“Job description” is one of the most misleading terms in the job search. Why? Because more times than not it’s not descriptive at all.
When I first left government, I remember reading tech job listings over and over… and still having no idea what the job actually did. At my first startup, I was excited to have “strategy” in my title, only to realize that was just a fraction of the job. Later, as Director of Business Development at Ford, I still had to decode the role by asking questions and learning from context. Titles alone rarely tell the full story.
Some job descriptions are vague by design — to keep competitors in the dark, or to gloss over less exciting parts of the role. Others are written in insider jargon that only makes sense if you've already worked in the industry. Either way, it makes the first step of a career change incredibly frustrating.
So today, I want to share a plain-English overview of a few common roles in tech and business — especially helpful if you're coming from government, nonprofits, or other mission-driven fields.
Because before you translate your skills into a new career, you need to understand what the jobs actually involve.
🔍 Common Roles in Tech & Business (Translated for Public Sector Folks)
Policy Manager
Often more of a lobbying or external affairs role than a policy analyst one. Think stakeholder engagement, shaping regulations, and working with government — not drafting memos.
Business Development
A catch-all term that can mean strategic partnerships, sales, or growth strategy. It varies a lot by company. Sometimes you're closing big deals; other times you're building ecosystems or finding new channels for the product.
Product Manager (PM)
The translator between users and engineers. Owns the product roadmap, balances user needs and business goals, and leads cross-functional teams. Requires strong communication and project management skills.
Strategy
Think in-house consultant. These roles work on internal projects, competitive analyses, and long-term planning — often PowerPoint-heavy and data-driven.
Trust & Safety
Design and enforce policies that keep a platform safe and compliant — think content moderation, user security, and navigating global legal and ethical issues.
Operations
The engine room of the company. May include logistics, supply chain, vendor management, internal process improvement, customer service, or facilities — depends on the sector.
Communications
This team handles internal and external messaging — from press releases and media strategy to crisis comms and thought leadership.
🧠 Other Roles You Might Explore
You might also hear about:
Customer Success – Post-sales support for clients; helping them succeed and renew their contracts.
People / HR / Talent – Recruiting, onboarding, and employee development.
Marketing – Product positioning, messaging, campaign strategy, and user acquisition.
Program Manager – Similar to operations, but often focuses on cross-functional projects or systems.
Chief of Staff – A generalist advisor role to executives, ideal for former government schedulers or policy aides.
UX Research or Content Design – User insights or language-focused roles for those with research or writing backgrounds.
How to Learn More (and Get Out of Your Head)
The best way to understand these roles isn’t to Google them — it’s to talk to real people who are doing the work.
Set up low-stakes informational interviews and ask:
“What’s something you worked on this week?”
“What’s the hardest part of your job? The most fun?”
“If someone came from the public sector, what would surprise them about your role?”
This is what I call pre-networking networking. You’re not asking for a job — just gathering data. And it’s a lot easier to ask for a 20-minute chat when the stakes are low.
Once you have a better sense of the landscape, it becomes easier to spot roles that fit your skills and interests — and only then does it make sense to start tailoring your resume and positioning yourself for the leap.
If you're navigating this shift and want help mapping your path, I offer 1:1 coaching focused on helping public servants move into mission-aligned roles in tech and business.
You can book a free 15-minute consultation to see where you are in the process and whether I can help: 👉https://calendly.com/ben-fong/15-min-intro-call-1
Onward,
Ben