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.

  • 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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  • Interview with a think tank CEO

    Matt Whittaker is the Chief Executive of Pro Bono Economics an independent charity and economics think tank that works with policymakers of all political parties and none, in government and in opposition, to build consensus for solutions to the challenges facing the social sector and affecting wellbeing in the UK. What is your job title?…

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  • Interview with a public affairs partner

    Jonathan Simons has worked in the policy sector in a variety of roles starting in the Civil Service through to the private sector, think tanks and charitable foundations. He is a Partner at Public First, a policy, research, opinion and strategy consultancy. What is your job title? I am a Partner and Head of the…

    Read more: Interview with a public affairs partner

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.