Should I be an economist?

Chris Pratt saying he's too afraid to ask what an economist is

Economists work with numbers to understand the world and to propose policy to improve it.

Janet Yellen explaining that she became an economist to deal with the effects of unemployment

Becoming an economist can be very rewarding, but it is a long journey and takes specific skills to succeed.

But What Does An Economist Really Do?

Economists study the relationship between a society's resources and its output at the local, national, or even global scale.

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Day to day:

Collect data and conduct surveys.
Choose an appropriate mathematical method to investigate a relationship between societal measures.
Analyze social, political, and economics trends.
Present scientific reports.
Advise political leaders and policy makers.
Teach students and/or community members economic principles.
Review the latest economic studies and data.

Quiz

What question might an economist work to solve?

Why do prices rise?

What is the best tax rate for our city?

How is income linked to health?

All of these

Where Is There? And How Do I Get There?

Economists typically work for universities, governments, large corporations, and policy think tanks.

Graduation cap and diploma Most economists have a Masters degree or Ph.D. and have studied advanced mathematics, statistics, history, public policy, and other subjects.