Major: Sociology
Current Job Title: Policy Assistant
Current Organization: Minnesota
Housing Partnership
Brief description of
your job:
Support and mobilize
grassroots network to take action on specific policy initiatives, Assist in
development of annual legislative agenda, compile research on housing issues,
create written and web based resources, plan and organize community forums and
trainings.
How have you found out about these positions?
Through Web resources. Specifically the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Web site at www.mncn.org
What skills from your degree are you using in your current work?
I use my statistics a lot
in analyzing reports. My job also
involves a lot of research and writing – so all those Sociology papers paid
off. The ability to analyze patterns of
social relationships in policy formation and social movements has been
useful.
What advice do you have
for current liberal arts students with your major?
Engage
in activities outside the classroom!
Join groups that are involved in areas you're interested in exploring as
career possibilities. Take an
internship. Participate community
service learning activities. All of the
above will be much more useful when you're on the job market than your
coursework alone. It was community
service learning experiences, coupled with a few key contacts (it is "who you
know"!) that were the most impressive to my current employer.
How have you gained skills that you didn't get from
your degree that are necessary for your job or jobs you have previously held?
Community service learning was integral. I worked on a political
campaign, and gained
some community organizing skills. The
fact that I was familiar with the Minnesota legislative process has
also helped a lot. Basic computer skills are important too.
