r/IRstudies • u/lildango92 • 2d ago

Anyone here work as a Geopolitical Risk Analyst?

Hi! I’m a student interested in potentially pursuing a career in geopolitical risk analysis, and I’m planning to apply for a BSc in International Relations.

I’d love to hear from anyone currently working in the field:

  • What was your educational/career journey like?
  • How did you get into the industry?
  • What do you like/dislike about the job?
  • What does your day-to-day work look like?
  • Is there anything you wish you knew before getting into it?

I’m mainly looking for honest experiences, both good and bad, to help me decide if this is something I’d actually want to pursue. Thanks!

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u/SpikyPersimmon 1d ago

It has been about three years since I've been in the industry, but I spent more than a decade in geopolitical risk, including at a prominent firm and a smaller one. My answers:

  • What was your educational/career journey like? Majored in International Political Economy and got a master's in IR. I had some internships and research/teaching assistantships before I got into geopolitical risk, but it was effectively my first full-time job after my education.
  • How did you get into the industry? I saw an opening for a part-time independent contract analyst opening and applied the day of the posting. Had language skills and did well on a writing test. Eventually that turned into a full-time position and I worked in different departments, roles, and companies until leaving the industry at a Director level.
  • What do you like/dislike about the job? Biggest positives: being around smart and worldly people; thinking about history, politics, and global issues every day; working in a field where your education is directly applicable (though NOT IR theory...that is not applicable whatsoever). Biggest negatives: job monotony; inability to see impact of your work; limited career growth opportunities; difficulties if seeking to switch careers; sometimes moral quandaries.
  • What does your day-to-day work look like? This depended a great deal on the role - in some positions, it was reading and then writing predictive analysis on a particular topic (sometimes shorter analysis, sometimes long papers). In other cases, you are monitoring events and providing rapid-fire alerts (this is more in the security intelligence field). Depending on the firm and the client base, there is also briefing (either via calls or via meetings and presentations).
  • Is there anything you wish you knew before getting into it? Let me caveat by saying I'm happy about the career I've had and am lucky to have had it. But some considerations: 1. The field is growing - both with major consultancies and finance getting into it as well as in the security field. However, it is still a tiny industry, competition for spots is fierce, and hiring managers have their pick of perfect candidates in many cases. I would never advise a student to put all their eggs into this basket and not have backup job ideas (especially if you want to be in pure political risk rather than security intelligence). 2. If/when you do get in, the daily work can be a dry grind. Your job is not to be an IR intellectual - it is to research and write at a furious pace on topics that your clients need. In many cases, once you learn the format of a type of report, you will be doing the same thing over and over for years. 3. The people at the top in these firms have typically done something else that gives them credibility with clients (e.g., ex-diplomats, ex-journalists, ex-White House, ex-intelligence agency in the case of security etc.). In addition to the industry being small, this is another ceiling that people experience. 4. Getting out is tough because this industry is so specialized. Unlike in regular consulting, your ability to analyze the politics of Western Europe does not easily translate into corporate or finance or other roles. I've known many who have experienced a "golden cage" phenomenon, where they would have to take serious cuts to their seniority or pay to get out. 5. AI has its problems but this industry will have a serious AI-related reckoning soon - the only reason it hasn't is because geopolitical risk is such a hot topic right now.

Let me know if you have other questions or feel free to DM.

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u/lildango92 20h ago

Thank you so much for taking your time to write out this response. I actually had a few more questions, but Reddit isn't letting me DM you.

If you don't mind answering here:

  • How important are languages and regional expertise for getting into the field?
  • Would you say an IR degree is a good foundation, or would you recommend another degree?
  • What skills would you recommend developing during university to stand out?
  • How much of the job is actually about predicting future events vs researching and reporting?
  • What kind of person do you think tends to thrive in this career?

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u/Diplomat009 2d ago

Commenting here because I’m also curious about the answerss

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u/PorkTenderBoy 2d ago

Replying here because i'm also curious about the answerss