Working at the Parliament. Does it help when applying?

[ambitiousfolk]

Does working at the Parliament in my country and specifically in a department that almost directly related to my major of interest (International affairs) could help give more weight to my resume/cv when the admission committee review my application? I will be applying to an MA of Political Science, with either an emphasis on Comparative Politics or IR.

 

I have heard some contradicting ideas, some say it may not matter at all, some say it matters but not very much, some say the opposite. What do you think guys?

 

 

[victorydance]

More depends on what you were specifically doing. It could be relevant or entirely irrelevant.

 

In the absence of academic research experience, work experience can be a "remedy" if it is research based. That being said, I don't think it puts you ahead of any candidates, particularly those who have academic research experience. If you have both academic and work-related research experience and manage to weave those together well in your SOP, that is something that can really differentiate yourself from the pack.

[ambitiousfolk]

I am enrolled as a graduate college student at my home country pursuing MA in Political Science and have experienced a significant academic research experiences at that level with a stellar GPA (3.70+). As for my work, it can be relevant to my major as I have wrote papers on topics with main interests in Political Science.

 

So does my current MA research experience (graduate school enrollment) and work will be taken into consideration substantially?

[cooperstreet]

who knows. it will help, marginally, not at all, or a lot. totally depends on the adcom. The only slam dunks for 'this will help a lot' are publications in peer-reviewed respected journals in your field.  But that is exceedingly rare.