Resources

On these pages we have curated a range of resources, blogs and interviews to help those both wanting to start a career in think tanks or policy or who are already working in the sector but would like to develop their knowledge and expertise.

  • Roles in the policy sector

    If you want to work in policy, either in policy research, communications, fundraising or events there are lots of places for you to consider either starting your career in or moving across to. While think tanks are usually seen as the headline policy organisations there is a vast array of jobs and organisations out there…

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  • What are think tanks and policy teams looking for in an applicant?

    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…

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  • What to include on your CV

    A CV is still, even in this world of AI, one of the core documents you need for any job hunt. A good CV can be tweaked very quickly and easily to tailor it for each different application. It can also help you stand out in a world of identically generated documents. Always remember that…

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  • Think tank FAQs

    Think tanks are a small but mighty sector, but not always understood externally. Here are some answers to the most common questions asked about think tanks. What is a think tank? There is no one set definition of a think tank but as a platform set up to disseminate think tank research and events, Smart…

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  • Getting a job in a think tank

    How easy is it to get a job in a think tank? Due to the exciting work and access to interesting and clever people, jobs in think tanks can be highly sought after – despite not always being well paid. Many think tanks are fairly small organisations with limited roles available however there is also…

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  • Demystifying think tanks

    Think tanks can be mysterious organisations. Even the name doesn’t give much of a clue as to what think tanks really do – are people being paid to just think all day? This failure by think tanks to communicate what they really do and what they are like as places to work is a real…

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Work4Mp is a website dedicated to those working in the Houses of Parliament. They list all the current jobs available in Parliament. If you want to work for an MP, either as a caseworker or a researcher then this is the site to head to!

Civil Service Jobs is another great resource for those looking to start in government. The Civil Service employs thousands of policy professionals and you can usually find an interesting role in a variety of different departments.

Working in the think tank sector – once a year a network of think tanks host an online event for individuals from under-represented groups to de-mystify the world of think-tanks. They share some useful links here.