Reddit mentions of A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving

I would recommend either Stone's Policy Paradox or Bardach's A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis as an introduction to public policy.

Speaking as an entry level analyst in the US, college internships with government or policy nonprofits/think tanks/advocacy groups are a good pathway to get basic experience and start making a network. Some of these positions will be paid, but many won’t. Public policy is definitely not as rigged as other fields when it comes to your credentials, so most social science degrees at the bachelors level will be considered the same for entry level. At higher levels, they start wanting you to have an MPP although it can occasionally be substituted for some similar practical social science masters degree. I can’t think of any specific non-degree credentials though that would really give you a leg up or be widely recognized in the field.

You should focus more on getting a bit of relevant experience under your belt so you can talk about how you’ll apply that experience to whatever task you’ll have in the job you’re applying for. Also, skills like being a good writer and statistics data analysis are really valued. Have a few public policy-style memos you can share as a portfolio, and take a few classes on how to do statistical data analysis (at college or even just an online class). Public policy writing is very different than academic writing, as your audience is totally different. I really recommend this book is you haven’t even taken a class on public policy as it explains how to write public policy really well and a lot of theory and methods commonly employed in the field.

A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving, 4th Edition - $4USD OBO.

I can also strongly recommend Cairney.

If you're interested in how we make policy I recommend reading Eugene Bardach's Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving, which offers an intuitive analysis of policymaking that's beginner friendly.

If you want something more academic and detailed, I'd suggest picking up a secondhand copy of The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy.