Interviewing for Government
Jobs: A View from ERS
Mary Bohman
Economic Research Service
USDA
Overview
• ERS mission & economist jobs
• Key knowledge, skills & abilities
• Implications for applying and
interviewing
ERS mission & economist jobs
• Mission to support public and private
decision makers
• Anticipate policy relevant topics
• Produce & disseminate timely, high
quality research findings
Knowledge, skills & abilities
• Interest in policy relevant research
• Timely means flexibility & work in teams to
meet deadlines
• Quality critical in policy process—talented
economists who publish in top academic
journals
Communication:
Publishing for impact
Communicating directly
• Meetings, briefings, phone calls …
Implications
• Communicate knowledge of
– policy issues in your area of
expertise
– ERS research & analysis
• Demonstrate research excellence through
papers & seminar
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Frame relevant hypotheses
Select appropriate methods
Present intuition behind findings
Communicate policy relevance
Implications (cont.)
• Communication skills
– Seminar
– Responses to questions &
questions asked
• Meet deadlines & work in teams
– Publications
– Interest
– Leadership through community service
– Job experience, including as an intern
Laying the groundwork
• Public policy experience through
internships
• Conference presentations & publications
• Networking
For more info…
• ERS website: www.ers.usda.gov
• ERS staff: