Applying for Foreign Policy Jobs

Author: Amanda Lee

Amanda obtained her Bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is interested in U.S.-China relations, U.S. foreign policy, and international law. She has previous experience at a Chinese legal firm in Beijing and the American Chamber of Commerce in China. This fall, Amanda will be working remotely as a U.S. Commercial Service intern with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. She plans to continue her education and attend law school in the near future.

Introduction 

When you’re still relatively new to the workforce, applying to jobs and internships can be a gruelling process, especially during a global pandemic. If you’re feeling a bit discouraged, there are a few ways to make the most of the situation and move your career forward right now. 

Here are some tips I think are useful when searching and applying for foreign policy jobs and internship positions (COVID-19 or not)!

Establish a Clear Career Narrative

Map it out

First steps first. Figure out the story you’re trying to tell employers. Your CV is not just to show that you are capable of doing a job, but why the job you’re applying for makes sense as your next career move. During college, I sent out CVs that were completely inconsistent and included irrelevant information. I was advertising in flashing bright lights, “I’m completely lost.” To avoid this fate, make sure your CV tells a coherent narrative so that employers understand where you’ve been and where you’re going. Don’t pressure yourself to find the “perfect” job. Any job position that serves as a stepping stone is leading you in the right direction. 

Tailor your CV 

Tailoring your CV is an art. It requires creativity, attention to detail, and lots of patience. Foreign policy jobs are highly competitive and often geared towards candidates with specific interests or expertise. Don't submit a generic CV over and over and hope it sticks eventually. Every job is unique and its job description should guide the experience and skills you choose to highlight.

If you don’t know where to start, I’d suggest creating a targeted CV that applies to different types of job positions. For example, I’m interested in U.S.-China relations but I also want to practice international law so I have one CV for China/East Asia positions and another one for legal-oriented roles. If you don’t have a lot of experience, write a CV that includes everything about you (e.g. your academic background, work experience, skills, volunteering, clubs, extracurricular activities, certifications, publications, etc.) and then use what’s relevant as you apply to specific jobs.

Be realistic 

Don’t get carried away. For some jobs, there’s just not a lot you can do to demonstrate enough experience or interest in a given area. Think about your CV and how it relates to the job you’re applying for. Are you trying to make too large of a jump? If you can’t connect the dots between your experience and the desired position, neither can the employer! Identify what qualifications you lack, and apply for jobs that can provide you with the skill sets or experience you need to land that job in the future. 

Research the Company/Organisation’s Work Culture

Read employee and intern reviews 

When I first started applying for internships in foreign policy, I didn’t do a ton of research on the company/organisation. Over time, I realised that I should be doing more groundwork. If you’re interested in working at a particular place, do some sleuthing and see if you can find reviews from interns or employees who previously worked there. Is the work environment high pressure with tight deadlines? Is there a lot of camaraderie between co-workers? Will my supervisor be a narcissistic psychopath? Maybe someone will provide the answer! In addition to the work culture, you may also gain insight into salary expectations or room for advancement. Remember that opinions are subjective but can be helpful in the early stages.

Understand the politics 

Many nonprofit organisations and institutions like to describe themselves as “nonpartisan.” It’s probably true that they don’t affiliate with any political group, but it doesn’t mean their viewpoints are free from political bias. As you research places you want to work, get a sense of where an organisation stands on current foreign policy issues and the types of solutions they offer. Read about their philosophy and values on their website, and see if their work or the material they publish is aligned with their stated goals. Research the senior-level executives and other people on the current staff list to grasp what kind of work experience or affiliations they have. I’d also suggest checking out the donors’ list and see what foundations, corporations, or individuals are funding them. Think about how your principles, ideas, and worldview align with the jobs you’re applying to before you commit to anything.

Be Open-Minded about Job Opportunities

Remember  “Foreign Policy” is vague

Most people don’t have a clear understanding of what a job in foreign policy actually means. The reason foreign policy sounds vague is that it is vague. Foreign policy is extremely broad and encompasses and overlaps with various industries and sectors. Whether you want to focus on specific issues (e.g. trade, climate change, national security) or multiple issues within a certain region or state (e.g. Middle East, North Korea), you have quite a bit of room to manoeuvre while still staying under the “foreign policy” umbrella. 

You will also discover that entry-level jobs can vary drastically in duties and responsibilities. For example, the requirements for a research position will be very different from a role in foreign policy advocacy. Don’t limit yourself to a rigid concept of what foreign policy roles should look like. Remember there are different opportunities out there and apply to suitable ones.

Look for the right job, not your dream job 

Entry-level foreign policy jobs aren’t that glamorous and might not be your dream job. When you apply to jobs, think of it as a building block. Having a job in foreign policy will broaden your network, increase your experience, and show future employers you’re interested in international affairs.

Foreign policy is difficult to break into, and positions are not equally accessible. It’s a white, cisgender, able-bodied and male-dominated field that values higher education and privileged backgrounds and often operates through nepotism (harsh, but true). If you feel like you are having trouble landing a position within the foreign policy realm, do not underestimate the value of non-foreign policy jobs! Every job has transferable skills that will be invaluable to your future career. There are also other ways to demonstrate your interest in foreign policy without working in the field directly. Write a publication or a blog post on foreign policy topics, volunteer with local organisations in your free time, consider working a non-foreign policy job in a foreign country. There’s nothing wrong with taking non-traditional paths to reach your destination.  

Be Patient and Stay Productive 

Network virtually

With everything going remote, I’ve been attending a lot of free foreign policy webinars hosted by different academic institutions and organisations. A lot of organisations (including WIFP!) offer online events where guest speakers or alumni discuss their career paths in foreign policy. You can ask questions and connect with these people afterwards. The pandemic gives us an excuse to be antisocial but pushes yourself to connect with others who might be able to help you. 

Keep learning 

The world moves fast, so keep up with foreign policy in whatever way you can. It would be torture to digest the news 24/7 because we need at least some hours of the day to feel like the world isn’t burning down. I’d recommend keeping up to date with the news (check out our tips on how to engage with the news without feeling depressed!). The more you know about your subject of interest in foreign policy, the more confident you’ll feel going into interviews. 

Final thoughts

Clarify what you want to do in foreign policy while staying flexible about how you get there. Wandering aimlessly and applying to every job you see will make the process overwhelming,  but being too set on a specific job position is also limiting. If you find the perfect balance, the right job or internship will eventually land in your lap! 

Edited by Ashvini Rae

Published 2nd September 2020