Table 1Transition record

economisttopolitical scientist

A economist already meets 71% of what the political scientist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From economist

71%

Overlap1

To political scientist

45 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

41.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 41.5

This move: 41.5 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the political scientist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the economist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 45 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A political scientist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a economist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held political economy social sciences, journalism and information
already held public administration social sciences, journalism and information
already held conduct public surveys information skills
already held assess risk factors information skills
already held perform public relations communication, collaboration and creativity
already held develop scientific theories information skills

All 45 carried skills, including the 34 the political scientist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 31 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 social sciences, journalism and information 5 required, 8 supplementary

required, not held government policy required
required, not held government policy implementation required
required, not held political ideologies required
required, not held political science required
required, not held politics required

optional, not held European integration optional
optional, not held European political studies optional
optional, not held good governance optional
optional, not held African studies optional
optional, not held political campaigning optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held social network analysis optional
optional, not held sociology optional

02 information skills 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held report analysis results required

optional, not held analyse election procedures optional
optional, not held analyse foreign affairs policies optional
optional, not held observe new developments in foreign countries optional

03 generic programmes and qualifications 1 required

required, not held research design required

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 9 supplementary

optional, not held advise legislators optional
optional, not held advise on foreign affairs policies optional
optional, not held advise on legislative acts optional
optional, not held advise on public relations optional
optional, not held apply teaching strategies optional
optional, not held develop professional network optional
optional, not held maintain relationships with government agencies optional
optional, not held provide technical expertise optional
optional, not held teach political science optional

05 business, administration and law 3 supplementary

optional, not held election law optional
optional, not held foreign affairs optional
optional, not held international law optional

06 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 supplementary

optional, not held geography optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a political scientist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 45 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply for research funding skill
already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
already held apply scientific methods skill
already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
already held conduct research across disciplines skill
already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
already held evaluate research activities skill
already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
already held manage intellectual property rights skill
already held manage open publications skill
already held manage personal professional development skill
already held manage research data skill
already held mentor individuals skill
already held operate open source software skill
already held perform project management skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held political economy knowledge
already held promote open innovation in research skill
already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
already held publish academic research skill
already held scientific research methodology knowledge
already held speak different languages skill
already held statistics knowledge
already held synthesise information skill
already held think abstractly skill
already held write scientific publications skill
already held apply blended learning skill
already held assess risk factors skill
already held conduct public surveys skill
already held conduct qualitative research skill
already held conduct quantitative research skill
already held develop scientific theories skill
already held economics knowledge
already held perform public relations skill
already held public administration knowledge
already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
already held write research proposals skill

24 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held European integration optional
optional, not held European political studies optional
optional, not held good governance optional
optional, not held African studies optional
optional, not held advise legislators optional
optional, not held advise on foreign affairs policies optional
optional, not held advise on legislative acts optional
optional, not held advise on public relations optional
optional, not held analyse election procedures optional
optional, not held analyse foreign affairs policies optional
optional, not held apply teaching strategies optional
optional, not held develop professional network optional
optional, not held election law optional
optional, not held foreign affairs optional
optional, not held geography optional
optional, not held international law optional
optional, not held maintain relationships with government agencies optional
optional, not held observe new developments in foreign countries optional
optional, not held political campaigning optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held provide technical expertise optional
optional, not held social network analysis optional
optional, not held sociology optional
optional, not held teach political science optional

38 held skills the political scientist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role Monte Carlo simulation knowledge
not needed by the target role accounting techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on economic development skill
not needed by the target role analyse economic trends skill
not needed by the target role analyse financial performance of a company skill
not needed by the target role analyse market financial trends skill
not needed by the target role business analytics knowledge
not needed by the target role business management principles knowledge
not needed by the target role civil law knowledge
not needed by the target role commercial law knowledge
not needed by the target role content marketing strategy knowledge
not needed by the target role cryptocurrency knowledge
not needed by the target role develop economic policies skill
not needed by the target role development economics knowledge
not needed by the target role economic anthropology knowledge
not needed by the target role empirical analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role environmental economics knowledge
not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
not needed by the target role financial analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role financial forecasting knowledge
not needed by the target role financial markets knowledge
not needed by the target role forecast economic trends skill
not needed by the target role fundamental analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role game theory knowledge
not needed by the target role international business knowledge
not needed by the target role international import export regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role market analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematical economics knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematical modelling knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
not needed by the target role project management knowledge
not needed by the target role provide cost benefit analysis reports skill
not needed by the target role public law knowledge
not needed by the target role quantitative analysis knowledge
not needed by the target role sales promotion techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role spatial planning knowledge
not needed by the target role tax legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role use business simulation tools skill

18 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held government policy required
required, not held government policy implementation required
required, not held political ideologies required
required, not held political science required
required, not held politics required
required, not held research design required
optional, not held European integration optional
optional, not held European political studies optional
optional, not held good governance optional
optional, not held African studies optional
optional, not held election law optional
optional, not held foreign affairs optional
optional, not held geography optional
optional, not held international law optional
optional, not held political campaigning optional
optional, not held political parties optional
optional, not held social network analysis optional
optional, not held sociology optional

Index

Other moves recorded from economist

Full index of moves from economist

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.