Career Path Of A Budget Analyst At California Department Of Finance
Justin's career path started with undergraduate studies at UC Davis, initially focused on academics and volunteering, but took a pivotal turn during fourth and fifth year when student government involvement, specifically as "effectively the CEO of a nonprofit", ignited a passion for government. After a Master's in Public Policy and Administration at Sac State and various experiences, including a fellowship with the Department of Conservation that emphasized collaboration and public engagement, Justin found a fit as a budget analyst for the Department of Finance, a role that surprisingly involves collaboration with diverse stakeholders, confirming "this is the kind of place [Justin] wants to be in".
Public Policy, Government, Budgeting, Collaboration, Career Path
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Justin Hurst
Budget Analyst
Public Budgeting Agency for the State of California
UC Davis
Sac State - Master's of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA)
Biology & Related Sciences, International Relations & Affairs
Education, Government & Public Sector
Finance
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Involvement in student government, particularly as student body president, provided valuable experience in leadership and understanding the responsibilities of managing a large organization, shaping his career interests.
2. A Master's in Public Policy and Administration offered diverse experiences, including internships with Caltrans and a fellowship with the Department of Conservation, helping to explore different areas within government and identify a passion for public engagement.
3. The emphasis on collaboration and shared governance in his academic program shaped his career goals, leading him to seek positions, like his current role as a budget analyst, that involve working with a variety of stakeholders, including those in the legislature and the public.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your experiences in college, and any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I'd be happy to. I'll try not to take too long because I've had a lot of different roles in a somewhat short amount of time.
I did my undergraduate degree at UC Davis. For the first few years, I was mostly focusing on being a student and did a lot of different volunteering with various organizations. I wouldn't say I really started on my career path until about my fourth and fifth year at UC Davis.
Then I got really involved in my local student government and ended up running for student body president. I classify that as part of my career because, before then, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I really fell in love with that role when I got into it. It was a lot more than I bargained for.
I was effectively the CEO of a nonprofit. Most people think student government isn't that big a deal; they see it as just a club. I realized that level of responsibility and pressure was actually really good for me.
Even though my undergraduate degree was in biological sciences, I said, no, I really have a passion for government. Unfortunately, COVID hit when I graduated, so it was hard to get a government role afterward. Then I went to Sac State for a Master's in Public Policy and Administration, and that's really where I got a lot more traction in terms of my career path.
I did a few different things because I wasn't sure where in government I would want to work. For example, I worked for a law firm processing some claims from the Camp Fire that happened in 2017. I also did a student internship with Caltrans, doing some of their public policy work and talking with different stakeholders.
Through my program, I also did a fellowship with the Department of Conservation. That was really interesting, and I felt I had a passion for that role because it involved working with public engagement experts to figure out a good model for the state to engage with the public on whatever projects they might have.
My program at Sac State had a really strong emphasis on collaboration and governance shared amongst the public and those in positions of authority. I felt like that was my niche. Through that, I started looking for positions that were collaborative in nature and worked with a lot of different people, not just me sitting behind a desk working on a spreadsheet.
Don't get me wrong, I do a lot of that in my current role. I work for the Department of Finance as a budget analyst. It may not sound super collaborative, but I am responsible for working with all sorts of different people, whether they are in the legislature, within the state apparatus, or within the public.
Because of all those experiences, particularly with my program and the opportunities afforded to me through it, I am at a place where I'm not super far into my career, but I already know this is the kind of place I want to be in.