I am a rising freshman majoring in International Policy, and I was wondering whether it is wise to keep a backup option considering the job market?

I just graduated college last year and was an International Affairs major and a Chinese minor and had no issues finding a job upon graduation. It's really great to hear that you are a freshman since there are so many great opportunities out there that I only found out about towards the end of my college career. If you can, learn a foreign language (critical language if possible), develop a regional or topical speciality, and start hunting for internships. The U.S. Government has tons of internship opportunities and I would suggest creating an account on USAjobs.gov and start searching for internships.

I interned twice with the Department of State (once overseas and once in DC) and the Department of Commerce once (overseas) and those internships were the highlight of my college experience. Not only were they the best times of life, but they were also a critical differentiator when it came to interviews. The job market may seem scary and hopeless, but if you really apply yourself and get involved you will have multiple options upon graduation. I currently work as a consultant with PwC which may seem like a huge jump from International Affairs, but it really isn't because the skills you develop as an IA major are applicable to almost anything.

That being said, it never hurts to develop multiple skill sets and have a back up plan.

There are many jobs available dealing with international policy. For the best chance at success, make sure that you not only have a good knowledge of a broad range of international issues -- economics, human rights, civil-military affairs, etc -- but also develop good skills. Learn to write clearly and concisely, be comfortable with understanding and manipulating data, and foster close interpersonal relationships.