Social Good, Public Service & Education

Explore a career in Social Good, Public Service & Education.

Do you enjoy working to help others? There are many jobs and industries that provide opportunities to help others, but this community will focus on three main areas:

Social Good
People choose to help others in a variety of ways on a local, state, federal or even international level. There are many options within non-profit organizations through volunteering, but there are also internships and full-time jobs. From Engineers without Borders, to health education, to legal clinics, to tutoring, writing blogs, the options are endless for those who want to give back.
General Desired Skills:
- Communication
- Analytical
- Research
- Language (in some cases)
- Writing
- Subject matter expertise (in some cases)
- Empathy
General Information:
Sample Job Titles:
Sample Employers:
- Peace Corps
- ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- American Red Cross
- Cancer Research Institute
- Habitat for Humanity
- Mercy Volunteer Corps
- PETA
- Venture for America
- YMCA
Application Timelines:
Non-profit recruiting—The application process varies by organization, so research options and know specific application deadlines. Most of the fall and into the first months of the year will be spent researching and networking. Many full-time opportunities are filled as needed on a continuous basis. The job cycle for non-profits may be very different than some of your peers who are applying for positions in tech or finance… the application cycle in non-profits will become more active the closer you get to the end of the school year.
- Teach for America offers six application deadlines – the first deadline is early September, and the last is early March.
- The Peace Corps accepts applications for volunteer opportunities one year before the departure date.
- The application timeline for summer internships at a non-profit organization typically runs from October through January but could extend beyond that.
- Many applications for fellowships, structured internships, and volunteer positions are due in January and early spring.
Public Service
The public service sector includes a variety of occupations, from elected and other government officials to military, law enforcement, infrastructure, and any other civil service position. Entry-level positions exist in virtually all government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. It is also important to understand the difference between public servants (civil service employees) and politicians. If you are interested in a career in the political sector (not necessarily in an elected position), working or volunteering on a campaign is a primary path to future positions.
General Desired Skills:
- Organization and negotiating skills
- Analytical
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Decision making
- Teamwork
- Good written and oral communication skills
- Commitment to serving the public
- Knowledge of policy and current issues
Sample Job Titles:
Sample Employers:
- Office of the New York State Attorney General
- State of New York
- Internal Revenue Service
- U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Department of Energy and Environment
Political Campaign Volunteer and Paid Positions:
Thinks Tanks and Lobbying firms:
Application Timelines:
The application process varies by organization, so research options and know specific application deadlines. Most of the fall and into the first months of the year will be spent researching and networking. Many full-time opportunities are filled ‘as needed’ on a continuous basis. Stay focused! The job cycle for non-profits may be very different than some of your peers who are applying for positions in tech or finance… the application cycle in non-profits will become more active the closer you get to the end of the school year and into the summer. For current students and new grads, the Pathways Program is an entry point into the federal government. Many federal internships will open their applications approximately six months before the start date. For information on the application process for internships, see the OMP internships page, for full-time positions see the OMP recent graduate page. For a May start date, spend the fall researching potential positions and agencies and creating your profile in USAJobs. Remember to update your profile as necessary and create a separate federal resume. Follow their instructions and cut and paste sections of your resume into their template. Once you apply for a position, it may take approximately two to four months for the hiring process to be complete. The following websites will provide you with some tips on the entire application process.
Education
General Desired Skills:
- Communication
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Confidence
- Ability to motivate others
- Ability to deal with conflict
- Organization
- Compassion
- Subject knowledge
- Certification is required for most public school positions
Sample Job Titles:
Sample Employers:
- Teach for America
- AmeriCorps
- Citizen Schools
- City Year
- Generation Teach
- Match Education
- University of Rochester
Public schools: (Aside from structured teaching programs, most schools require certification in order to teach.)
Private schools:
- Carney Sandoe
- National Association of Independent Schools
Special programs:
Teaching Abroad:
Higher Education:
- HigherEdJobs
- Higher Education Recruitment Consortium
Application Timeline:
Positions in public schools requiring certification:
- Attend teaching fairs that are typically held in the spring
- The bulk of recruiting for positions in public schools will take place in late spring/summer as school districts finalize budgets and know about openings for the fall.
For special teaching programs: (i.e., Teach for America and city-specific programs)
- Fall – research options and deadlines. The deadlines will be varied. Teach for America, for example, offers six application deadlines – the first is early September, and the last is early March. NYC Teaching Fellows, on the other hand, accept applications on a rolling basis with a final written application deadline in April.
For positions in higher education:
- Positions are typically advertised as they become available. Many recruitment cycles will take several months from start to finish, so plan accordingly.