Working in politics

If you elect to pursue a career in politics, you’ll need to learn more about your options. Here’s a good place to start.

any children dream of being President of the United by States, drawn to the idea of leading the country. Colleen D. Teixeira MHowever, the President is only one of many workers who help shape our Nation through politics. Jobs in politics exist at all levels of government: local, State, and Federal. Although the President is our most prominent official, many others—some elected, some not—help to create policy. In addition to legislators and their assistants, some workers lobby public officials and others help to elect candidates. Read on to learn about jobs in politics. You’ll find out about the Colleen D. Teixeira is an economist in work of legislators, staffs of legislators, lobbyists, and consultants. the Office of Occu- There’s also information about earnings, followed by descriptions pational Statistics and Employment of the ups and downs of working in politics. After reading Projections, BLS, some suggestions for getting into politics, you’ll find additional (202) 691–5157. information about these careers.

 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008 Jobs in politics and house of representatives, that mirrors the Federal system. At the local level, legislators Jobs in politics involve many different work- compose boards of selectmen, city councils, ers. Legislators and their staffs work directly county boards, or other groups. on bills and laws. Others, such as lobbyists, Process. Legislators have similar jobs at affect the lawmaking process by working all levels of government: They enact laws and to persuade legislators to support or oppose provide oversight of the executive branch. the proposed bills and laws. Still others are This work requires that they research how consultants who work on candidates’ election proposed laws, known as bills, might affect campaigns. their town or district and that they speak to Legislators other legislators to convince them to support Legislators exist at all levels of government. or oppose the bills. Towns, cities, counties, and States, as well as Legislators meet with constituents—busi- the Federal Government, have some type of nesses, individuals, or groups from their legislative body. district—and with lobbyists. Both constituents In the Federal Government, legislators and lobbyists might try to persuade legisla- form the U.S. Congress, which includes the tors to vote for or against a bill or to react to a U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Repre- particular issue. During this process, says Ala- sentatives. In every State except Nebraska, bama State Senator Arthur Orr, it’s up to leg- legislators make up a political body with two islators to gather information to balance their separate entities, such as the State senate perspective. “Lots of times, there isn’t anyone

Summer 2008 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly  making alternative arguments about a bill’s funds for colleges and universities. State legis- merits or shortcomings,” he says. “Those situ- lators may require statewide education exams ations require that legislators educate them- or might distribute funding among school selves about the opposition arguments so they districts. At the local level, officials might can make educated decisions.” determine teacher salaries and the specific In larger cities and at the Federal and curriculum taught in the district. State levels, a bill starts in a committee made Other tasks. Legislators are responsible up of legislators. During committee meetings to their constituents. In some cases, this and hearings, legislators may make remarks or responsibility includes helping constituents to ask questions of the bill’s advocates and oppo- resolve problems or to locate the government nents. They may also propose amendments to resources, such as social services, that can the bill. assist them. Legislators also need to commu- Issues. The way that bills are passed is nicate with their constituents about how these similar at every level of government, but the parties might be affected by the bills being issues vary. At the Federal level, Congress discussed and the laws being passed, and they may work on both international and domestic must respond to constituents’ letters, e-mails, matters. At the State level, legislators might and phone calls. deal with bills related to providing money for Responding directly to constituents may schools, roads, and public services; they also be most prominent at the local level. For ex- might try to pass bills to attract businesses ample, Greg Gerratana is an alderman for the and industries to the State. At the local level, city government of New Britain, Connecticut. aldermen and city councilors work on is- While much of his legislative work relates to sues such as traffic-light placement and noise budget issues, even that work focuses on con- ordinances. stituents. “We deal with constituents’ every- Although legislative issues vary by day problems, and sometimes we even create government level, some—such as education, new ordinances to deal with those problems,” public health, or transportation—overlap. For he says. “It’s not about lofty ideas, but practi- example, Congress may allocate education cal solutions.” Staff members assist Staffs of legislators legislators with a variety of Because legislators have many different com- mitments, they often need assistants to help tasks, such as coordinating them fulfill their duties. Staff workers provide appearances at events. this help to legislators, particularly those in Congress. A legislator’s staff generally works in a few different areas: legislation, com- munications, and administration. (For a brief description of some legislative staff titles, see the sidebar on the opposite page.) Legislation. Staff members who assist on legislative issues research bills that are proposed or that the legislator for whom they work is interested in proposing. They write questions for the legislator to ask during committee hearings, sometimes write open- ing remarks for hearings, and might suggest amendments to bills for the legislator to propose. They might also draft entire bills. The legislative staff tracks the progress of

 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008 Other occupational titles commonly held by staff workers in politics bills throughout the enactment process and keeps the Each legislator in Washington, DC, organizes his or her office. Fol- legislator informed. lowing is a list of titles commonly found in offices on Capitol Hill. Often, legislative staff members specialize in Not all of these titles are found in all offices, and some offices a particular issue or topic, sometimes working on may have alternative titles. committees that focus entirely on that issue. Special- Caseworkers respond to constituents’ requests and may ization allows them to become more familiar with also assist constituents in resolving problems related to Federal the intricacies and nuances of the topic. As they gain agencies, including problems with Social Security, Medicare, experience, staff members generally have more say about which issues they will cover. veterans’ benefits, or passports. Communications. Those who work in commu- Chiefs of staff are usually responsible for the overall office nications help their legislator get out messages to administration and the allocation of work among staff. They constituents. Doing so requires assisting the legis- report directly to the legislator. lator in developing the message. Communications Legislative assistants are usually assigned to a particular staff members also set up interviews with the media area of legislation, such as healthcare, taxes, or foreign policy. and draft press releases or newsletters that highlight These workers are responsible for following bills as they make the legislator’s accomplishments and bills that have their way through the legislative process and for researching the passed. As a result, they need to pay attention to all possible effects of a bill. They also may write questions or open- issues that the legislator works on. ing statements for the legislator to use in committee hearings, A legislator’s perceived effectiveness can hinge, and they may brief senior staff about bills pending in Congress. in part, on constituents recognizing his or her ef- Legislative correspondents focus on relaying information forts—especially the accomplishments. The com- munications staff works to report such news, but the to constituents. They may respond to constituents’ questions and complexity of legislation can make the job difficult. concerns regarding legislation or national policy, either over the “It’s challenging to find ways to communicate about telephone or in writing. Sometimes, forming an accurate and complicated legislative procedures in ways that thoughtful response may require doing research; other times, a people can understand and that keep them engaged,” form letter may cover routine questions. says Will Jenkins, communications director for U.S. Legislative directors usually monitor the legislative sched- Representative Tim Bishop of New York. ule and brief the legislator on bills and issues before Congress. Administration. Members of legislators’ ad- They also oversee legislative assistants. ministrative staffs work on a variety of tasks. Some Press secretaries communicate the legislator’s message of them answer telephone calls, welcome visitors, to constituents and the general public, often by writing press and take messages. Others draft responses to con- releases and speaking to the media. stituents’ letters and e-mails or assist constituents in Receptionists, also called front-desk staffers, greet visitors resolving problems related to government agencies. and guests who come to the legislator’s office and direct them to Still others may be responsible for coordinating their legislator’s schedule, which often includes ensur- the appropriate staff member. They often answer the telephone, ing attendance at meetings and arranging travel for take messages, and route calls, messages, and mail to the rest of visits to the home State or for other business-related the staff. In some cases, they may be responsible for coordinat- purposes. ing tours of the Capitol for constituents. No matter what their primary job, though, most Schedulers are responsible for distributing the legislator’s legislative staff members do a little of everything. time among the many meetings and events he or she is asked For example, the day-to-day tasks of Brian Clifford, to attend. They also must include time for the legislator to speak a legislative staffer for U.S. Senator John Barrasso with staff and prepare for upcoming meetings, debates, and of Wyoming and president of the Congressional hearings. In addition, schedulers may make travel arrangements. Legislative Staff Association, include reviewing Staff assistants may be asked to perform a range of tasks response letters to constituents, tracking bills on to support other staff members. Tasks may include word process- the floor, preparing amendments, and providing ing, photocopying, answering telephones, and running errands. information to his boss before a vote. He also must prepare for hearings and for meetings with lobbyists Staff assistants might have duties associated with legislation or the media.

Summer 2008 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly  and constituents. In addition, as a staff direc- and their staffs via e-mail or telephone and tor for a subcommittee his boss leads, Clifford convincingly present research for or against a researches issues that may appear before the bill. Some lobbyists set up meetings for their subcommittee. clients with legislators and their staffs, in which case they might first write background Lobbyists papers to prepare the clients for these meet- Lobbyists present the interests of businesses ings. or groups of people to legislators. These Building rapport through frequent com- workers may have different titles, such as gov- munication is essential for lobbyists to gain ernment affairs coordinators. Organizations credibility, which in turn helps them to influ- of all types—from large corporations to small ence legislators’ decisions. As lobbyist Dave civic groups—depend on lobbyists to promote Wenhold puts it, “Lobbying is about develop- their agenda. Speaking to legislators and their ing relationships.” staffs, lobbyists explain to their clients what Clients. Lobbyists work to influence the effects of a particular bill or law would be. lawmakers at all levels of government, but Lobbying requires solid research and many concentrate on the U.S. Congress. At communicating the results of that research to every level, lobbyists’ jobs have both similari- influence legislators’ support of or opposition ties and differences. “The issues and topics to pending legislation. The type of organiza- change, but the basic tasks stay the same,” tion, or client, lobbyists work for often affects says lobbyist Paul Miller. “You still need to the specific tasks that they do. Many of the job get constituent input and do public relations.” duties are similar in every setting, however. Some lobbyists work for corporations and Research. To be effective, lobbyists need businesses, advocating for their employer. to stay current on the issues coming before the They must be well informed about their busi- legislature. They also must pay attention to ness’ specific needs, products, and practices. news and current events by watching televi- These lobbyists might need to work with sion and other media and by reading newspa- others in the business to discuss how proposed pers, Internet Web logs (“blogs”), and trade legislation or regulations would affect it. journals. Lobbyists also work in law firms or lob- Lobbyist Adam Schwartz reads several bying firms that handle government affairs. publications daily, but his research includes They may have a variety of clients, ranging personal contact, too. He needs to find out from private businesses and nonprofit organi- about events before they are in the news, he zations to local and State governments. These says, so he often meets with Members of lobbyists need to familiarize themselves with Congress when he gathers facts. “I call these each client’s needs and the legislation that meetings ‘pollination visits,’ because I pick affects it. As a result, lobbyists in this setting up information from one office and bring it to often need to learn about a broad range of another,” says Schwartz. issues. Lobbyists must be aware of which bills Agencies within the executive branch are appearing before committees and, in some often have staff members who are called con- cases, may have to attend committee meet- gressional liaison specialists. These workers ings and hearings. In addition, they need to follow legislation, advocate specific bills, and research how proposed legislation, if passed, understand how their agency works, as well as would affect the company, organization, or how a bill, if passed, could affect their agen- group that they represent. cy’s day-to-day operations. In addition, when Communication. Much of lobbyists’ work Congress allocates the Federal Government’s requires that they be persistent and persuasive annual budget, these specialists might lobby when communicating with others. For ex- Members of Congress to provide their agency ample, lobbyists often must contact legislators with as much funding as possible.

 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008 Finally, some lobbyists work for trade ferent things,” says political consultant Mary associations, advocating on behalf of the Erin Casale, “all depending on when you ask.” Lobbyists meet with industry or occupation that their association Media relations. Consultants who spe- legislators and their staffs represents. They study issues relevant to the cialize in media relations help candidates to build strong working association’s occupation or industry and ana- develop a strategy to deal with the press. As relationships. lyze how legislation affects it so that they can political consultant Peter Robbio describes it, “My job is to help [candidates] get into the lobby legislators on behalf of the association. media in a positive way.” Political consultants A media consultant assists candidates in developing their message to the public. Dur- Political consultants work on the election ing a campaign, for example, candidates must campaigns of candidates who run for public convince voters to choose them over their office at all levels of government. Usually, opponents; media consultants help candidates political consultants specialize in a variety of to explain why they are the best choice and to areas, with two of the most significant being present that message through the media. media relations and fundraising. Media consultants organize press con- Job tasks vary for political consultants, ferences, write and distribute press releases, and not just by specialty. “I do a lot of dif- plan campaign events, and write editorials for

Summer 2008 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly  newspapers. Some consultants are responsible Consultants directly contact individuals, for advertisements, including buying time on such as those who have given money in the radio and television stations or space in print past, and ask them for a donation. They might publications and on Web sites. When purchas- assist candidates in contacting donors directly ing ads, media consultants must determine by setting up phone calls and meetings. They how to stay within the campaign’s budget may also ask some of these people to provide while getting the most benefit from the ad. names of others who may be interested in do- This analysis requires that consultants set pri- nating or in hosting a fundraising event. “It’s orities in targeting specific areas of a candi- all about names and the number of people you date’s town, district, or State to maximize the can reach,” says Susan Brodsky Burnett, a for- ad’s effectiveness. mer political consultant. “You get more names Some media consultants also monitor op- from each person you talk to.” ponents’ ads and assist candidates in respond- Additionally, these consultants plan fund- raising events, such as dinners or receptions. ing to them. In addition, they might coach Most fundraising events require the purchase candidates in media interaction and public ap- of a ticket, with the profits helping to fund the pearances, including preparing for debates by candidate’s campaign. Consultants follow up holding practice sessions and writing answers with attendees of events, as well as with those to anticipated questions. Consultants also help who have pledged donations, to ensure that candidates respond to negative publicity. the campaign contribution is made. Fundraising. Political consultants who Other. Political consultants work in many work in fundraising help candidates raise other areas of a campaign, including polling the money necessary to run for office. Cam- and opposition research. paigning can cost hundreds of thousands—or Some consultants who specialize in poll- millions—of dollars, even at the local level. Personal contacts are ing might telephone or visit people to ask Because candidates rely largely on donations questions about the candidates. Others may important in politics, so to fund their campaigns, they must contact wait for responses to those questions; then, most of these workers are people who are likely to donate money. This they analyze the data and brief the candi- “people persons.” task often falls to political consultants who are date and his or her campaign staff about the experienced at raising money. results. Consultants who work in opposition research spend long hours studying their candidate’s opponents. They look through public records for information that differenti- ates their candidate from his or her opponents, including details that may be detrimental to an opponent’s campaign. The consultant might report findings from this research to develop political strategies, such as incorporating facts about opponents into political ads. Earnings Because of the way the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) classifies occupations, many people working in politics are categorized by job function rather than by where they work or by job title. For entry-level workers espe- cially, pay for political jobs was often below

 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008 the national median of $31,410 in May 2007. Interesting. Laws affect our everyday Anecdotal information suggests, however, lives in countless ways. Enacting and main- that earnings may be higher for many of these taining those laws is the crux of working in workers—such as those with many years of politics, and the diversity of topics contributes experience—than BLS data indicate. to the uniqueness of these careers. “There’s a In May 2007, for example, legislators had wide range of issues,” says Farthing, “which median annual wages of $16,220—meaning makes working in politics very different than that half of all legislators made more than this working for a company.” amount, and half made less. Ten percent of Because of the importance of personal legislators earned less than $13,090, and 10 contacts in politics, most of these workers are percent earned more than $76,260. However, “people persons.” Working with interesting these data include wages for those who work people need not be limited to outside con- part time, such as elected officials in local tacts, either. Political consultant Robbio has government. Salaries for Members of Con- worked on two presidential campaigns, where gress were set by Congress at $169,300 in he enjoyed being part of the candidates’ teams 2008, according to the Federal Register. in seeking to win the White House. “We all Reliable wage information for other came together from different walks of life,” he workers in politics is even less clear. As men- says, “to do something most people haven’t tioned previously, staffs of legislators include done before.” a number of different occupations. Gener- Exciting. Everyday work in politics can ally, those who perform administrative tasks present new challenges and different focuses earned lower wages than those who worked in that are based, in part, on the variety of job communications and legislation. tasks. Working on a campaign or research- Lobbyists and political consultants had ing legislation can be invigorating, and many widely ranging salaries. Those with the people in politics enjoy the fast-paced envi- highest earnings usually bring many years of ronment that defines lawmaking. As political experience to the job. consultant Cathy Allen says, “It is fun. It’s exciting. There is never a dull moment.” Ups and downs of Not only can every day be exciting, but it is often varied as well. One day might include political work attendance at hearings and high-level meet- Like most jobs in any field, working in ings, followed by brainstorming sessions and politics has its ups and downs. Political jobs library research. Another day might require commonly require long workdays and fre- making telephone calls, visiting legislators or quent travel; the uncertainty of election results their staffs, and responding to inquiries. “It’s creates additional stress. never boring,” says Farthing. Lobbyist Gina On the other hand, working in politics Bancroft agrees: “Very seldom is one day the also offers rewards. “There is a lot of interest- same as the day before.” ing work to be done,” says lobbyist Penny Rewarding. Many who work in politics Farthing. “Our process provides a lot of op- say that their jobs are both professionally portunities for groups to be heard, and advo- and personally satisfying. For some, it’s the cacy helps us hammer out the best policy.” opportunity to ensure that the government responds to those it is intended to serve. “I re- Advantages ally enjoy being able to help the local people Many people enter these jobs and turn them with their particular needs,” says Alabama into careers because they are fascinated with State Senator Orr. politics. They are attracted to the interesting Others get satisfaction from working work, excitement, and opportunities for mak- to maintain or improve their town, State, or ing a difference. country. The chance to make a difference is

Summer 2008 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly  its own reward. “I like that I get to play a part legislators) or Washington, DC (Members of in the process of engaging all the important Congress), to keep in touch with their con- issues facing America today,” says communi- stituents. They might also have to travel for cations director Jenkins. “I like being able to political appearances, meetings, or conven- help the country grow the way it needs to.” tions, such as when Members of Congress go overseas to visit troops or to meet with foreign Disadvantages dignitaries. Some staff members may need to As gratifying as work in politics may be, it is accompany legislators on these trips. also demanding. Long hours, frequent travel, Lobbyists must travel to other parts of the and the uncertainty of the election cycle all city, State, or country to meet with legislators contribute to the stressfulness of these careers. or legislators’ staffs. They might also need to Long hours. Many political jobs extend travel for meetings with clients or with people beyond the standard 40-hour workweek. who may be affected by a specific policy or Hearings, meetings, and events, such as fund- piece of legislation. raising dinners, are often scheduled outside of Political consultants may need to travel normal working hours—including evenings frequently, depending on the type of election that can turn into late nights. In addition, the they are working on. In presidential elections, preparation needed to attend a function may consultants might have to travel across the require working overtime. Legislation near- country for many months, often without hav- ing a vote may result in a flurry of activity, ing a chance to return home. At the State and requiring more work hours than usual. Work local levels, consultants may need to travel on the campaign trail may be continuous and across the city, district, or State; however, they exhausting. may have an opportunity to go home at the However, these long hours may not be end of the day or on weekends. steady. Many legislatures are in recess for Election uncertainty. In one way or parts of the year. Legislators, their staffs, and another, nearly all workers in politics are af- lobbyists may be able to work shorter hours fected by the uncertainty that comes with the during these times. Outside of the election election cycle. After all, life as a politician, or season, some political consultants choose to in association with one, is dependent on the spend their downtime working in other posi- politician’s being elected to public office. tions, such as media relations and lobbying. To continue in their position, eligible At the State and local levels, many legislators—those not restricted by term limits legislators serve part time in these positions from serving additional years—must run for and work full time in an unrelated job. Be- reelection at the end of their term. This may cause they may have little or no support staff, require that they spend time campaigning, these legislators must research, write, answer making it more difficult for them to perform the telephone, respond to constituents, and their legislative duties. In addition to having perform other legislative tasks themselves. physical demands, campaigning can become Fulfilling all of these duties may require that more difficult if the tone is negative. Further- they forfeit evenings and weekends to politi- more, because of the uncertainty that they will cal work. be reelected, legislators’ positions are some- Frequent travel. Some jobs in politics what unstable. require lots of travel around the district, State, Legislators’ staffs are affected by elec- or country. What may seem like a glamorous tions in similar ways. Staff members whose job perk at first, such as the constant mobility boss is not reelected may need to find other required during a State or national campaign, jobs. However, legislators and their staffs also can quickly become burdensome. are affected by the elections of other legisla- Legislators may need to travel between tors. For example, legislators and their staffs their home district and the capital (State may have difficulty getting their bills passed if

10 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008 Jobs with State and local legislatures are available throughout the country.

other legislators in their political party are not Skills elected. This is because a party that is in the Many of the skills that are important for minority has less political power. working in politics are similar for all of these Lobbyists may need to adjust their ap- occupations. Interpersonal skills are essen- proach if legislators with whom they have tial, because most positions require interact- developed a relationship are not reelected. ing with a variety of people. Some workers Likewise, political consultants’ viability may suggest that taking an introductory course in rest on whether their efforts resulted in a psychology may be helpful for understanding client’s successful election. people. Because success in these jobs often hinges on being able to persuade others—whether Getting into politics to take a particular viewpoint or to vote for a Jobs in politics vary by function. In general, particular candidate—communication skills, however, they require a similar educational both written and oral, are also important. Persuasive communication skills require background and experience. There are specific the ability to convey complicated legislative skills, education, and experience that employ- procedures to people who know little about ers look for when hiring. Networking with the process. Strong writing skills are critical, people currently working in politics is also especially for jobs that involve drafting posi- important. tion papers, bills, speeches, or press releases. The one exception is legislators. Because In addition, anyone interested in getting legislators are elected, not hired, their job a job in politics must understand how the entry requirements are different from those of political process works. The legislative and others who work in politics. political processes can be complicated, so

Summer 2008 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 11 applicants who have a solid grasp of how have a law degree, but that is not the only path things work are preferred. of entry into the occupation. Education Experience Most occupations in politics require at least a For entry-level work in politics, many em- bachelor’s degree for an entry-level position. ployers seek applicants who have some expe- In undergraduate programs, many students rience. One of the best ways to get this experi- interested in these careers study political sci- ence is through volunteer work or internships. ence, government, or communications. (The Congressional Page Program, designed Getting additional education may help for high school students, is described in the boost your credentials, but some workers say box below.) that actions speak louder than degrees. “It’s Not all volunteers and interns find paid really what you do with your education that positions in legislators’ offices or on cam- matters,” says lobbyist Wenhold. “Education paigns. However, the experience of working is great, but it’s really the implementation of in a political setting is also useful for entering the learned skills that counts.” other occupations, such as legislator or lob- For some occupations, however, an ad- byist vanced degree is necessary. Those interested Volunteering. Because campaigns are in working on legislators’ staffs on specific expensive and resources are often tight, issues may need at least a master’s degree candidates rely on volunteers to do a vari- in political science or public policy. Gener- ety of tasks. These tasks include answering ally, those who work in polling must have telephones; canvassing, or soliciting votes; a master’s or doctoral degree in statistics or stuffing envelopes; and performing other ad- survey methodology. Lobbyists commonly ministrative duties. The size of the campaign Congressional Page Program Both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representa- tives have programs for high school students to get experience on Capitol Hill by serving as pages. Pages work as couriers for Members of Congress, carrying messages and documents to offices, committees, and the Library of Congress. In addition, they distribute the Congressional Record and assist in cloakrooms. Pages may serve either for one semester during the academic year or in the summer. They live in residence halls in Washington, DC; during the academic year, pages attend classes, which are generally held in the morning before Congress is in session. Pages are appointed by Members of Congress and must be in their junior year of high school. There are 72 positions in the House and 30 in the Senate, so the selection process is highly competitive. Students interested in learning more about the program and how to apply should contact their Senator or Representative in Congress.

12 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008 doesn’t matter as much as the opportunity Networking for gaining experience. In fact, working on a Networking is an important way to meet small campaign, in which activities are more people who currently work in politics. It can help applicants find openings that may not concentrated, might offer better learning op- be advertised. Also, knowing people who are portunities than working on a large campaign. influential can be an advantage in the applica- Volunteering for a political campaign tion process. gives people a chance to learn about how Volunteering with a campaign and work- ing as an intern are just two ways to network. campaigns work. It also allows them to make Helping with a local political party and volun- a name for themselves. Those who work hard teering for a politically active organization are and take on additional tasks may be able to other good ways to learn about jobs in poli- translate their volunteer experience into a paid tics and to meet people in political careers. Networking is important both for starting out position on a campaign or on the legislator’s and for building steppingstones to a career in staff. politics. Internships. Legislatures at the Federal Influential people exist at all levels. For and State levels, as well as some lobbying and many jobs in politics, especially when some- political consulting firms, provide students one wants to break in at the local level, net- working within the community can be the best with a chance to gain experience through credential. “It’s not as important where you go internships. These internships are frequently to undergraduate and graduate school,” says unpaid, but invaluable, opportunities to get a legislative staffer Clifford. “Local connections hands-on understanding of politics and to in- count for more.” teract with legislators, their staffs, and others Legislators involved in the political process. Becoming a legislator is different from enter- The experience gained in these positions ing other occupations in politics. There are no formal education or experience requirements is often necessary for finding paid jobs in for becoming a legislator, although legal Washington, DC, or in State capitals. Interns conditions vary by office and may include usually have a variety of duties that give them minimum age or residency requirements. The a chance to learn about the legislative process only prerequisite for entering this occupation and about legislative offices. Interns who is to be elected by the voters in a town, city, district, or State. prove themselves might get paid positions. However, candidates should have some Most students think of internships as personal or professional experience that is a summer option, but positions exist year related to the office they are seeking. For round. Legislative staffers suggest that college example, someone interested in running for the city hospital board might have spent time students interested in finding an internship working in a hospital. Similarly, a candidate with the U.S. Congress consider studying for interested in running for State senate might a semester in Washington, DC, during a time have previous experience as a State represen- when vying for a job on Capitol Hill is less tative. Running for office is often an arduous competitive. Likewise, students might con- process. Political campaigns can be expensive, sider spending a semester in a State capital to which means that candidates must be comfort- intern with the State legislature. able asking people for money to fund their

Summer 2008 • Occupational Outlook Quarterly 13 campaign. Getting experience in fundraising Several associations, including the fol- is helpful for campaign work. lowing, also provide information related to Also, some politics become personal careers in politics: when opponents run negative campaigns and American League of Lobbyists attack a candidate’s private and professional P.O. Box 30005 life. Candidates must be prepared for criti- Alexandria, VA 22310 cism—and be able to work in spite of it. (703) 960–3011 For more information www.alldc.org To pursue a job in politics, you should contact American Association of local elected officials to learn about opportu- Political Consultants nities available in your area. Contact informa- 600 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Suite 330 tion is in the blue pages of your telephone Washington, DC 20003 book, and most governments also provide the (202) 544–9815 detail on their Web sites. www.theaapc.org Other good sources of information include public libraries and offices of career The National Conference of State Legisla- counselors. To find a counseling office near you, contact the U.S. Department of Labor tures maintains a list of contacts for legislative toll free, 1 (877) 872–5627, or go online to internship and fellowship programs in all 50 find a One-Stop Career Center at States and many U.S. territories. For the list www.servicelocator.org. and more information, including application Another useful resource is the 2008–09 suggestions, contact: Occupational Outlook Handbook, available National Conference of State Legislatures in print at most local libraries, or online at 444 N. Capitol St. NW., Suite 515 www.bls.gov/oco. Job duties, working condi- Washington, DC 20001 tions, earnings, and employment projections (202) 624–5400 for many of the occupations described in this www.ncsl.org/public/ article are in the Handbook. LegInternProg.htm#programs

14 Occupational Outlook Quarterly • Summer 2008