Political science majors often face the question: "So you want to go work in government?" While many political science majors do go on to government jobs, the range of career opportunities extends far beyond the legal and political realms. Drawing from interviews with successful professionals who majored in political science, this post explores how these graduates have leveraged their education to thrive across diverse industries.
Transferable Skills Are Key
Political science education equips students with critical thinking, research, and analytical skills that are valuable across industries. These competencies provide a strong foundation for various career paths.
Eric, now Chief Legal Officer at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., credits his political economy background for his success: "The political economy major that I was in was just fantastic training for my career. It was a great experience of trying to take different disciplines, trying to combine poli sci, history, econ, trying to think about theories from each of those, and apply them to a situation or problem set."
Likewise, Edwin, Head of Emerging Market Sovereign Debt at Abrdn, highlights how his political science background prepared him for financial analysis: "My training in political science, economics, and history served me well... It just showed me how interconnected the world was."
Career Pivots Are Common
Many successful professionals didn't follow a linear career path. Instead, they remained open to new opportunities, adapted to changing circumstances, and weren't afraid to change direction. Vasant, a political science major who is now a Senior Investment Manager, shares: "My career path wasn't a direct line. There was a lot of exploration and alternate careers before I ended up doing what I am doing currently."
Kevin, a Product Manager at ChargePoint, found his path after an unexpected setback, when his workplace manager told him: "You will be successful, but not in this current role that you're serving in." This feedback led Kevin to explore his passions and ultimately start his own company in the tech sector before transitioning to product management.
Networking Is Essential
Building strong professional relationships emerged as a crucial factor in discovering new career paths and securing opportunities for our interviewees. Vasant emphasizes: "The lesson that I've learned that I think is very significant is the power of networking. And it's something I think that is underappreciated, particularly early on in one's career, or maybe before one is in the workforce and it can open a multitude of doors."
He adds that networking isn't just about immediate job opportunities: "Every job that I've had since college—every single one without fail—has been a product of networking, even if it wasn't directly at that moment in time, but somebody contacting me down the line about an opportunity."
Further Education Is Often a Factor
While a political science degree provides a strong foundation, many professionals pursued additional education to specialize in their chosen fields.
Kyle, a Co-Founder at Pencil Energy, transitioned from a classical music background to political science, then worked as a California State Auditor before co-founding his company. His journey included additional education to develop the necessary expertise for each pivot. "I tried a lot of stuff... I've done arts, I've done anthropology stuff, environmental studies. I just tried a bunch of things, and it was because I really didn't know anything... I had to learn to love school."
Edwin pursued a master's in international affairs at Georgetown University after graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in political economy. That education in international affairs eventually allowed him to take a position in London, which provided unexpected career longevity. "I remember telling my parents, 'Oh yeah, I'll go for two or three years.' And then lo and behold, twenty-six years later, I'm still in London."
Leadership Skills Are Highly Valued
Taking initiative and developing strong interpersonal skills proved crucial for career advancement, regardless of starting position. Shayne, former Director of Recruitment and Operations at Galileo Learning, highlights the importance of people management: "The biggest point of being a manager is honestly ensuring that your people have the systems to keep themselves organized, successful, and to move any roadblocks that might come up for them." This focus on empowering team members and removing obstacles demonstrates how effective leadership creates an environment where everyone can excel.
Passion and Purpose Matter
Finding meaning in one's work emerged as a common theme. Many professionals emphasized the importance of aligning career choices with personal values. Zach, a political science major who went on to a career in the health care industry as Head of Transformation at Optum, explains: "I ultimately feel like what I'm doing is contributing [positively] to a problem that we need to solve as a country and broadly as a generation, and I find that very motivating."
Communication Is Paramount
Every professional, regardless of industry, emphasized the importance of effective communication. Chelsea, a Lead Learning & Development Consultant at Roc Search, states: "The skills that are most important for my role? First one is just listening and communication."
Nick, an Analytics Executive in financial services, agrees: "What separates folks that can be very technically talented from those that move into leadership roles is your ability to communicate and really effectively tell the story of what it is that your team is doing, what they're achieving, [and] the benefits of that."
Common Industries and Roles for Political Science Majors (Outside of Government/Politics)
Political science graduates have found success in diverse fields:
Technology: Product management, analytics, and portfolio management roles
Arts, Entertainment, & Media: Journalism, startup executive, and project management roles
Finance: Investment management, banking, and fintech executive roles
Education: School board member and educational leadership roles
Consulting & Professional Services: Arbitrators, mediators, and legal roles
Nonprofit: Executive, strategic management, and other leadership roles
Conclusion
A political science degree offers a versatile foundation for diverse career paths. The key to successful pivoting lies in leveraging transferable skills, remaining open to opportunities, building a strong network, and pursuing continuous learning.
By combining the analytical rigor of a political science education with initiative, relationship-building, and a willingness to adapt, graduates can chart successful career paths across numerous industries.
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Emily McSherry
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