Review: The CQ Press' Career Guide for Public Sector Students (2020)

The CQ Press' Career Guide for Public Sector Students (2020) by Michelle C. Pantz is an informative book on careers in government and the nonprofit community. Geared towards undergraduate and graduate students, the booklet provides essential steps on finding your passion and the steps to pursue it. Professor Pautz (who has a background in public administration) guides the reader through an introduction to the public sector, recommended curriculum considerations, supplemental opportunities and experiences outside the classroom, and career profiles of individuals currently working in the public sector. Lastly, the book provides a career checklist with valuable insights on resume building, social media strategies, and networking.

This book has two major strengths. First, the application activities encourages readers to set personal and professional goals. These activities are motivating because you can discover new ideas and identify your academic and professional interests. Second, the curricular and co-curricular options enable students to develop a better understanding of how to tie their major and interests to the workplace. Too often, students believe they must major in traditional fields such as political science to pursue a successful career in the public sector. The truth is any major is sufficient as long as you gain knowledge and skills in the area that you wish to work. For example, a student who wants to specialize in social policy can major in, for example, sociology or social work, and link their research interests and co-curricular activities (e.g., internships, volunteer service) to a particular area within social policy (e.g., access to health care, poverty reduction, education, or labor). Employers care more about how your academic, research, and professional experiences can enhance the organization.

Once students have chosen their research area of interest, they should create an e-portfolio or master resume of their accomplishments in college. Professor Pautz suggests also graduate and professional school as an option to gain new skills and specialized knowledge as well as accelerate career growth. Examples form the booklet include earning a Master of Public Policy (MPP), Master of Public Administration (MPA), or Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) for example. I would go one step further and recommend other applicable fields such as a Master of Social Work (MSW) with a specialization in macro practice, Master of Public Health (MPH) with a specialization in health education or health policy, or a Master of Arts in Education (MA) with a specialization in public policy. These programs exist and require extra diligence and effort on your part. Research the different programs' websites for admissions requirements, attend graduate school and career fairs in your region (e.g. Idealist Graduate Fair), or speak to career services at your alma mater.

Overall, this is a useful guide for any student or early career changer who is new to the public sector. It is well organized, practical with action items, and easy to follow. I would have found this book (less than 50 pages in length) very convenient during my undergraduate studies.