Favorite Parts of Working in the Government Industry as a Fiscal and Policy Analyst
Sarah, a Fiscal and Policy Analyst for the City of Seattle, finds the complexity of public finance most rewarding; the work involves grappling with "really thorny questions" about resource allocation and serving diverse stakeholders to achieve societal improvement, a process she contrasts with the more straightforward profit-driven goals of the private sector.
Public Finance, Policy Analysis, Problem-Solving, Government, Macroeconomics
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sarah Burtner
Fiscal and Policy Analyst
City of Seattle
UCLA, 2014
Masters in Special Education and Teaching at CUNY Hunter College, Masters of Public Policy at UCLA
Economics
Government & Public Sector
Data and Analytics
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Working on challenging and complex problems that are not straightforward.
2. Using public funds and economic principles to determine what's best for the community and elected officials.
3. The dynamic and sometimes 'dysfunctional' nature of the public sector, which provides opportunities for creative problem-solving within a democratic framework.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about your industry?
I work for the government. I really enjoy that. The problems we work on are difficult and not straightforward, and I find that the most interesting way to work.
Specifically, I work in public finance. This involves using taxpayer dollars, buying bonds, and looking at macroeconomics. The goal is to answer the complex question of what is best for the residents of the city and state. We also figure out how to serve different elected officials and people to achieve this vision.
I think this is very different from the private sector, where you work for a company that makes a product or service and tries to sell it to make more money to invest back into the business. That seems like a straightforward process: you try to make as much money as you can.
This contrasts with the public sector. Some people might call it dysfunctional, but I find that's what makes it really interesting. It's not so much about being functional as it is about trying to solve difficult problems. Democracy doesn't always have the best answer, but it's usually the most democratic way to make real, measured improvements for society.