What A Public Policy Manager At Global Health Non-Profit Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Public Policy
Zeke, a Public Policy Manager, advises that it's "normal to not know what you're doing" when starting a career, emphasizing the importance of proactively networking and asking for help. This includes regularly contacting professionals, even casually, to build relationships—"it's much more beneficial to you and to another person"—because career success often depends on "who you know, maybe over what you know".
Networking, Job Search, Communication, Career Development, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Zeke Sandoval
Public Policy Manager
Global Health Non-Profit
University of Southern California, 2019
Not applicable
Political Science, American Studies
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Legal
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. It's normal to not know what you're doing when starting a career and to ask for help from professionals in the field.
2. Networking is crucial for career advancement; proactively reaching out to professionals, even with seemingly small updates, can significantly increase your chances of getting your foot in the door.
3. Building relationships with professionals is more important than you might think. It's not enough to be good at your job; you need to be known and remembered by the right people for opportunities to arise
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
It's normal to not know what you're doing. This applies to every industry. It's normal to ask people for help.
I had to get my mind around this, especially when I spent time in DC. People expect you, if you're just starting out, to approach them and cold call them for advice. It's a very normal thing to do.
It can be intimidating and feel weird, but it's what everyone does. So you have to go up and ask those concrete questions, and you have to follow up with people.
It's much more beneficial to you and to another person if you occasionally email a professional contact. You could say something like, "Just letting you know I just took this class and found it interesting. I just finished my junior year and I'm looking for this kind of work."
It's easier to do that than to send random emails that you think no one would want to hear about. It's better than not talking to someone for three years and then emailing them to ask for a reference. That might be fine too, but it's going to make you feel much better if you have a set list of people you can talk to.
Keep an eye out for people doing interesting jobs and email them. You can say, "I'd really love to pick your brain about this. Can we get coffee?" It's a very normal thing.
It took me a long time to get used to that. I had to be told several times, but it's just true. I think it does wonders.
Every job is who you know, maybe over what you know, right? You have to know people to get into a position to prove you can do a good job. Lots of people can do a good job.
Let's be honest, lots of people can work hard. To get your foot in the door, it's not enough to be really good at it. You have to be able to talk to people and know people.
Have them think of you when a job opening comes up or if someone is thinking about what help they need. It's really important to be top of people's minds, even if it feels awkward getting there.