Policy Analyst Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How do I become a policy analyst/ policy writer? I would like to have a hand in shaping public policy. I am uncertain how I would go about breaking into the field. If someone can offer suggestions I would really appreciate it.

Answer: Develop a lot of political contacts!!! Proud Vet

Question: how can i become a Policy Analyst? how can i become a Policy Analyst?

Answer: Of course you can be a policy analyst. do the following: These are various options: 1. You required to be certified with a professional insurance consultant. go to this web page www.insuranceinstituteofindia.com, identify a course that is most suitable to you, enroll and pass. 2. Once after getting the certification, you need to identify your exact career path with insurance industry and can move to that. Being a policy analyst is only on your interest and knowledge. A well knowledge about insurance business and products are must to enter as an analyst.

Question: Do you need a ph.d to move up the ranks as a policy analyst? Or is a Master's sufficient?

Answer: A Master's is sufficient, provided it's balanced with lots of work accomplishments, an area of specialization, published papers, and frequent networking professionally.

Question: What is the best way to become a policy analyst if I have an M.Sc degree already?

Answer: Depends on what your degree is in and what experience you have. If you have nothing, you have a long way to go. You can work on campaigns and issues and/or get a grunt job for an elected official or a non-profit. If you have a knack, you can move up quickly. Otherwise, it's a long road.

Question: is Policy Analyst a good job? is Policy Analyst a good job in government sectors?

Answer: It is a good job with wide scope. Due to redtapism and bureaucratic bungling, the looses its sheen in Government sectors.

Question: What can i do with a Masters of Public Policy? On average how much money will I make coing right out of grad school? If i wanted to work as a policy analyst for the government about how much will i start off as?Does the government hire fresh graduates as GS 13's? i'm talking about a MPP not a MPA

Answer: It really is going to depend on if you use the degree to obtain a job in federal, state, local, not-for-profit or even private sector as to what is going to be your salary. So can not answer. There are jobs in the private sector where an MPA is looked at so never turn that down unless you just do not want to work in that sector. There is so much you can do with your degree but unless money is your fist motivator I think you need to really look at the other aspects of an MPA. I wanted to work in government and realized that yes I would be making less primarily (especially starting out) than my friends with MBAs but to me I saw the benefit of helping others and being involved in policy/budget development so much more to me than a higher paycheck. You can look at various research books to look at salaries for government workers or talk to the job placement people at the college you will be attending. Since it is such a range of jobs you can enter it is very difficult to really put down a number for you. I've seen salaries from as low as $15,000 to $40,000 depending on what a person does on graduating but it could even be more depending on your desires and the job market where you are locating to. I don't think you could be hired at a GS 13 but it depends on the federal agency, its needs for you, your background and what other skills/education you might have besides the MPA.

Question: I want to get out of journalism, what steps do I need to take to get a defense/national security policy job? I have a Master's in Journalism. For the last eight years though, I've worked as a news artist for a large media organization and utilized my artistic and journalism skills to create informational graphics. But I've always had a love for military affairs and would like to know how to make a transition to become a think tank policy analyst.

Answer: You would have to get yourself somewhere where you can learn enough to become an expert in some specific field relating to those subjects. In fact one of the big problems we have in the way that news is presented to us is that it is provided by people with journalism degrees - and no real understanding of the subjects they are reporting on.

Question: what does a policy analyst do? For a friend's paper.....

Answer: They analyze policy

Question: What is a good way for policy analysts to identify policy problems?

Answer: By leaving their desks. By flying to the poorest and most violent regions of the world and understanding regional dynamics and power structures. Domestically, by going to business school or studying social economics and industrial development and focusing policies that enable MORE wealth creation and growth and less social subsidization and phony economies. By refusing to be mere recommenders of policy and taking the job as a patriotic call to strengthen the country, to fix the problems with personal valor, by not toeing a party line, but making common, irrefutable and actionable sense. Good luck with that, here come the ultra-liberals to steal more of my paycheck....gotta run!

Question: Is new policy say that seniors must accept the invevitable conditions that come with old age? Is that the new policy that has been adopted? One analyst says that means Medicare must be cut on the elderly? The socialist view seems to be billions must be cut and the seniors are too expensive. Only the wealthy can get treatment beyond the lowered baseline. No more expensive treatments like heart surgery, cancer treatment etc. The budget must immediately reflect this policy is what I have read.

Answer: So we elderly are going to be left just to die? Not in America!!!!!!