This document outlines the career path and educational requirements for a career in professional local government management. It recommends that high school students take government-related classes and consider internship opportunities. For undergraduate students, it suggests taking management and planning classes and pursuing internships. Graduate students should join a student chapter and also do internships. New graduates are encouraged to apply for intensive internship programs and fellowships to gain experience and should use ICMA resources to find their first job in local government management.

1. Roadmap to a Career in
Professional Local Government

2. So, you’re interested in a career in professional
local government management…
Good Idea. More than 73 percent of cities, towns, and counties across America
with populations of 2,500 or more have positions for professional managers who
oversee the day-to-day operations of their local government. Managers are
involved in thousands of individual decisions, large and small, that define our
communities and affect our quality of life.
To learn more about what a professional local government manager does, view our
Professional Manager Snapshot page.
Let’s get started! Click on one of the following options to proceed:
I am a high school student
I am an undergraduate student
I am a graduate student

3. High School
Professional local government managers almost always have a college degree, so the
next step for you as a high school student is to go to college. For now, though, consider
these tips and resources:
• Take classes in government, like Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government
and AP U.S. History. To see if you high school offers these courses, talk to your
guidance counselor, or go to the College Board.
• While you consider colleges, look to see whether schools have majors in topics
like government or urban planning. You can search colleges by going to this
website.
• Consider contacting a local government manager in your area to see if they
have any high school shadowing or internship opportunities.

4. College
Being an undergraduate gives you a great opportunity to take lots of courses to give you
a solid background for your career as a professional local government manager.
Consider these tips and resources:
• Take classes in management and planning.
• Look for undergraduate level internships, that you can often do for credit, in
your local city/county management office.
• About 60% of professional local government managers have Master’s degrees,
many in Public Administration (MPA). In deciding whether or not to pursue a
Master’s degree, you can use the NASPAA’s graduate degree directory.

5. Graduate School
Getting a graduate degree, in public administration or another topic, will give you the
chance to learn essential skills like budgeting and management. While in graduate
school, consider these tips and resources:
• Join an ICMA Student Chapter. If your school doesn’t have a chapter, consider
starting a chapter!
• Look for graduate level internships, that you can often do for credit, in your
local city/county management office.

6. Internships
Starting off your career in an intensive internship will give you the chance to develop
those skills you learnt in graduate school. In looking for an internship, consider these
tips and resources:
• Apply for the ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF)
program, which is a highly competitive career-development opportunity
designed to generate interest in local government careers among recent
master's program graduates. Selected Fellows are placed in a full-time
management-track local government positions, shaped by direct mentorship
under senior government leaders and rotational assignments.
• Check out the ICMA Management Internships Guidebook.

7. Internships

8. Finding Your First Job
Finding that first job in professional local government management is time consuming
but rewarding—both for you, and the community you will ultimately serve. You can find
positions on the ICMA Job Center. You can structure your job search by using the the
ICMA Job Hunting Handbook.

9. Coming soon to a community near you!
www.LifeWellRun.org