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The ideal job candidate: ready for policy research. Mary Bohman Director, Resource & Rural Economics Division Economic Research Service, USDA. Overview. ERS mission & economist jobs Key knowledge, skills & abilities Implications for ideal candidate Laying the foundation.
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The ideal job candidate: ready for policy research Mary Bohman Director, Resource & Rural Economics Division Economic Research Service, USDA
Overview • ERS mission & economist jobs • Key knowledge, skills & abilities • Implications for ideal candidate • Laying the foundation
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 • Keen interest in policy relevant research • Timely means flexibility & work in teams to meet deadlines • Quality critical in policy process—talented economists who publish in academic journals
Communicating directly • Meetings, briefings, phone calls …
The ideal job candidate on paper • Commitment to public policy research • Empirical research in thesis and dissertation • Public policy experience through internships • Leadership and service activities
Ideal candidate (cont.) • Communication skills • Conference papers, teaching • Public speaking experience (toastmasters, debates) • Meet deadlines & work in teams • Publications • Interest • Leadership through community service • Job experience, including as an intern
Meeting the ideal job candidate • Communicate knowledge of • context for your research • policy issues in your area of expertise • Demonstrate research excellence through thesis and dissertation research • Frame relevant hypotheses • Select appropriate methods • Present intuition behind findings*** • Communicate policy relevance***
For more info… • ERS website:www.ers.usda.gov