Earlier this week, at the Public Sector and Policy Careers Conference, we were lucky to have speakers from four different think tanks – ODI, Chatham House, the Institute for Fiscal Studies and RUSI – sharing their insights. For anyone who is interested in connecting research with the outside world, then working in a think tank might be for you. Here is a summary of their observations on ways into the sector, some of the things to consider and top tips.
The research environment: Research isn’t conducted in a ‘bubble’ and can be demand driven, often conducted under tight time pressures. Researchers need to be responsive and flexible and able to adapt their research expertise to address different policy questions. Successful researchers also need to be able to generate their own research proposals and funds and get their research ‘out there’.
Develop your area(s) of interest: In addition to a keen interest in policy and the application of your research it’s also helpful to develop an area of ‘specialisation’ and to be proactive to develop this further. Think about what topic(s) and issues you are passionate and will sustain your interest.
You need a broad skills set: Technical research skills (analytical, quantitative, qualitative) are obviously very important but other skills are important too. Communication was mentioned by every speaker. Effective researchers need to be adept at communicating their results more widely whether to policy makers and politicians, stakeholders or the general public
Be prepared to be flexible and hands on: You may have higher level qualifications but the reality of working in a think tank is that everyone needs to ‘muck in’. No job is above anyone and you may find yourself doing anything from routine administration to event planning and fundraising.
It’s a small world: Think tanks, in the UK in particular, are small in size, often with unstable funding and few staff. Don’t let this deter you but do recognise it’s a competitive field to get into.
Getting started and keeping going: Internships and short projects are common, particularly at the start of your career. The sector relies on funding and researchers need to be prepared to move around and be flexible, maybe adapting their research interests to address different questions.
Don’t go into it for the money: The pay isn’t what you could earn elsewhere but there are rewards – variety of work, interesting research and the ability to influence policy agendas to name a few.
Careers are non-linear: Not one of our speakers had spent their whole career in the think tank sector or with one employer and had followed their interests seizing opportunities as they arose. You therefore need to be comfortable with a non-structured career path.
All of the speakers at the conference were very enthusiastic about the work they are doing. You can find out more about working in a think tank on the employment sector pages of the LSE Careers website.
