80: What It’s Like to Be an NGO Policy Advisor w/ Emily Schaefer, Mercy Corps [Main T4C episode]

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Emily Schaefer is a Policy Advisor at the global humanitarian and development organization, Mercy Corps. But that was far from her first job at Mercy Corps.  In 2013, Emily got her foot in the door as an intern on the Policy and Advocacy team. Following her internship she got another break when a job opened up for the Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Global Engagement & Policy (spoiler alert:  Andrea was in that role) and Office Administrator. Emily held those positions for 2 years before getting promoted, yet again, to become an Associate Policy Advisor. Since then Emily has steadily climbed the ladder on the Policy team at Mercy Corps. Prior to her time at Mercy Corps, Emily interned at the U.S. State Department in the Office of the Senior Advisor for Innovation. Emily attended McDaniel College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and double major in Political Science and International Studies, with a focus in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE

• What a Policy Advisor does at Mercy Corps
• What the day-to-day responsibilities are of a Policy Advisor
• How to be get an internship at a global NGO like Mercy Corps
• How there is a difference between working quickly and working smart
• How to ‘manage up’ on the job even as an intern
• What you should include in your applications for internships
• Why you must include a cover letter and how to write a really effective one to break through the noise
• How to do a strong interview for an internship or job