1. Why this job
2. Why you are good at economics
3. What do you think you can bring to the table
4. Anything that you might want to bring to the table?

High academic achievement, especially in economics
Excellent writing and editing abilities
Ability to work independently on open-ended tasks
Excitement about everyday applications of economics (a la Freakonomics, Nudge, etc)
Interest in/knowledge of international and development economics is a plus but not required

My Personal Statement

I am a senior at the University of Chicago concentrating in Economics with a minor in Statistics. The truth was that I did not realized I would be interested in pursuing graduate studies after college. It was starting in my third year of College, when I more or less completed my degree requirement, that I started to develop a serious interest in Economics. It began with taking Econometrics and taking some of the electives from the department. Last Winter, I took a class on Topics in Economic Growth and Development.

I think an excellent introduction for anyone to the principles of Economics is to get excited about the applications of economic principle to any dimensions of life. This was certainly how I got interested in Economics when I was in high school. I was interested in the sciences, but social science appealed to me because it is concerned with how society as an organized structure functions, and what intrigued me the most about Economics was the micro and macro division. To date, perhaps the most approachable course I have taken at the University of Chicago is, incidentally, a course taught by Steven D. Levitt called 'Economics of Crime'. Professor Levitt has a very high ability to engage his students and to make them excited about the concepts. I would describe this course as very self-contained, however, the bigger picture that I believe a student should walk away is to learn how to apply the model and way of thinking to other dimensions in life. Understanding the drivers that motivate people, namely, that individuals respond to incentives, is a cornerstone to approaching any issue related to behavior, from decision making, and optimizing strategies.

I have excellent organizational skills in compiling information and performing research. I am also quite interested in the specific topics that this position calls for, namely in information dissemination. During my first and second year of college I was a staff writer for The Triple Helix, an undergraduate publication on science, law and society. I wrote my articles from an economic perspective, from the science of sleep to the economics of organic food. What I enjoyed the most about the article is learning something new and coming across something that may have a direct impact on how I think while doing research for the article.

I believe I would benefit from this position the most by taking a year off from academics and thinking seriously about what I would like to pursue for graduate studies. Along the way, I expect to be fully in touch with academics and to be exposed to economic and financial literature.

My other motivation for this position is that I consider myself a student who highly values good pedagogy. I sincerely believe that any academic discipline can be explained clearly and presented in an inspirational manner to any student. This is why good editing skills and a personal interest in the subject itself is important. In my previous work experience I have drafted concise reports, edited summaries, and always thought about the best way to present my findings and to convey information to my readers. I would like to apply those skills to producing a coherent and useful textbook. I would also like to see those ideas applied to social and development issues, something which I have a keen interest in with regards to applied microeconomics.