Best Jobs For Former Presidents [2026]

In today’s complex political landscape, former presidents face unique challenges and opportunities as they transition from public service to the private sector. With evolving career paths and shifting societal expectations, many are exploring diverse roles that leverage their leadership skills and public experience.

While the number of individuals pursuing careers in politics remains steady, there is a noteworthy trend of former presidents seeking new ventures post-office. This prompts an intriguing question:

What career paths are they pursuing after their presidency?

To find out, we analyzed the resumes of former presidents to discover the types of jobs they have taken on after leaving the political arena. We examined thousands of resumes and compiled a list of the top 100 jobs they transitioned into.

In addition to presenting the data, we’ve highlighted several noteworthy career choices that may surprise you.

Top Career Options for Former Presidents

While some roles may stand out more than others in terms of appeal, they are certainly compelling options for those stepping away from the presidency.

For a comprehensive look at these career options, please refer to the detailed list below.

Detailed Ranking of the Most Common Jobs for Former Presidents

Rank	Job Title	%
1	Vice President	2.0%
2	Internship	1.99%
3	Consultant	1.28%
4	Chief Executive Officer	1.05%
5	Research Assistant	0.97%
6	Sales Associate	0.96%
7	Owner	0.95%
8	Volunteer	0.86%
9	General Manager	0.84%
10	Project Manager	0.82%
11	Principal	0.74%
12	President/Chief Executive Officer	0.73%
13	Manager	0.69%
14	Chief Operating Officer	0.61%
15	Executive Director	0.56%
16	Director	0.56%
17	Business Developer	0.52%
18	Account Executive	0.51%
19	Administrative Assistant	0.47%
20	President/Owner	0.45%
21	Senior Vice President	0.45%
22	Managing Director	0.44%
23	Teacher	0.43%
24	Customer Service Representative	0.43%
25	Chief Finance Officer	0.42%
26	Sales Representative	0.42%
27	Sales Manager	0.42%
28	Marketing Internship	0.41%
29	Adjunct Professor	0.38%
30	Operations Manager	0.38%
31	Server	0.38%
32	Founder	0.35%
33	Account Manager	0.35%
34	Substitute Teacher	0.35%
35	Partner	0.35%
36	Teaching Assistant	0.34%
37	Assistant Manager	0.34%
38	Sales/Marketing	0.34%
39	Managing Partner	0.33%
40	Program Manager	0.32%
41	Marketing Director	0.32%
42	Office Manager	0.32%
43	President And Founder	0.31%
44	Cashier	0.31%
45	Board Member	0.3%
46	Chairperson	0.29%
47	Senior Project Manager	0.29%
48	Associate	0.29%
49	Executive Vice President	0.28%
50	Tutor	0.27%
51	Graduate Assistant	0.27%
52	Owner/Operator	0.26%
53	Co-Founder	0.26%
54	Operations Director	0.25%
55	Director Of Sales	0.25%
56	Instructor	0.25%
57	Vice President, Business Development	0.24%
58	Graduate Research Assistant	0.23%
59	President Of Operations	0.23%
60	Leader	0.22%
61	Sales Consultant	0.22%
62	Team Leader	0.21%
63	Office Assistant	0.21%
64	Registered Nurse	0.21%
65	Student Assistant	0.21%
66	Board Of Directors Member	0.2%
67	Marketing Manager	0.2%
68	Regional Sales Manager	0.19%
69	Store Manager	0.19%
70	Senior Consultant	0.19%
71	Managing Member	0.18%
72	Supervisor	0.18%
73	Specialist	0.17%
74	Analyst	0.17%
75	Business Development Manager	0.17%
76	Program Director	0.17%
77	Management Consultant	0.16%
78	Human Resources Coordinator	0.16%
79	Business Consultant	0.16%
80	Regional Director	0.16%
81	Ambassador	0.16%
82	Senior Manager	0.15%
83	Coordinator	0.15%
84	Adjunct Faculty	0.15%
85	Communications Director	0.15%
86	Treasurer	0.15%
87	Vice President & General Manager	0.14%
88	Founder And Chief Executive Officer	0.14%
89	Senior Technician Specialist	0.14%
90	Owner/Manager	0.14%
91	Principal Consultant	0.14%
92	Editor	0.14%
93	President & Chief Operating Officer	0.14%
94	Finance Advisor	0.14%
95	Assistant	0.14%
96	Social Media Internship	0.13%
97	Marketing Consultant	0.13%
98	Realtor	0.13%
99	Real Estate Agent	0.13%
100	Attorney	0.13%

Most Common Jobs for Former Presidents

These roles not only utilize the skills honed during their presidency but also provide avenues for continued influence and service. While they may seem predictable, they reflect the diverse paths available to former leaders.

Methodology for Identifying the Best Jobs for Former Presidents

Our analysis utilized resume data from over 7 million profiles, focusing on those that included “president” in their work history. We identified the subsequent career paths taken by these individuals, ranking them based on frequency of occurrence.

To curate our list of particularly notable jobs, we sifted through our rankings to identify positions that:

Appeared in fewer than 1% of all new job listings
Were not included in the top 100 most common job titles in our database

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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