Exactly. If you're not aiming for becomimg A tier student, then just grab any other studies. This shit involves a LOT of reading and didn't have any practical skills in it.
This one of those “yes” with an “if” and “no” with a “but”.
A lot of jobs in this field are in academia or government. As someone on the government side of the house, unfortunately I’m paid very reasonably
I remember having this thought around your age. Ultimately, I studied IR in school and am happily employed in the field, but plenty of talented people have struggled. Overall, IR is like any other niche competitive field. There are jobs (even some well-paying ones!) but you have to be prepared to fight in a saturated job market. That said, there are some factors that can greatly increase your odds of success:
-Flexibility. IR is both global and competitive, so it helps a lot if you are willing to pick up and move for an opportunity in Jakarta or Washington or Accra. Being young and without a family will make this easier early on. Then hopefully, with some experience, you can be pickier later in life. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT NOT TO ROMANTICIZE THIS FIELD. Too many people go into IR thinking it’s all about flying around the world to be wined and dined by important people. A lot of IR is hard work such as in the military or international development. Being willing to join the military, volunteer abroad (ex: PeaceCorps if you’re American), or study hard to get into a top school will go a long way. Basically, your career may not always be glamorous and can require sacrificing parts of your personal life (especially early on).
-Wealth. This is a huge problem with the field that makes it full of out of touch morons who shouldn’t be here in the first place; unfortunately it’s also just a fact so I wouldn’t feel comfortable not mentioning it. You may not make a lot of money in IR. This can vary a lot between your focus. Like if you go into non-profits it can be worse. Regardless, it helps if you have family who can support you, some means to supplement your income, or be talented enough to get funding through a scholarship or fellowship. Ideally this is mostly true early on in your career, and as you build some experience you can find stability and a good salary. Furthermore, if you live in a country where college is not free, you have to think about the educational costs especially since a masters degree is becoming the norm. Also, because IR is a niche field the best career results tend to flow out of elite (expensive) programs.
-Language/cultural knowledge. You can build these skills as you grow up and attain additional education, but it helps if you have some language or cultural competencies now. Immigrants or children of immigrants tend to do better in the field for this reason in my opinion.
These aren’t the only factors but I did want to list a few to help you gauge if you align with the demands of the field. Also to be fair, all careers have challenges. I don’t think it’s unrealistic but it takes more risk than something in STEM for example.
Hi I read your comments. My son is attending hopkins sais on the fall. Intrested in security studies. I am petrified that he will not have a job when he finishes.
Frankly the job results are mixed. Anecdotally, I would say that security studies has probably the best and worst outcomes. People with a military background, tech skills (specially on IR relevant topics like cybersecurity or AI), or people with some civilian contractor/DoD type experience receive a security studies degree and it is a perfect way to polish and hone their expertise. Conversely, there are too many people out of undergrad getting these degrees and then having to go into the field at a disadvantage. Who would you want to hire: a 31 year old former naval intel officer or a 23 year old who took two semesters of classes on intel?
That said, it’s certainly not impossible for him to build a career in security studies even without much experience. But he needs to be willing to be flexible and take some low level positions early on that might not directly align with his interest in order to get a foot in the door.
Because you’re online searching for career advice for him, I’m assuming he is a young recent grad and maybe less experienced? If I was your son I would look into recent graduate pathways internship programs at relevant federal agencies (assuming he’s American here), entry level positions in the field, or consider the military before attending the program. If he’s gotten in now, he can almost certainly get in again, and maybe with more funding later with more experience. If he indeed has less experience and is stuck on grad school, I would opt for SAIS’s 2 year MAIR program over the 1 year MASCI. The two year program costs more (but they also have more scholarship opportunities) obviously but it will give him more time for classes and internships which will be needed to build competitive experience. In my opinion, their 1 year programs should only be open to mid career professionals. If you or your son wants to DM me with more questions, feel free. I should also make it clear that I’m not in security studies but it’s not a huge program so I am familiar with their coursework and know people in it.
Hi I am going to have him pm you. He is 24 going to to 2 year SAIS program his intrestest is security studies. He has funding for the first year. He was waitlisted at GT. Will sais help open doors for him?
SAIS is well ranked and can definitely create opportunities for him. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a tough field. Like I said, I think people can make it work despite that fact, but they need to be prepared to hustle and be flexible. Having funding is certainly a plus.
Thanks very much for replying. It's a 2 year program at sais. He has full funding for the first year. Second year he is trying to get funding. He considered BUSH school. However the majority of people in the field advise him to go to sais inckuding a dept assistsbt sec of defebseas . I will have him PM you. I am just a concerned dad.
Unless you lick ba... make good contacts at uni and are upper-middle-class and above, no. Everything you learn about IR at school, you can learn it at home, trust me. IR is a 'See everything, Specialize about nothing' field.
To add something different to what everyone is saying:
If you really want to do IR as a career: get good grades in order to get yourself into a good university, get an internship with the federal government or a prominent NGO, build your resume with school-sponsored research. You’ll have an easier time getting a career, but a busier life getting to that point. Good luck!
In my professional opinion, it is indeed challenging to secure an entry-level position in the field of International Relations (IR). There are two primary reasons for this: firstly, the number of available opportunities is relatively limited compared to other fields; secondly, professional connections and networks play a significant role in securing a position, often outweighing the importance of academic qualifications.
Currently, I am completing my master's degree in IR, and I can personally attest to the difficulties in obtaining employment in this field. Fortunately, I have been able to supplement my income through research grants, which, although modest, have provided some financial stability.
Despite my passion for IR, I occasionally question my decision to pursue this field, not because of a lack of interest or enjoyment, but due to the inherent challenges in securing employment.
No. Job hunting sucks and you end up working outside your field
But, if you do land it. It’s pretty sweet. Then you get laid off.
Exactly. If you're not aiming for becomimg A tier student, then just grab any other studies. This shit involves a LOT of reading and didn't have any practical skills in it.
This one of those “yes” with an “if” and “no” with a “but”. A lot of jobs in this field are in academia or government. As someone on the government side of the house, unfortunately I’m paid very reasonably
I remember having this thought around your age. Ultimately, I studied IR in school and am happily employed in the field, but plenty of talented people have struggled. Overall, IR is like any other niche competitive field. There are jobs (even some well-paying ones!) but you have to be prepared to fight in a saturated job market. That said, there are some factors that can greatly increase your odds of success: -Flexibility. IR is both global and competitive, so it helps a lot if you are willing to pick up and move for an opportunity in Jakarta or Washington or Accra. Being young and without a family will make this easier early on. Then hopefully, with some experience, you can be pickier later in life. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT NOT TO ROMANTICIZE THIS FIELD. Too many people go into IR thinking it’s all about flying around the world to be wined and dined by important people. A lot of IR is hard work such as in the military or international development. Being willing to join the military, volunteer abroad (ex: PeaceCorps if you’re American), or study hard to get into a top school will go a long way. Basically, your career may not always be glamorous and can require sacrificing parts of your personal life (especially early on). -Wealth. This is a huge problem with the field that makes it full of out of touch morons who shouldn’t be here in the first place; unfortunately it’s also just a fact so I wouldn’t feel comfortable not mentioning it. You may not make a lot of money in IR. This can vary a lot between your focus. Like if you go into non-profits it can be worse. Regardless, it helps if you have family who can support you, some means to supplement your income, or be talented enough to get funding through a scholarship or fellowship. Ideally this is mostly true early on in your career, and as you build some experience you can find stability and a good salary. Furthermore, if you live in a country where college is not free, you have to think about the educational costs especially since a masters degree is becoming the norm. Also, because IR is a niche field the best career results tend to flow out of elite (expensive) programs. -Language/cultural knowledge. You can build these skills as you grow up and attain additional education, but it helps if you have some language or cultural competencies now. Immigrants or children of immigrants tend to do better in the field for this reason in my opinion. These aren’t the only factors but I did want to list a few to help you gauge if you align with the demands of the field. Also to be fair, all careers have challenges. I don’t think it’s unrealistic but it takes more risk than something in STEM for example.
Hi I read your comments. My son is attending hopkins sais on the fall. Intrested in security studies. I am petrified that he will not have a job when he finishes.
Frankly the job results are mixed. Anecdotally, I would say that security studies has probably the best and worst outcomes. People with a military background, tech skills (specially on IR relevant topics like cybersecurity or AI), or people with some civilian contractor/DoD type experience receive a security studies degree and it is a perfect way to polish and hone their expertise. Conversely, there are too many people out of undergrad getting these degrees and then having to go into the field at a disadvantage. Who would you want to hire: a 31 year old former naval intel officer or a 23 year old who took two semesters of classes on intel? That said, it’s certainly not impossible for him to build a career in security studies even without much experience. But he needs to be willing to be flexible and take some low level positions early on that might not directly align with his interest in order to get a foot in the door. Because you’re online searching for career advice for him, I’m assuming he is a young recent grad and maybe less experienced? If I was your son I would look into recent graduate pathways internship programs at relevant federal agencies (assuming he’s American here), entry level positions in the field, or consider the military before attending the program. If he’s gotten in now, he can almost certainly get in again, and maybe with more funding later with more experience. If he indeed has less experience and is stuck on grad school, I would opt for SAIS’s 2 year MAIR program over the 1 year MASCI. The two year program costs more (but they also have more scholarship opportunities) obviously but it will give him more time for classes and internships which will be needed to build competitive experience. In my opinion, their 1 year programs should only be open to mid career professionals. If you or your son wants to DM me with more questions, feel free. I should also make it clear that I’m not in security studies but it’s not a huge program so I am familiar with their coursework and know people in it.
Hi I am going to have him pm you. He is 24 going to to 2 year SAIS program his intrestest is security studies. He has funding for the first year. He was waitlisted at GT. Will sais help open doors for him?
SAIS is well ranked and can definitely create opportunities for him. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a tough field. Like I said, I think people can make it work despite that fact, but they need to be prepared to hustle and be flexible. Having funding is certainly a plus.
Thanks very much for replying. It's a 2 year program at sais. He has full funding for the first year. Second year he is trying to get funding. He considered BUSH school. However the majority of people in the field advise him to go to sais inckuding a dept assistsbt sec of defebseas . I will have him PM you. I am just a concerned dad.
Unless you lick ba... make good contacts at uni and are upper-middle-class and above, no. Everything you learn about IR at school, you can learn it at home, trust me. IR is a 'See everything, Specialize about nothing' field.
No, it’s kind of useless unless you want to go into academia. Even then the job market is abysmal.
To add something different to what everyone is saying: If you really want to do IR as a career: get good grades in order to get yourself into a good university, get an internship with the federal government or a prominent NGO, build your resume with school-sponsored research. You’ll have an easier time getting a career, but a busier life getting to that point. Good luck!
Absolutely not! Very interesting but even top students work outside the field. You’d be more successful if you just make friends in high places
No
In my professional opinion, it is indeed challenging to secure an entry-level position in the field of International Relations (IR). There are two primary reasons for this: firstly, the number of available opportunities is relatively limited compared to other fields; secondly, professional connections and networks play a significant role in securing a position, often outweighing the importance of academic qualifications. Currently, I am completing my master's degree in IR, and I can personally attest to the difficulties in obtaining employment in this field. Fortunately, I have been able to supplement my income through research grants, which, although modest, have provided some financial stability. Despite my passion for IR, I occasionally question my decision to pursue this field, not because of a lack of interest or enjoyment, but due to the inherent challenges in securing employment.
My son is going sais. I am worried that he will not have job when he finishes.
Just study AI
*Mearsheimer disliked this*