GOVERNMENT & POLICY
Have questions about working or interning in government or policy? Schedule an appointment in Handshake with Kelli Robinson, the Matthews Center Career Advisor who serves as the office's primary point of contact for these areas.
Why is government work appealing?
•The government is always hiring •Variety of job options (policy, science, technology,
•Job security communications, business, data analytics, research, etc.)
•Competitive compensation •Generous benefits (medical, retirement, vacation/sick)
•Working in public service •Opportunities across the country and around the world
Self-assessment is essential. What topics are of interest to you? What skills do you want to utilize? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you decide what may be a good fit for you.
Networking is essential. While important for every job seeker, networking and career conversations are critical for those wanting to work in government or policy. Many roles are found through conversations with others rather than on-campus recruiting or job postings.
Experience is essential. Internships or campus/community involvement help you gain exposure to different tasks/duties, develop different skills and meet others who share similar interests. The experience you gain and the people you meet will be pivotal in your professional development.
Policy vs. Law (a question often asked is “what’s the difference?”)
Job & Internship Resources
Federal Government
Executive Branch
YouTube video explaining what AmeriCorps is and does can be found here.
Programs within AmeriCorps for people ages 17/18+:
AmeriCorps NCCC: Complete a series of short-term, hands-on projects (or administrative projects if serving in FEMA Corps) while traveling the country
AmeriCorps State & National: Projects available in many fields & service settings; customize your experience
AmeriCorps VISTA: Increase the capacity of a nonprofit organization that addresses poverty; serve in an office setting
US State Department Contact Page: Positions associated with the state department are posted on USAJobs, and often the application period is for one week. Sign up to receive email notifications as positions post.
US Office of Personnel Management - Link to internship program for various government agencies.
Additional Executive Branch Resources
IntelligenceCareers.gov: Comprehensive site regarding working in the US intelligence community.
Partnership for Public Service
Comprehensive site offering guidelines and step-by-step instructions to apply for jobs and internships with the federal government.
The organization also offers its own internships and opportunities.
USAJobs: Prime site where federal government agencies, departments and organizations post jobs and internships.
USAJobs Students & Recent Graduates: (Pathways Internships) Various programs for entry level jobs & internships - current students and recent graduates. Not all internships, but a good place to start.
Visit the following page that walks through how to build your USAJobs profile, create a federal resume and understand and apply to federal jobs.
USAJobs YouTube Playlist: Videos that walk through using the USAJobs site.
Legislative Branch
Additional Legislative Branch Resources
TraverseJobs: Organized by a team with more than 30 years combined experience working in Washington DC. Policy, politics and PR positions (full-time & internship).
Free for Davidson students: Username - MatthewsCenter Password - Wildcats1!
Alums: Subscription fee $6 per month
TomManatosJobs: Started by a former congressional staffer. Great resource for entry level jobs and internships. Insightful videos and articles. Subscription fee $5 per month.
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court: Information about the US Supreme Court Internship Program for undergraduate students
Government Relations, Policy, Political Consulting, Campaigning
Harvard Kennedy School List of Think Tanks: Comprehensive directory of think tanks around the country and world. If you like research and public policy, think tanks are good targets for your job or internship search.
Policorner: Nonpartisan organization that has a database of jobs and internships related to politics, government and campaigning.
Political Consulting Firms: List of public affairs, public relations firms that work on behalf of candidates, campaigns, etc.
TraverseJobs: Organized by a team with more than 30 years combined experience working in Washington DC. Policy, politics and PR positions (full-time & internship).
Free for Davidson students: Username - MatthewsCenter Password - Wildcats1!
Alums: Subscription fee $6 per month
TomManatosJobs: Started by a former congressional staffer. Great resource for entry level jobs and internships. Insightful videos and articles. Subscription fee $5 per month.
US Department of State List of Foreign Policy Think Tanks: An archived alphabetical list of think tanks & research institutions focused on foreign policy, organized by the US State Department.
Washington DC Internship Programs
Davidson in Washington Program. Spend the summer in Washington DC with other Davidson students, completing a policy-focused seminar taught by Davidson faculty and an internship. All current first year students, sophomores and juniors are invited to apply.
The following companies within Washington DC organize structured internship programs for fall, spring and summer semesters. The programs often consist of an internship, academic seminar and networking events. Housing may be included. Some require a fee to participate, but scholarships may be available.
The Fund for American Studies (TFAS): https://www.dcinternships.org/
POC Capitol Interns: https://poccinterns.com/
Mobilize (voter and topic advocacy nationwide, volunteer opportunities): https://www.mobilize.us/
The Washington Center: A Washington DC-based program that provides internships and a seminar experience, but their site lists internships to which any student can apply.
International
Daybook: Job board for political, policy, government affairs and nonprofit jobs.
Devex.com: Comprehensive site dedicated to news, events and jobs in international development.
Subscribe to the Devex job alert newsletter on LinkedIn.
GoinGlobal: Jobs, internships and overseas employer directory.
Idealist.org: Nonprofit jobs and internships abroad.
International Non-profit Job Boards & Resources: Organized by the Dean Rusk Center for International Studies. Great resource for finding positions as well as organizations of interest.
National Institute for Research Advancement World Directory of Think Tanks: A searchable directory of think tanks across the world searchable by research topic, country and city. Most organizations will list internships and jobs directly on their website.
Public & International Service Advisor Network (PISA) Resource Directory: Sort for tools, downloads, experiences, and links related to graduate school, careers in public and international service, and opportunities for professional development.
State & Local Government
North Carolina
Ed2NC is a great program that connects students attending North Carolina colleges and universities with North Carolina state agencies and departments. Resources include:
Ed2NC State Agency Resources: A video and list outlining all of the State of North Carolina departments and agencies.
Ed2NC Micro Internships: Paid, short-term projects with State of North Carolina departments and agencies.
Lead for North Carolina Fellowship: One-year paid fellowship positions for graduating undergraduate students. Fellows work in local/city governments throughout North Carolina.
We Are Democracy – North Carolina: Volunteer and internship positions regarding campaign election and voting initiatives.
General Resources (Other States)
Careers in Government: Government and public service positions in cities and states across the country.
Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGA): Job boards section posts full-time and internship positions across the country.
GovtJobs: Find jobs for state and local government (city, county and state agencies)
International City-County Management Association (ICMA) Fellowship program (for graduates of master’s level programs)
National Conference of State Legislatures careers & internship programs
State & Local Government: Listing of state government agencies for all 50 states.
The Betty and B. Frank Matthews II ’49 Center for Career Development welcomes requests for reasonable accommodations related to disability and strives to make this resource accessible to participants. Please contact careers@davidson.edu if you require further accommodations.