<p>I'll be graduating from a top 40 university with a degree in political science in a year. I'm getting really worried I'll have trouble finding a decent job---or a job at all. My cumulative GPA is about a 3.85 and I also work for the student newspaper. Can someone console me? What are my job prospects, other than getting a grad degree?</p>
<p>I guess I have a few questions..</p>
<p>A. Have you done any usefull internships?</p>
<p>B. Do you have any relevant work experience besides working for the student newspaper?</p>
<p>C. Do you have a somewhat marketable minor, like business, economics or math?</p>
<p>D. Most importantly, what types of jobs interest you?</p>
<p>go to your career services department in your school. they should be able to help you out on what you should do. anyways, why didn't you think of what jobs you would get when you decided to study what you did?</p>
<p>A. Not yet</p>
<p>B. Not really---I've worked summer jobs but nothing outstanding</p>
<p>C. No</p>
<p>D. I really don't know right now. I'm pretty sure I'll be going to law school but I want to know what kind of job market is out there if I don't do it right away.</p>
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<p>I didn't want to study business/engineering/science. That pretty much left me with humanities. It's a catch-22, but I chose something I thought I'd be interested in, and now I'm looking at pretty paltry job prospects</p>
<p>I see that you go to UW-Madison. I don't think you should worry too much! It's not about the degree (thought you should get the degree), it's about what skills you've learned in college. Employers aren't interested in your knowledge (though it can be a bonus), they're more inrterested in whether you can think and write well and creatively. And that GPA is a kickass and something many would love to have so I wouldn't whine about it.</p>
<p>Law school anyone?</p>
<p>Plenty of people are able to find jobs with liberal arts degrees, a huge number (most, maybe?) of people who went to college probably possess one of some kind. And you have a higher GPA than many of them I'd bet.</p>
<p>Your problem is you don't have any experience, which is the real sticking factor. No internships or relevant work? Go find some ASAP.</p>
<p>Look abroad... great expirience and you cant beat the resume!</p>
<p>Many jobs and career paths are available to political science majors. The following link lists and describes many...</p>
<p>Political</a> Sciences</p>
<p>seriously, you do need to get an internship. </p>
<p>are you leaning towards any particular career? like, are you interested in working for newsweek or a similar publication? journalism in general?</p>
<p>teach English for a year in the country of your choice. They will pay for room and board, and pay you a salary, you can bank the salary. Then you have some experience.</p>
<p>I assume you like political science, since you are majoring in it. Tons of jobs you can go after. Also, lots of masters degree programs.</p>
<p>First, you need to figure out what you want to do, THEN look for jobs centered around that. If you don't know what you want to do, then obviously you will have a hard time finding a job.</p>
<p>Quote from the OP: I'm pretty sure I'll be going to law school but I want to know what kind of job market is out there if I don't do it right away.</p>
<p>A lot of people wait before going to law school, as far as I understand that's often a good thing and I doubt it'll hurt your chances.</p>
<p>What will hurt is going to law school just because it's there. Honestly - you need to decide what you're interested in and get experience in that. If it's law, great. But don't go just because you feel you don't have job prospects. You job prospects are terrible because you have no experience, not because you're a poli sci major That's something you can fix.</p>
<p>Not having relevant work experience will hurt you even if you had a pre-professional degree.</p>
<p>if you want to go to law school, consider americorps. you get to go abroad for 2 years just volunteering your time, which should give you tons of experience, and open doors for you. they will also pay for some of your tuition when you come back for law school.</p>
<p>"Not having relevant work experience will hurt you even if you had a pre-professional degree."</p>
<p>What would the relevant work experience be then? Internships? Is being a gofer that important?</p>
<p>Yes, having previously spent time working in a work environment in the field you will be working in is valuable.</p>
<p>You could always join the military for a few years, it provides structure and discipline. Emloyers like that type of experience. You would be an officer in a position of leadership.</p>
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consider americorps. you get to go abroad for 2 years just volunteering your time
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<p>Peace Corps is 2 years abroad (+3 months training). Americorps is domestic volunteering, for roughly a year. But yes, either of these would be excellent to look into before law school.</p>
<p>^and you get a stipend with both peace corps and americorps while you're working. It's not quite 'volunteering' in the sense that you do get (minimally) paid plus living expenses.</p>