Here at Shmoop, we pride ourselves on our human qualities, and on your human qualities. We can't help it; we dig people. Sure, dogs are fun, cats are alright, and even fish can be interesting to look at, but there's something about people that just really impresses us.

 

This would be much less creepy if there were buildings everywhere. (Source)

First, humans have thumbs, which are great for holding things as well as expressing approval (or disapproval, depending on the direction of said thumb). Second, we can control fire, which is pretty handy for cooking stuff we want to eat and protecting us from things that want to eat us, like lions, tigers, and chipmunks (we're on to you, woodland fiends). Finally, and we think most importantly, is civilization―the human desire to come together as a group to make life just a little less scary.

In order for civilization to function, the underlying systems that support it have to be in working order. From housing to food supply to infrastructure to sanitation to public works to whether we want another Chipotle in town, people have to join together to make sure these things work in tandem for the benefit of society. That's the daunting-yet-exciting job of the public administrator.

Other words that can be used to describe at least some parts of this profession include bureaucrat, analyst, diplomat, supervisor, civil engineer, city planner, manager, bridge troll, social worker, and lawmaker, although we may have made one of those up. 

Those words only begin to scratch the surface of a career in public service. On average, any of those words will be worth around $59,000 a year to you, although a lifetime spent in administration could wind up a $100,000+ gig (source).

Public administrator isn't one of those careers that you just kind of fall into. If you want in, you're certainly going to work for it. That means graduating high school (absolutely), going to college (most definitely), moving on to grad school (good idea), assistant-ing in an office, and meeting with the public on a regular basis.

A bachelor's degree is good for having a lot of choices and quickly getting into a career, while a masters will help you specialize in some particular area of study that sends your heart aflutter (source). 

You'll spend at least four and possibly up to eight years studying the various ins and outs of public administration, from how to get people to give you money and track every cent you've spent to explaining to the people exactly why it needed to be spent.

 

Trust us, they're useful. (Source)

And yes, it does mean a couple of math classes. Sorry.

Even with all the varied career choices available to you, a life lived in service of the public is still not for everyone. Every little thing you do will be budgeted and scrutinized. There will be reams of paperwork, and you'll have to account for every single expenditure; from the largest to the tiniest and most insignificant-seeming. Most importantly, you have to be willing to put the needs of the target community―be they working families, homeless dogs, or the entire city of Chicago―above your own.

The trade-off is all of the good feels that come with it. There's the incredible sense of accomplishment this job will bring. You get to help people, either on a regular basis or when they're at their most desperate and vulnerable. And of course, business meetings with special interest groups means awesome buffet spreads.

And maybe, if you do your job right, the public will use their biggest human advantage and give you the thumbs up in return.

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