>> You know, the great thing about working on foreign policy and national security issues is,
you know, what we increasingly focus on is a wide range of things.
You know, during the cold war it used to be a very discreet set of issues.
But since then, it's brought into include everything from economic development
and assistance and communications and trade issues,
climate change to still traditional security issues.
So you can enter and work government work on these issues with a wide variety of backgrounds.
What's really just important, I think, is that you be passionate about the issues
and that you be prepared to be persistent about the process.
You know, there's no clear way sometimes into a government agency.
There's a lot of bureaucracy even though things have been streamlines
over the past several years.
It's still a very extended process of applying for a job, waiting for security clearance.
And so you just have to be persistent and focus.
But it really helps if you can get your foot in the door,
have that first summer internship experience whether working in a government agency
or the Think Tank, a nongovernmental organization.
Just something in Washington.
It's a very tight knit community.
Lots of people know each other.
So just getting your foot in the door really helps you begin to develop that network
and build relationships that will help serve you and get you on the right path.