1 answer
Jonathon
Student
Whitmore Lake, Michigan
15
Questions
1 answer
Jacob Model
Product Management
2
Answers
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Updated
Jacob’s Answer
I started working with governments (never in it) because government work is one of the best ways to make a positive difference in people's lives on a large scale. Working for the government is very different than being a politician. Politicians get a lot of attention during campaigns, but it is the civil servants - the people who aren't elected who run government services - who actually get things done.
Nonprofits often provide critical services to local communities, which is great. But small changes in government policy can make a huge difference. For example, the stimulus package the Federal government passed in March 2021 is estimated to reduce child poverty in the US by over 40% (see https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2021/02/23/495784/expanded-child-tax-credit-lift-millions-children-poverty/).
A lot of people criticize government work for being slow and having a lot of rules. This is true in many cases. Changes can take years to happen. Changes need to be approved by many different stakeholders. They are typically reviewed by different stakeholders. So you have to be very patient and persistent.
The general rule is the more local the government, the more nimble.
Nonprofits often provide critical services to local communities, which is great. But small changes in government policy can make a huge difference. For example, the stimulus package the Federal government passed in March 2021 is estimated to reduce child poverty in the US by over 40% (see https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2021/02/23/495784/expanded-child-tax-credit-lift-millions-children-poverty/).
A lot of people criticize government work for being slow and having a lot of rules. This is true in many cases. Changes can take years to happen. Changes need to be approved by many different stakeholders. They are typically reviewed by different stakeholders. So you have to be very patient and persistent.
The general rule is the more local the government, the more nimble.