Job requirements
The subsections that follow are based on our experiences and our contributors’ experiences applying for RA positions and reviewing candidate applications, incorporating survey results and insights from RA managers and PIs. We are not able to give authoritative advice on what will or won’t help you land any particular RA position.
In general, you are well-prepared to succeed in an RA position if:
- You are enthusiastic about the specific position as well as economics research in general
- You are creative and enjoy problem-solving
- You have some analytical/coding skills
With the exception of the subsection on soft skills, we have broken up the following subsections into three parts each:
- strongly recommended,
- recommended, and
- bonus.
“Bonus” qualifications are those that we perceive would put you near the top of the RA applicant pool; “recommended” are qualifications that we perceive as common but are not strictly necessary; “strongly recommended” qualifications are those that we perceive to be more crucial for you to be a competitive applicant. Generally speaking, if you lack the “recommended” qualifications, you’ll want to especially emphasize any “bonus” strengths you have in other areas when you put together your application.