Welcome to the Government, Law, and Public Policy Community!
The following sampling of tools and resources should be combined with your own research. We suggest you use targeted keyword searches to find representative employers and opportunities, explore professional associations, join LinkedIn groups, and browse additional job board postings. Remember to also search LinkedIN and MyPenn (formerly QuakerNet) to connect with Penn alumni in fields related to your interests. Additionally, the sample jobs and employers are only a small selection of what’s posted in Handshake – log in to see much more!
We also suggest using the Career Exploration section of our website for more information or researching by major.
Explore Careers in Government, Law, & Public Policy
There are a lot of career paths to consider when pursuing a role in government, law or public policy and you may also discover a bit of overlap among those fields. Some examples of roles within these industries are policy analyst, paralegal, politician or campaign worker, lobbyist or attorney, to name a few. Many of these roles are fantastic opportunities to gain experience and responsibility very early in your career.
Connect with Employers and Alumni
Through networking you can making connections and build relationships with professionals who can help you to learn what it’s like to work in a particular role, field, or industry. You can use Penn’s alumni database, MyPenn (formerly QuakerNet) as well as LinkedIN to find and connect with alumni who work in industries that are interesting to you.Read more about how to make connections.
Finding Opportunities
Opportunities in government, law and public policy can be found in a variety of places, from larger job boards, to industry-specific niche job boards, to the career page of company websites. When you’re on a larger job board like Handshake, make sure you’re using filters and keywords to hone in on opportunities that are relevant to the types of roles you are seeking. We’ve also curated a list of industry-specific job resources related to government, law and public policy that can help you launch your search.
Find Resources
On this page, we’ve compiled many resources to help you prepare for a career in government, law, or public policy. Of particular interest should be the Tom Manatos Job List and professional organizations such as Idealist.
This summer I worked as an intern at the Portuguese Embassy in Washington DC. This was my first experience working in a government job, especially tied to my home country. I had thought of …
This past summer, I had the opportunity to continue working in the lab of Dr. Meenhard Herlyn at the Wistar Institute, extending my part-time work to a full-time position during the summer months. During …
This past summer, I worked at the Federal Trade Commission’s Division of Financial Practices (DFP) in the Bureau of Consumer Protection. DFP focuses on protecting consumers from manipulative financial practices. This internship …
Before you land a job, you might spend hours learning a particular set of skills to thrive in that industry and role. Once you start your first day, however, your learning should be far from over. Upskilling is when you …
AmeriCorpsView All Jobs
Florida Department of Children and FamiliesView All Jobs
Franklin County PAView All Jobs
Lucas County Children ServicesView All Jobs
Maine Department of Health and Human ServicesView All Jobs
Everytown for Gun SafetyView All Jobs
The White House Office of National Drug Control PolicyView All Jobs
Close Up FoundationView All Jobs
