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Getting Started: Careers in National & International Security
Bookmark SPL’s Career Resources page to stay ahead of your career or internship search. On this page you will find …
- Career Search Tips
- Career Search Resources
- Résumé Writing Tips
- A Guide to USAjobs.gov
- Internship Sites
- Career Sites
- Federal Careers
- Consultancy, NGOs, & NFP Careers
- Private Sector Careers
- Get Published!
- SPL Employers
Deep Dive—Begin your job search by identifying employers that are a close match for your interests, skill set, needs, and education—SPL’s list of career sites and of employers (that is, those that have employed SPL alums) below can get you started.
Focus First—Because there are hundreds of fields, agencies, companies, and locations for national and international security employment, if you are not clear on what you are looking for, you could get swallowed by a black hole of open job announcements. When listing what you’re looking for, consider not just your skill set and education, but what inspires you, what employment trends there are, and where SPL students are being successful. By doing this, you can focus your search to a few types of careers. Also consider the work environment, location, and conditions you are looking for—Do you want to move to Washington, DC? Will you consider overseas posts? Are you looking for flexible work hours?
Rational Research—The number of national security, counterterrorism, and development career sites out there can be overwhelming. This webpage will help you cut to the chase, but it’s by no means comprehensive. We list USAJobs.gov—a primary site you should bookmark—as well as individual department, agency, company, and organization career pages. But don’t forget to search via job and career fairs; online at LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook; and via the College of Law or Maxwell School career sites.
Network Knowledge—Keep building your circle of teachers, friends, colleagues, and SPL alumni who can help you with career ideas and places and people to contact. If you haven’t done so already, create a LinkedIn page that is a reflection of your resume and begin forming connections.
Résumé Review—Your résumé should be a “living document” that is tailored for each job you are applying to. LinkedIn is a good place to record the basics of your career path, but you must customize your resume each time you apply for a job—scan an application for keywords and competencies that you can highlight in your résumé.
Critical Keywords—These days, your résumé’s keywords MUST match the language used in the job description in order to get you past first-level screeners (which can be “bots” in some cases). In the first round, many employers will award your résumé points based on keyword matching, but points also can be awarded by noting military service, disabled status, school service, and volunteer work related to the job.
Career Search Resources
- Guides to Federal Jobs
- ABA SCOLANS Careers in National Security Law
- ABA National Security Career Planning
- National Security Law: A Career Guide
- ABA Networking Tips
- Go Government: Find your fit in the federal government
- Working in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance: A Career Guide
SPL Panel Discussion: “What National Security Lawyers Do?”
Tailor Made—Although you should keep a general record of your career and education somewhere (we suggest on LinkedIn), don’t submit a one-size-fits-all standard resume to a wide variety of positions. Tailor each resume to a specific job description.
Custom Fit—Your custom résumé should mirror language used to describe the position. Carefully review the position description, focusing on the “duties,” “qualifications,” and “requirements” sections and include keywords and key phrases in your tailored résumé.
Clear Focus—It’s better to spend time and space emphasizing and re-emphasizing areas where your experience or education overlaps with the duties and qualifications listed in the announcement than merely listing every place you have worked.
Numbers Game—Numbers impress, especially when they “show” leadership and change agency (rather than your résumé “telling” these qualities). Percentages, numbers, and data can describe the specific impact you had in a particular job (“under my leadership, social media engagement increased 200%.”) Highlight money saved, time saved, and processes expedited. Be sure your statements are accurate and can be backed up.
Details, Details—Provide as much detail as possible, but be concise. Wordy or irrelevant information will only confuse the reader. When tailoring your resume, delete education or experiences that do not relate to the position.
In Context—Do not assume the reader is familiar with organizations you have worked for. Provide context when appropriate, but omit unnecessary details: the quality of the information is more important than the quantity.
KSA—Some jobs also may require you to submit a Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities document, or KSA, which usually includes an essay. To get the most points on these essays, you should provide specific anecdotes that show how you successfully demonstrated certain skills in past jobs.
Go Beyond—Include skills and achievements that go beyond your work experience and education. Think about activities that might also qualify you for a job, such as volunteer experiences, unique projects, awards, certificates, and subjects mastered.
Know the System—Some organizations use online application systems and may require an online résumé in addition to a paper or PDF version. If you have any questions about what documents to send, contact the agency’s human resources representative for clarification.
Check Please!—Don’t forget to edit and proofread your résumé. Better yet, get a friend or a colleague to do it for you, so that fresh eyes see your work.
Also …
- Use short declarative sentences, avoiding the first person (e.g., begin descriptive sentences with a verb: “Demonstrated legal skill …”).
- Use bullet points rather than long paragraphs.
- Simple formatting is best—common typefaces, clear headings, normal margins.
- Use specifics whenever possible—numbers, actual tasks, project titles.
- Be careful of AREs (Acronym Rich Environments)—don’t assume your audience will know what an acronym means; spell them out in full and describe them whenever appropriate.
A Guide to USAJobs.gov: Careers & Internships
USAjobs.gov is the official search engine for federal jobs and internships (often called “Pathways” programs—see below). Nearly all government job and internship openings are posted on this site and each job/internship announcement includes details about duties, minimum qualifications, basic benefits, and application instructions.
Setting Up—Before searching on USAjobs.gov, set up your account, which you will need when applying for a job. If you wish, you can begin to store tailored résumés within your account (but be careful about treating these as “generic” résumés—every job you apply for might require a customized résumé).
And/Or—USAjobs.gov uses a keyword search. It’s important to combine and refine keywords for the type of job you are looking for, so that you avoid scrolling through hundreds of jobs. You do not have to use Boolean search terms on this site (and/or/not); rather, string keywords together, as in this example: Intelligence Law Legal Counsel Attorney. For internships, add the keywords intern internship pathways. The advanced search function can help you refine your search by excluding certain keywords, as in a Boolean search.
Location, Location—Before searching, decide where you are willing to be located. USAjobs.gov includes a location search to further refine results.
Getting Closer—Other search refinements can be made on the USAjobs.gov search page, including refining by salary, GS grade level, and department/agency.
Job Alert!—A useful feature, you can save a well-refined search string and set up a RSS feed to give you alerts when a suitable position is posted.
Paper Chase—Job applications might require that other documents be uploaded—such as a college transcript, DD‐214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), or KSA essay (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)—or that additional forms be completed, such as biographical data pages or assessment questionnaires.
Go Government Guide to USAJOBS.gov USA Jobs Help Center
Internship Sites
Here the SPL career resources page provides links to dozens of internships in the fields of national security, counterterrorism, defense, human rights, peacebuilding, and capacity-building.
Students & Grads: USAjobs Pathways Program
Career Sites
While not exhaustive, our list of federal, JAG, and consultancies, international organizations, NGOs, and not-for-profits job sites will help you get started on your career or internship search. In many cases, these organizations have hired SPL alumni in the past (see break-out box below).
FEDERAL CAREERS
USAjobs.gov FederalGovernment US House Employment Information
Don’t forget to sign up for email alerts at the sites above, and others!
US Department of Defense
Marine Corps Intelligence Department
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
US Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency (NOTE: sign up for FEMA job alerts here.)
Office of Intelligence and Analysis
US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT)
US Department of Justice
US Department of State
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Bureau of Intelligence and Research
Bureau of International Organization Affairs
Bureau for International Narcotics & Law Enforcement Affairs
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
Office of Global Criminal Justice
US Agency for International Development
Other Federal & Intelligence Careers
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Energy Office of Intelligence
Department of the Treasury Office of Intelligence and Analysis
National Air & Space Intelligence Center
National Reconnaissance Office
National Security Agency (NOTE: The NSA runs an Honors program that opens up every August, accepting applications from 3L national security law students.)
DATA PRIVACY & SECURITY CAREERS
CONSULTANCY, NGO, NFP, & THINK TANK CAREERS
PRIVATE SECTOR CAREERS
- Anti-Corruption
- International Law
- Mass Torts
- National Security
- Privacy and Data Security
- Defense Policy and the Law
- FEMA Dispute Resolution
- Privacy and Data Security
BAL (Berry, Appleman, & Leiden LLP)
- Immigration Law
- Global Migration
- Government Relations
- Security Clearance & Polygraph
- Whistleblower
- Anti-Corruption
- Cybersecurity
- Data Protection
- Immigration Law
- Mass Torts
- Privacy and Data Security
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- Government Relations
- Israeli Relations
- Anti-Corruption
- Sanctions
- Immigration Law
- International Law
- Human Rights Law
- Immigration Law
- International Law
- Privacy and Data Security
- Sanctions
- Government Relations
- Immigration Law
- IT Law
- Privacy and Data Security
- UAS Law
- Cybersecurity
- Facilities Security
- Maritime Security
- Cybersecurity and Privacy
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom LLP
- Cybersecurity and Privacy
- Mass Torts
- National Security
- Cybersecurity
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- Privacy and Data Security
- UAS Law
- Whistleblower Actions
- Government Relations
- Homeland Security
- Critical Infrastructure
- Risk Management
- Cybersecurity
- Facilities Security
- Maritime Security
PwC (PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLC)
- Aerospace and Defense
- Chemical Security
- Cybersecurity
Get Published!
But first, some reading …
- This resource is about submitting law student articles for publication and is by University of Missouri School of Law professors. It includes a chart of the policies of 194 law reviews with respect to whether they will publish student articles, comments, etc.
- This essay is by Lawfare‘s Jack Goldsmith, who teaches at Harvard Law. He asks, “Why write for the public in law school?” A useful piece for a young legal writer to read.
Some Writing Venues
Several journals and writing competitions have sent Calls for Papers to SPL in the last few years, indicating that they encourage submissions from students and practitioners in the fields of security and counterterrorism:
- ABA SCOLANS Annual National Security Writing Competition
- ASIL International Humanitarian Law Student Writing Competition
- Harvard National Security Journal
- Homeland Security Affairs
- Infinity Journal
- Journal of Applied Security Research
- Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Journal of International Relations Research
- Journal of Security Sector Management
- Perspectives on Terrorism
- RUSI Trench Gascoigne Essay Prize
- Security Dialogue
- Strife (co-founded by Lauren Mellinger, an SPL alumna!)
- Virginia Journal of International Law
Links and information about these and other security, international affairs, and development journals can be found at our Academic Resources page.
SPL Employers
Just some of the organizations that have employed SPL alumni since 2003. For more detail, visit our Alumni & Students page.
Bureau of Diplomatic Security
Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Centers for Disease Control
Central Intelligence Agency
Cyber and National Security Unit, US Office of Management and Budget
Executive Office of the US President
Federal Communications Commission
FEMA Recovery Directorate
Foreign Service Institute
Government Accountability Office
House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT)
International Security Assistance Force, CJIATF-Afghanistan
National Nuclear Security Administration
National Security Agency
National Security Council
Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, US Department of State
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs, US DOD
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Office of Foreign Assets Control, US Department of the Treasury
Office of Global Women’s Issues, US DOS
Office of the Inspector General, US DOJ
Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US DHS
Office of the Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, US DOD
Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), US AID
Office of War Crimes Issues, US DOS
Postal Regulatory Commission
Social Security Administration
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)
US Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Weapons Removal
US Agency for International Development
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
US Environmental Protection Agency
US Global Leadership Coalition
US Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, US DHS
US Office of Personnel Management
US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
US Transportation Security Administration
Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit
International Criminal Court
International Justice Mission
International Monetary Fund
International Organization for Migration
UN Development Assistance Frameworks
UN Development Programme
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
UN Joint Inspection Unit
UN Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth
UNICEF HIV/AIDS Programme
The World Bank
World Food Programme
Air Combat Command, US Air Force
Bundeswehr (German Army)
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency
Judge Advocate General’s Corps
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
NATO Allied Joint Force Command
NATO Cooperative Cyber Security Centre of Excellence
Naval Air Systems Command
Naval Justice School
Naval Surface Warfare Center
National Security Innovation Network
Operational Law Branch, Judge Advocate Division, US Marine Corps
Regional Command East, Afghanistan
Southern European Task Force
Striking Force NATO
US Air Force
US Army
US Coast Guard
US Maine Corps
US Navy
US Pacific Command
Airbus Group, Inc.
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
Blank Rome LLP
DevTech Systems, Inc.
DynCorp
Innovative Federal Strategies
Interos Solutions, Inc.
iSIGHT Partners
Lockheed Martin
mayato
Microsoft
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
Seneca Solutions
Atlantic Council
Booz Allen Hamilton
Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security
Brookings Institution
CAMRIS International
The Carter Center
Catalyst Partners
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Chemonics International
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Creative Associates International
Cybereason
Cydecor
Deloitte
Delta Resources
emissary LLC
Forcier Consulting
Institute for Defense Analyses
Institute for the Study of War
New America Foundation
North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Quadel Consulting Corporation
PAE
Roland Berger
Signal Group Consulting
Wikistrat
Wittenberg Weiner Consulting
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
American Red Cross
Boulder Institute of Microfinance
Caritas Switzerland
Congressional Hunger Center
FHI 360
Global Health Action
Innovative Agriculture Research Initiative
International Justice Mission
International Medical Corps
The Jewish Federations of North America
Karuna Center for Peacebuilding
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Near East Foundation
OXFAM America
Partners In Health
Population Services International
Reprieve UK
Robert H. Jackson Center
Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
World Vision
American Society of International Law
Center for Health and Homeland Security, University of Maryland
Hanyang Cyber University
Hume Center for National Security and Technology at Virginia Tech
LIU-Brooklyn
National Defense University
National Security Education Program
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies