80,000 Hours Podcast With Rob Wiblin

You’re 29 years old, and you’ve just been given a job in the White House. How do you quickly figure out how the US Executive Branch behemoth actually works, so that you can have as much impact as possible - before you quit or get kicked out? That was the challenge put in front of Tom Kalil in 1993. He had enough success to last a full 16 years inside the Clinton and Obama administrations, working to foster the development of the internet, then nanotechnology, and then cutting-edge brain modelling, among other things. But not everyone figures out how to move the needle. In today's interview, Tom shares his experience with how to increase your chances of getting an influential role in government, and how to make the most of the opportunity if you get in. Links to learn more, summary and full transcript. Interested in US AI policy careers? Apply for one-on-one career advice here. Vacancies at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology. Our high-impact job board, which features other related opportunitie