How early career talent can find a path in public service

It’s graduation season, which means that millions of recent graduates are now beginning their careers and contemplating the often-dreaded question, “What’s next?”

Many early career professionals who may be a few years out of college are also wrestling with feelings of uncertainty amidst a challenging job market and recent federal layoffs. For example, federal employees earlier in their careers were heavily impacted by probationary employees’ layoffs at their agencies, because the probationary period typically includes employees in their first year on the job.  

For those who are interested in a career in the federal government, the current hiring freeze and reductions in force can make that path feel uncertain. This uncertainty may mean that talented individuals early in their careers need to come up with plan B if the federal government was their planned destination.  

Whether you’re a recent grad beginning a job search for the first time or an early career federal employee looking to find what’s next, ask yourself, “What was it about the government, or a specific agency, that excited me? Was it the mission? The chance to solve complex problems using my distinct skill set? The ability to make a difference?” 

Whatever that core motivation was, it’s still there.  

The federal government is one entry point into public service, but it’s not the only one. You can make an impact through state and local government, nonprofits, non-governmental organizations, higher education or even mission-driven roles in the private sector.  

The landscape may look different right now, but your drive to serve is your foundation. So, what can you do now to keep moving forward? If you’re not sure which industry or roles to focus on, a skills assessment can be a helpful tool to identify the work you’re good at and the work you enjoy doing.  

A recent Partnership webinar provides great insights on how to conduct a skills assessment. Students and recent graduates underestimate how transferable their skills really are. To help you start making those connections, here are a few examples of how college and early career experience might translate into public sector roles: 

• Experience with intensive writing in an academic or professional setting? You have strong storytelling, editing and deadline management skills. These are crucial in government communications, public affairs and grant writing, where clear, compelling writing drives funding and policy impact. 

• Worked a front desk campus job? You’re adept at problem-solving, communicating and managing systems. Those skills show up every day in local government customer service roles, community outreach positions and agency operations. 

• Led a student club or organized events? You possess project management, budgeting, logistical and leadership skills, all valuable in entry-level roles in city planning departments, nonprofit program coordination and legislative offices. 

• Completed a senior research project or honors thesis? You conducted data analysis, research synthesis and long-form writing. These are essential skills for public policy work, analyst roles and evidence-based program design. 

• Managed a social media account for a club or department? You’re skilled in digital communications, an in-demand area for agencies trying to modernize their outreach and connect with the public online. 

Remember, you don’t have to figure this all out alone. Here are a few other tips to navigate your next step alongside your network.  

1. Check if your university’s career center offers services for alumni. Many host networking and recruitment events specifically for graduates.  

2. Reach out to others, such as alumni in your network, for an informational interview. Start with your university’s LinkedIn page, filter by alumni and look for people with career paths you admire. Don’t forget to prepare a few thoughtful questions to make the most of your conversation. 

3. If you can’t find a job in your desired industry right away, volunteering is a great way to stay connected to a community or cause. These experiences can lead to new relationships, build valuable skills and even turn into full-time roles.  

While the road to public service might not look like what you imagined, every step you take now—whether it’s a job, a volunteer role, a conversation with an alum or simply reflecting on what motivates you—is part of building a meaningful career.  

Keep asking yourself what kind of work lights you up and how you want to make an impact.  Stay curious, stay connected and trust that your commitment to service will lead you to a valuable career. 

Kristen Carroll manages the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program and supports the Partnership's Call to Serve Network.

Danica Harootian works with the Partnership’s Call to Serve Network, connecting higher education professionals and federal agencies to promote federal service and recruit the next generation of public servants.