You’ve seen a role that looks like it could be perfect for you so how do you make sure you are in the running as a candidate? We’ve listed a few key skills that think tanks and other organisations in the policy and Westminster space are looking for:
Excellent written skills
Write write write! If there is one thing you can do to help secure a role, whether in research or communications, it is to develop your written skills. Many internships/starter roles will have a written assessment as part of the application process which carries as much if not more weight than your CV. Practise by writing for your university newspaper, a blog or anything that takes your fancy.
Communication skills
A fundamental part of any career in think tanks is the ability to convey what are often complex and dense topics into coherent and concise messages. Vital to this is the ability to adapt to whichever audience you are currently speaking to. In the policy sector communication can be verbal i.e. media interviews or events; written, such as reports or data; or through various social media channels. While no think tank will expect you to have acquired these skills in any great depth, you can stand out from other applicants by writing a compelling application and being able to articulate a policy position when asked at interview.
Data analysis
Similar to communications skills this is an area that you can start to develop long before you secure that first interview. Policy roles use a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data and if you have experience of sifting or analysing data, either in your degree course or with other training you will have an advantage. Typically think tanks don’t require the same level of stats ability as a more academic role, but being able to spot and tell a story from data is a very useful skill. If you don’t have detailed technical experience don’t worry too much. Unless you are going for a data-specific role most organisations will expect you to learn on the job.
Find out about the wider sector
Think tanks and policy sit in a wider political sector that has many different career paths so look at the work experience or internships available in those and see what skills can transfer across. Helping your local MP, for example, helps you gain important experience and understanding of Westminster that you can then talk about in your application. Likewise, experience at a public affairs firm will help you start building your network as well as giving you an excellent grounding in policy and communications. We have a handy starter guide on the range of roles available here.
Know your reasons
Why do you want to work in policy? Why do you want to work in a think tank? Why do you want to work in this particular organisation? Don’t be the candidate who gets to their interview without having formulated a response to these questions. Hopefully, you will have a rough idea of why you are applying to this industry/organisation but make sure you have practised explaining it to those who will ask you.
The right attitude
Think tanks are generally staffed by people who are excited to be working there. They therefore tend to want interns or graduates who are also excited about working there. New joiners who pitch up enthusiastic to join in with whatever is happening are the ones who tend to get taken on at the end of the internship or offered a permanent position. This is particularly true in many of the smaller organisations where the ability to rub along happily in a small team is a skill that will get you a long way.
Resilience
The policy and think tank sector is a very competitive field and you will be up against other very bright, engaged individuals so if at first you don’t succeed try, try again. You may not land your dream position at your first attempt and you may need to apply for other roles in the sector, but the important thing is that you eventually get that foot in the door. It is much easier to move around a think tank or the policy sector once you are in there and building your network and reputation.
