Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
October 16, 2021
Given the change of course that has happened in the world, we wanted to provide expert opinions on what aspiring graduates can do to start off their careers in an uncertain economic climate. We wanted to know what skills will be more important, where the economy is doing relatively well, and if there will be any lasting effects on the job market.
Companies are looking for candidates that can handle the new responsibilities of the job market. Recent graduates actually have an advantage because they are comfortable using newer technologies and have been communicating virtually their whole lives. They can take what they've learned and apply it immediately.
We spoke to professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the job market for recent graduates is heading, as well as how young graduates entering the industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our Panel of Experts
University of New Orleans
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Yale University
Sul Ross State University
Governors State University
Hope College
Fort Hays State University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Fort Valley State University
Christine Day Ph.D.
Professor and ChairUniversity of New Orleans
Department of Political Science
What skills stand out on Political Science Instructor resumes?
Christine Day Ph.D.: To be a political science instructor at the college/university level, requirement #1 is to have a Ph.D. in political science--or, to teach part-time, at least a Master's degree with at least 18 hours of graduate coursework in the subject. Beyond that, peer-reviewed publications, excellent teaching evaluations, excellent letters of recommendation, and quantitative analytical skills give you a big advantage in the academic job market.
What soft skills should all Political Science Instructors possess?
Christine Day Ph.D.: For anyone going on the job market with a Bachelor's degree (or higher) in political science, there are many opportunities in national, state, and local government; elective office; nonprofits and political advocacy; campaign management and polling; teaching; journalism; and business (because there is much overlap between politics/government and business, with business regulations, contracting out for public services, etc.). There are further opportunities for those who go on to graduate school or law school, as many political science majors do. Soft skills like communicating effectively both orally and in writing, researching and solving problems, and civic knowledge and engagement, are emphasized in political science, and they transfer well into a variety of careers.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Political Science Instructors?
Christine Day Ph.D.: The ability to conduct survey research, as well as the ability to analyze and interpret data, is perhaps the most important hard/technical skills emphasized in political science, skills that tend to lead to higher earnings in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. These skills are valuable in political campaigns, market research, advocacy and fundraising, international risk analysis, and a wide variety of other demand areas.
What skills will help Political Science Instructors earn the most?
Christine Day Ph.D.: The ability to conduct survey research, as well as the ability to analyze and interpret data, is perhaps the most important hard/technical skills emphasized in political science, skills that tend to lead to higher earnings in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. These skills are valuable in political campaigns, market research, advocacy and fundraising, international risk analysis, and a wide variety of other demand areas.
Michael Jasinski Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Political ScienceUniversity of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Political Science Department
What skills stand out on Political Science Instructor resumes?
Michael Jasinski Ph.D.: Ability to conduct research and distill it into an oral or (usually) written product. In demand in law schools, for example, but many employers value it too.
What soft skills should all Political Science Instructors possess?
Michael Jasinski Ph.D.: I'd say probably the ability to work in teams, leadership ability shown therein. That's one of the big selling points of our Model UN.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Political Science Instructors?
Michael Jasinski Ph.D.: About the only, we teach statistical skills, ability to deal with quantitative data using SPSS software.
What skills will help Political Science Instructors earn the most?
Michael Jasinski Ph.D.: Each of those will land you a different type of job, so it's a little like apple and oranges. But each of those is a major selling point in and of itself.
Alexandre Debs
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate StudiesYale University
Department of Political Science
What skills stand out on Political Science Instructor resumes?
Alexandre Debs: The three main methods we teach in our department are quantitative, qualitative and archival, and game theory. If you picked up top journals in political science, you would probably find that quantitative methods are used most frequently. If you looked at top graduate programs, you would find that few teach qualitative and archival methods as a field. That being said, there is excellent work in Poli Sci using qualitative and archival methods and game theory.
What soft skills should all Political Science Instructors possess?
Alexandre Debs: In terms of soft skills, presentation and writing skills are obviously very important. Hiring committees receive many applications and select a few applicants (around three) to fly out for a job talk and interview.
Jessica Velasco DPA
Assistant Professor of Political Science & Public AdministrationSul Ross State University
Political Science & Public Administration
What skills stand out on Political Science Instructor resumes?
Jessica Velasco DPA: We will be posting an opening in the next several months. What we will be looking for is someone who already has their doctorate and at least some college-level teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
What soft skills should all Political Science Instructors possess?
Jessica Velasco DPA: We are a small, rural, Hispanic-serving institution. To work as a professor in this context, you have to be very student-centered, engaging, and willing to do more than just teach. Also, given the enrollment and retention issues many institutions of higher education are facing these days, it's important that you're willing to go the extra mile to help any student be successful. That means you have to be accessible and sympathetic to students and their personal circumstances. During the pandemic, we've all had to learn to be more adaptable in our teaching, and I think that expectation will continue.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Political Science Instructors?
Jessica Velasco DPA: Most universities are offering both online and in-person classes, and this will continue even once the pandemic ends. Although we have lots of great resources for learning about how to enhance your online or hybrid teaching skills, it is ideal for those seeking positions to already have some familiarity with how to teach online or in a hybrid format.
What skills will help Political Science Instructors earn the most?
Jessica Velasco DPA: This is difficult for me to answer. I've only worked as a faculty member at SRSU, and faculty salaries are not high here. They are also not really negotiable.
Khalil Marrar Ph.D.
Associate Professor & DPC MemberGovernors State University
Politics, Public administration, and Justice Department
What skills stand out on Political Science Instructor resumes?
Khalil Marrar Ph.D.: The ability to recruit and retain students that would be engaged alumni signs of influence on the field.
What soft skills should all Political Science Instructors possess?
Khalil Marrar Ph.D.: Collegiality/ability to balance working independently and in a team.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Political Science Instructors?
Khalil Marrar Ph.D.: Publishing in highly regarded venues.
What skills will help Political Science Instructors earn the most?
Khalil Marrar Ph.D.: Grant writing.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Political Science Instructor job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Rachel Schutte: There's a consistent and steady need for political science graduates to serve, among other positions, as legislative assistants, social media managers, and public relations/events coordinators, and that hasn't dampened during the pandemic, even as the details of the job shifted to a more virtual space. Of more interest, at least to me, is that even pre-pandemic, there was a growing demand for policy analysts in both the public and private sectors as government agencies and non-governmental organizations seek to understand the relative efficacy and effectiveness of public policy. This trend is likely to continue, especially as we seek to combat an economic recession over the next decade. Additionally, there are a lot of policy proposals gaining traction - like increasing the federal minimum wage, debates over corporate tax increases, etc. - that employers and political elites will seek to understand what the probabilistic outcomes and impacts are of such proposals.
What soft skills should all Political Science Instructors possess?
Dr. Rachel Schutte: As with virtually all careers, graduates should be effective communicators in both written and oral presentation. There is a striking level of numerical illiteracy among the mass public and political elites alike; this creates a particularly high need for political science graduates to learn how to communicate the results of social scientific studies to lay people and politicians in clear, understandable terms without falling into the black-and-white (either-or style) partisan dichotomy. Graduates should hone their skills to present findings in a concise, yet persuasive and nuanced, manner.
While not a "soft skill," I would encourage political science students and graduates to seek opportunities to develop skills in data analytics. We are a world where everything - texts, speeches, emails, and the like - are prone to become big data. Understanding how to mine that data, how to use it, how to interpret relationships among variables in the data, and how to think critically about causality are invaluable skills to possess.
How have salaries changed over time for Political Science Instructors?
Dr. Rachel Schutte: There is significant variability in starting salaries and it depends very much on one's level of education. Political scientists with Ph.D. and master's degrees are more likely to have advanced methodological and statistical modeling skills, which opens the door for higher paying jobs. Over the last decade, we've observed the highest increase in salaries for policy and research analysts. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median salary for a political scientist with a master's degree or a Ph.D. is $122,220 per year. Notably, too, graduates with a bachelor's degree entering a career of public service will find that research skills yield higher paying positions.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Political Science Instructors?
Larry Gould Ph.D.: Yes. Unless we carefully examine the implications of our institutional business models (especially tuition, fees, textbook costs, etc.), we will create a new equity crisis for lower income students and families that have been impacted by the pandemic. The current landscape left behind by the pandemic certainly favors high middle class and wealthy families more so than ever before.
What's a day at work look like for a Political Science Instructor?
Larry Gould Ph.D.: From our perspective, any job, even a low-paying job, that serves the public good is a great job. If you only measure a "good" job in terms of salary, you will be missing the opportunity to create social value and wealth that goes far beyond an individual perspective. Many of these public service opportunities were exposed during the pandemic and will continue to be important in the years to come as jobs and/or careers.
What will help Political Science Instructors increase their earning potential?
Larry Gould Ph.D.: The acquisition of skills and credentials related to technology (coding, web design, networking, geographic information system, marketing tactics, etc.) add value to one's career and job potential in unending ways. Graduates who intend to go into government, the non-profit sector, policymaking and so on, will develop a competitive edge by adding the skills and abilities to manage and use technology.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Political Science Instructors?
Thomas Barth: The workplace is likely not going to be the same again after what has been learned about the benefits of meeting and working remotely. There will likely be more opportunities to work remotely for organizations anywhere in the world. However, you will need to work even harder and be creative about building and maintaining relationships in this environment.
What's a day at work look like for a Political Science Instructor?
Thomas Barth: Consistent with the answer above, be prepared for a Zoom world, and if you do work in-person, be more respectful than ever of peoples' space. The elbow tap may become the new handshake!
What will help Political Science Instructors increase their earning potential?
Thomas Barth: The way to rise in your career remains the same: get the educational credentials you need (the earlier the better, but you are never too old to go back and get a degree or credential that is needed); have the courage to walk through doors that open for you (even though it might be risky or involve moving); build your experience and visibility by taking on opportunities that arise (e.g., task forces, special projects); and be active in at least one professional association that provides networking opportunities beyond your current organization. Perhaps most important of all, don't get complacent; if you have mastered a job to the point where you longer feel challenged, time to move on.
Johnny Green Ph.D.
Coordinator, Assistant ProfessorFort Valley State University
Political Science Program
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Political Science Instructors?
Johnny Green Ph.D.: Because of the nature of a wide range of political science positions, including positions such as policy analyst, legislative assistant, public relations specialist, social media manager, marketing research analyst, political consultant and attorney, to name a few, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that the employment of political scientists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. Increased demand for public policy analysis in both government and non-government organizations will support employment growth for these workers https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/political-scientists.htm#:~:text=Employment%20of%20political%20scientists%20is,employment%20growth%20for%20these%20workers
What's a day at work look like for a Political Science Instructor?
Johnny Green Ph.D.: I don't believe there will be too much disruption in the above referenced jobs (in question 1) because of the nature of their work and because they are not "front-line" workers, their interactions with people won't be quite as impacted as it is for some other occupations. But even with that factor highlighted, with the increase in coronavirus vaccine shots in the population, it looks to be a sign that the worst from a social interaction standpoint might actually be behind us. If that is true, then job prospects for political science graduates should take off (as some already have) because as things come back to normal, part of the new normal will find many older workers who took some form of early retirement and therefore, we can expect other job openings to start ramping up in the post coronavirus economy. And to note, that a day at work might include anything from Managing a Social Media company, analyzing socio-political and economic data to conduct research on a policy issue; synthesizing qualitative data as a foreign policy analyst or preparing information for release as a public information officer, and many others!
What will help Political Science Instructors increase their earning potential?
Johnny Green Ph.D.: I believe the same added-on skills that have become so critical in the past decade for potential new hires will include having a comfort level, if not some level of specialized training in social media. Because the millennial generation, and generation X and Z have grown up and come of age in the digital decade, the ability to understand how social media works and possessing the skillset to be comfortable in it will enhance any college graduate, including those in Political Science.
