a good fit for this type of role and also how do I navigate those, and lastly what employers are looking for, when they interview people in public policy sector?
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Jing’s Answer
Hi Zarin,
Thank you for your questions.
Public service toward roles include but not limited to policy assistant, legislative aide, community outreach coordinator, program associate, program officer, legal assistant, advocacy organizer etc., so if you'd like to find internships, you can target these related.
In terms of how to find these internships, you can try below platforms:
***Idealist.org : https://www.idealist.org/en/internships
***USAJobs Pathways: https://intern.usajobs.gov/
***NYC Government Internships Portal: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/employment/internship-and-fellowships.page
***New York State assembly: https://nyassembly.gov/internship/?sec=about
***New York State Senate Student: https://www.nysenate.gov/student-programs
***Baruch Starr Career Development Center: https://baruch.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/starr
As undergraduate freshman, you have enough time to prepare. First, focus and prioritize related coursework including American government, public policy, sociology and communication, political science or law, economics, law & ethics courses etc.; Second, improve your skills, such as official document writing, data analysis, public speaking and cross-cultural communication; Third, build your experience steadily, join campus public policy clubs, volunteer organizations, take proper internships, which not only can help you to gain community service experience, but also can create networking.
Your interests are great, keep moving and best wishes to you.
Thank you for your questions.
Public service toward roles include but not limited to policy assistant, legislative aide, community outreach coordinator, program associate, program officer, legal assistant, advocacy organizer etc., so if you'd like to find internships, you can target these related.
In terms of how to find these internships, you can try below platforms:
***Idealist.org : https://www.idealist.org/en/internships
***USAJobs Pathways: https://intern.usajobs.gov/
***NYC Government Internships Portal: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dcas/employment/internship-and-fellowships.page
***New York State assembly: https://nyassembly.gov/internship/?sec=about
***New York State Senate Student: https://www.nysenate.gov/student-programs
***Baruch Starr Career Development Center: https://baruch.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/starr
As undergraduate freshman, you have enough time to prepare. First, focus and prioritize related coursework including American government, public policy, sociology and communication, political science or law, economics, law & ethics courses etc.; Second, improve your skills, such as official document writing, data analysis, public speaking and cross-cultural communication; Third, build your experience steadily, join campus public policy clubs, volunteer organizations, take proper internships, which not only can help you to gain community service experience, but also can create networking.
Your interests are great, keep moving and best wishes to you.
Updated
Ashley’s Answer
Hi Zarin, it's wonderful that you're thinking about your career interests so early in college. Internships are a great way to use what you're learning as a freshman. You might want to see if your school works with any NGOs where you could get involved. Also, check if there are any local branches of global NGOs like the YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, or Food for the Poor near you. There are also many online opportunities with groups like UN volunteers.
If you don't find something that excites you, consider starting your own project! You could create a resource to help other students like you find and connect with meaningful causes. This could be a great way to share what you've learned and inspire others.
If you don't find something that excites you, consider starting your own project! You could create a resource to help other students like you find and connect with meaningful causes. This could be a great way to share what you've learned and inspire others.
Updated
Angelina’s Answer
Hi Zarin! I'm glad that you're taking an interest in public policy.
I majored in political science (graduated in 2024) and worked in public service for the Canadian federal government. Though now I have transitioned to a role in the tech industry, I know exactly what it feels like to be a young person trying to break into the field of public policy. Here's how I did it:
I started by utilizing my resources of clubs/student groups on campus. My degree fell under the faculty of social sciences, and the social sciences student's association had a program where they helped connect students with internships in various positions related to their studies. I found out about it through a newsletter email and applied which led to me getting an internship with my local city councillor's office. There I was able to gain experience in policy analysis, communications, and writing. This internship was unpaid, which for a first-time foot-in-the-door position type role is okay. You usually need experience first to get a paid position. I encourage you to get involved with your college’s student associations and participate in events/volunteer positions whenever you can. Clubs are also a great resource too. Most clubs have some type of volunteer leadership positions which you can apply to and then put on your resume as experience.
After I finished this internship with the city councillor's office, I was able to leverage my experience and skills in paid student positions. My degree had the option of a co-op program, which if you're unfamiliar with is essentially a work-study program. This meant that after my 2nd year I would alternate between studying for one semester and then working full-time for 4-months during the other semester. In all I did 3 co-op positions with the federal government. It extended the length of my degree a little bit, but it was incredibly worth it. I highly encourage you to look into similar programs at your college. What makes co-op different than just applying to internships and jobs on your own is that career development is literally built into your program. At my school they even provided us with a co-op job board to help apply for student positions related to our studies. We could also still apply for positions outside of the co-op job board (they also encouraged us to do) but having that option made it easier. Co-op helps you to gain experience in different jobs related to your studies and see what you like and don't like about them. Experience on your resume is what matters when applying for jobs postgrad.
I hope that sharing this advice and my experience helps you. I wish you the best of luck in your studies and career!
I majored in political science (graduated in 2024) and worked in public service for the Canadian federal government. Though now I have transitioned to a role in the tech industry, I know exactly what it feels like to be a young person trying to break into the field of public policy. Here's how I did it:
I started by utilizing my resources of clubs/student groups on campus. My degree fell under the faculty of social sciences, and the social sciences student's association had a program where they helped connect students with internships in various positions related to their studies. I found out about it through a newsletter email and applied which led to me getting an internship with my local city councillor's office. There I was able to gain experience in policy analysis, communications, and writing. This internship was unpaid, which for a first-time foot-in-the-door position type role is okay. You usually need experience first to get a paid position. I encourage you to get involved with your college’s student associations and participate in events/volunteer positions whenever you can. Clubs are also a great resource too. Most clubs have some type of volunteer leadership positions which you can apply to and then put on your resume as experience.
After I finished this internship with the city councillor's office, I was able to leverage my experience and skills in paid student positions. My degree had the option of a co-op program, which if you're unfamiliar with is essentially a work-study program. This meant that after my 2nd year I would alternate between studying for one semester and then working full-time for 4-months during the other semester. In all I did 3 co-op positions with the federal government. It extended the length of my degree a little bit, but it was incredibly worth it. I highly encourage you to look into similar programs at your college. What makes co-op different than just applying to internships and jobs on your own is that career development is literally built into your program. At my school they even provided us with a co-op job board to help apply for student positions related to our studies. We could also still apply for positions outside of the co-op job board (they also encouraged us to do) but having that option made it easier. Co-op helps you to gain experience in different jobs related to your studies and see what you like and don't like about them. Experience on your resume is what matters when applying for jobs postgrad.
I hope that sharing this advice and my experience helps you. I wish you the best of luck in your studies and career!