How does one become a member of a think tank?

Factual Questions
1

For a long time, when I started school, my plan was to get a BA in History, with a Minor in Military studies.

Since then, the plan has changed.

But at the time, I always thought it would be a good basis to try to get a job at a thinktank or war college.

Since then, I have learned that most war colleges reserve teaching posts for actual military personnel, but I am still curious about how one ends up being part of a thinktank.

It seems that were I to do the History with the military focus, that would pretty much be my only chance to actually use this knowledge.

2

Generally, you apply for them, like you do for any other job. Here’s a list of employment opportunities at the Brookings Institute:

http://www.brookings.edu/about/employment.aspx

If you want someplace more conservative/libertarian, here’s the Cato Institute:

http://www.cato.org/jobs/jobops.html

Since you’re more interested in the millitary, maybe the Center for Stategic and International Studies:

http://www.csis.org/about/jobs_interns/

3

Or, the Bland corporation…

4

Well, the Bland Corporation doesn’t exist as a think tank. The RAND corporation does, however, and here is their employment site.

http://www.rand.org/jobs/

5

A colleague of mine taught at one of the military staff colleges. She has a PhD from a well-known university, just as you’d expect from most other graduate level instructors or professors.

You may wish to look into getting an internship at a think tank. I suggest you spend some time looking at think tanks and see which ones cover fields you are interested in, then send them a resume and cover letter. But as has been said, getting a job at a think tank really isn’t any different than getting a job in sales or marketing or burger flipping. There are entry level positions in all of those areas, and you just have to start applying in order to find one of those jobs.

6

Fascinating.

Thanks guys!

off to polish up my resume…

7

Or, alternate between lobbyist and high-level government official for a decade, then retire and get a sweet appointment.