Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Impact and Evaluation Consultants
For entry-level roles in the social impact field, Rakhee suggests exploring "associate or intern roles," fellowships, and internships—particularly those supporting students of color—as excellent starting points, emphasizing the value of hands-on experience and mentorship opportunities. In data and analytics, Rakhee highlights the importance of analyst and researcher positions, noting that even roles outside one's ideal career path can provide valuable skills ("I learned so many valuable skills").
Entry-Level Jobs, Nonprofit Sector, Data Analysis, Fellowships/Internships, Career Exploration
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Rakhee Patel
Impact & Evaluation Consultant
Independent Consultant
Wellesley College (studied abroad for 1 semester at University College London)
UCLA | M.S. and Ph.D. in Statistics (2011)
Mathematics, Data Science, Statistics
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Consulting
Honors Student, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Many nonprofits offer associate or intern roles, providing valuable experience and insight into the field.
2. Fellowships and internships, especially those supporting students of color and focusing on social justice, offer excellent entry points and potential mentorship opportunities.
3. Entry-level analyst or researcher positions in data and analytics can provide valuable skills, even if the long-term career path differs from initial expectations.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student could consider?
In the nonprofit social impact space, it's interesting because I didn't start my career there. So, I'm less familiar with that career pathway starting right after undergrad.
However, in my experience supporting organizations, many offer associate or intern roles for undergraduates. These can help you see if it's a good fit for your post-undergraduate goals.
There are also many great fellowships and internships available, particularly for students of color. These are excellent starting points that can lead to full-time roles.
I'm currently working with clients to strengthen or create new fellowship and internship opportunities for students from HBCUs, HSIs, and organizations serving primarily students of color. There are so many great opportunities to seek out.
I was a bit hesitant about pursuing these opportunities myself, but they are a great way to meet people, get mentorship, and experience the work hands-on. Some even offer loan forgiveness or stipends.
I'd also recommend looking into fellowships offered by other universities. That's my advice for the social impact side.
On data and analytics, there are many analyst, researcher, and data science jobs. When I graduated, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I interviewed for some i-bank jobs but realized I didn't want to pursue that.
It's okay if you have a job you don't like; it's not the end of the world. You learn something from every experience. I actually loved my first job as a researcher at an economic consulting firm.
While I didn't want to do that long-term, I learned so many valuable skills there. So, I'd say to explore these fields.