“Making Sense of the Government Search” talk held by Career Center

In today’s highly unpredictable political environment, soon-to-be Hamilton graduates have cause for concern in finding a job within the government sector. Important staffing cuts and mass layoffs within the federal workforce have left Americans concerned about job safety. Despite the ongoing challenges, Hamilton students were fortunate to receive advice for overcoming these obstacles during a Career Center-hosted talk titled “Making Sense of the Government Search.” Guest panelists Will Rusche ‘13, Alex Scheuer ‘18 and Sarah Mehrotra ‘14 spoke for over an hour with students.

The discussion was moderated by Quentin Messer ‘26, a Government and Law Career Communities team member within the Career Center. The talk began with presentations by each of the panelists. Mehrotra discussed how she majored in Neuroscience at Hamilton before pivoting into politics post-grad. She was involved with the senior gift committee and served as an admissions fellow her senior year. Schuyer majored in Government and minored in Economics, focused his senior thesis on criminal justice reform and ran The Continental as its Editor-in-Chief. Finally, Rusche was also a Government major involved in Hamilton Democrats, Student Government and Hamilton Rainbow Alliance.

The panelists answered a series of questions, the first focusing on how students should seek opportunities within the government given the everchanging power dynamics in Washington D.C. Schuyer suggests that “although D.C.’s ever-changing nature can be overwhelming, it also makes for a great environment for getting to know folks. People are used to networking, so finding connections will be easier than elsewhere.” Rusche centered his response on a more career-related frame: “Change is a double-edged sword, where your job could easily shift due to the nature of politics. Yet, if you follow your career path and your first job is not the right fit, you can always shift as changes are aligned with the election cycle.” Schuyer’s career has involved less transition than the other panelists, given that he has worked for Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jefferies for seven years.

Next, Messer asked panelists about the importance of being physically present in D.C. during the early years of one’s career. Schuyer’s experience on Capitol Hill relates directly to this question: “I always recommend being in person, because you hear a lot more and learn a lot more, especially on the Hill.” Mehrotra covered the question from the standpoint of an individual who might not be directly involved in government work, but is curious about the field. “I find it fascinating how anyone can go into Congressional offices or attend hearings. It is cool to go and access these prestigious places that can make you more interested in the way things work.”

Messer then pivoted his questions to tackle the importance of leveraging Hamilton’s alumni network when searching for government jobs. Rusche acknowledges the “tradition behind helping people” that Hamilton alumni have fostered across the years. He adds that “the Hamilton network contains alumni who were in the same position as you, where you can be transparent and candid with them while remaining professional.” Mehrotra echoed this sentiment: “people really just want to hear from you and see you succeed.” She understands the “black box mentality” behind networking, where skeptical people might doubt the effectiveness of networking in actually landing a job.

Despite these doubts, Mehrotra says that facilitating networking can come through “having your punchlist of questions ready for the informational interview, and hone in on your four-sentence pitch.” Schuyer added “so many alumni from Hamilton are waiting for you to reach out and have a conversation with you. Make sure the interactions are genuine and follow up after the chat. Getting your resume on top of the stack is a huge advantage, so even a word from them” could make an important difference.

Messer’s penultimate question delved into the platforms students could use to find a greater number of government focused jobs. Mehrotra spoke about Civic Match and LinkedIn, two websites that help connect folks with state and government jobs. She also recommends “following state offices you follow and are excited about through job bulletins sent to your inbox.” Rusche agreed with both other panelists, but also highlighted how “hiring timelines move very fast,” and the need to “keep your eyes open” and “check on the hiring pages often.”

Finally, Messer wanted the panelists to share how perseverance was critical to finding a job in the government space. Schuyer applied to over 200 job postings his senior year at Hamilton. Throughout the arduous process, he had different resumes for different types of jobs, depending on whether he was gearing it for a think tank, non-profit sector or Congress. Mehrotra sympathized with students who might feel discouraged when applying to so many jobs. “Rejection in this sector is very normal, it is the nature of the political field. Know that your first job will not be your forever job. It should be a small step in a longer vision for your career and your journey.” Rusche agreed with Mehrotra’s assertion: “the most valuable thing you learn from a first job is knowing you don’t want to go there anymore. You will have gained connections and perspective.”

During the question and answer portion of the discussion, all three panelists were asked about campaigns, balancing work-life pressures and transitioning between jobs throughout the government sector. In their concluding remarks, Rusche, Mehrotra and Schuyer made two important points clear: knowing your “why” before going into the government and political fields, and encouraging students to reach out to them for help in clarifying the career search. Mehrotra summed it up best: “Many people have helped me, and I am excited to pay it forward.”