Andrew, policy and political researcher - public affairs consultancyAfter studying politics at A-level and as a degree, I decided I wanted a career that enabled me to continue this interest, but also one that could be financially rewarding. I have no strong political allegiance and therefore had no desire to work in a party political role. I felt that a public affairs career, firstly within the civil service and then in the private sector, would best match the skills I gained through my degree. I was also keen to work on issues that matter to everybody. This led me to my current consultancy role, lobbying for sustainable and renewable energy companies that offer ways of tackling climate change. A politics degree teaches you the core communication skills that are essential for a wide range of careers. In particular, the ability to write persuasively and to communicate orally with confidence has helped me with my career. My degree also provided me with a good background on a wide range of political systems and issues, which is useful in public affairs. I worked part time for a local MP (one afternoon per week) during my first year at university. This was unpaid work and sometimes it felt like a chore rather than an experience. However, it has proved very useful: my first employer commented that it was the deciding factor in choosing me over another candidate. I was also sports representative for the Politics Society. This role was enjoyable, built my confidence and was useful to talk about at interview. I enjoy the intellectual challenge of my job. I am required to analyse political developments on behalf of clients, prepare communication plans and other activities. I like helping to find political solutions for real world problems that matter to our clients and their customers. Also, the occasional opportunity to meet and greet politicians and other successful people is a great way to learn about and develop your own ambition Despite the image popularised by television shows such as Party Animals, public affairs work can often be unglamorous and generally involves far more report writing, letter writing, occasional envelope stuffing, etc than socialising with members of the political elite! Try and get relevant work experience if you would like a career in politics/public affairs. If you are thinking of looking elsewhere then remember that a politics degree provides you with lots of great skills that employers want. Work on developing your writing and analytical skills as much as your knowledge of the subject matter. Niamh, media planner/buyerI graduated with a 2:1 in politics and hadn’t really thought about what career path I was going to choose. I had always had an interest in media but had no idea what it entailed, so set about applying for random media jobs online. After a number of unsuccessful interviews due to lack of practical experience, I decided to undertake some work experience at a media agency in London. This gave me an insight into the world of media and the variety of routes I could pursue within the media industry itself. It also made me realise what my strengths and weaknesses were, which meant I could be more focused in my job search. On a day-to-day basis I work on a number of clients’ projects and the workload can vary. I work in offline media which includes press, magazines, radio and outdoor. My job involves buying media space on behalf of our clients and negotiating the best rates and most appropriate media positions with media sales companies. Depending on the client, we will advise which media is best suited to a given target audience and work within a specified budget. I wouldn’t say that a degree in politics is essential in my job. However, the skills acquired by doing a politics degree have definitely been of great benefit. I have to present ideas to clients on a regular basis, and this can be daunting at times. However, having to do this on a regular basis at university built my confidence and gave me a good grounding in how to present to an audience. Research is another key part of my job as clients are constantly asking for new ideas that will get their product or brand noticed above the competition. During my time at university I gained valuable experience in public speaking, when running for election. Being on the staff/student liaison committee also helped build my confidence when ensuring the opinions of my fellow students were heard. Confidence is a key requirement in my job as it involves spending a lot of time on the phone and going to meetings with clients. My job involves a lot of socialising and I regularly go to lunches and events with people that I may not have met before. Being shy is not really an option in this industry. I would advise someone studying politics to get involved in activities outside their degree. Having a degree is one thing, but it is the other things that you do with your time at university that can impress potential employers. Join a society or, if there is nothing that interests you, start a new one. Getting work experience is also really helpful, especially where the industry is competitive.
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