Becoming a politician is tough– it’s no easy task, but it can be rewarding. Earning political entry level jobs is easier than you might think! If you want to work in politics, here’s how to get started the right way.
INTRODUCTION
If you are just getting started with your career, there are a lot of challenging jobs out there – like political entry level jobs. These jobs require new employees to deal with all the stress that comes along with it. While it may be easy for the older employees to handle them, for those who are just starting out it can be a bit too much. If you haven’t found a job yet, this article will help you start looking for one in this field.
10 Great Jobs in Politics
Political Jobs to Kickstart Your Career
BY
Updated on November 05, 2020
Are you interested in politics—but not at all interested in becoming a politician? As election cycles get longer and longer, opportunities abound for those interested in a career in the political arena. You may work long hours and it can be stressful, especially at election time, but a political job can give you a wealth of experience you can use in the future.
Before you start thinking about a job in politics, consider your values and ethics. Most people who work in politics work on issues and for people they support.
If you have a candidate you’d love to see elected or a hot button issue you’re concerned about, you can apply directly to like-minded campaigns or organizations.
There are many different jobs in politics beyond working on a campaign, including legislative support, public relations and media relations positions, political strategists, campaign managers and consultants, pollsters and political consultants, administrators, and more. Jobs are available at the local, state, and national level, and salaries vary accordingly based on the type of job and who you’re working for.
Learn more about these 10 good jobs in politics and what they pay:
Intern/Volunteer
The pay might not be the best—in fact, it might be non-existent—but volunteering for a campaign or an issues-oriented non-profit organization can be a great political career starter. If you’re a college student considering politics as a career, volunteer and intern as often as you can.
You’ll probably start out working on the ground and in the office doing the grunt work, but you’ll gain invaluable experience and a good picture of your possible career options. Again, many positions are unpaid, but you may get a small salary or stipend to cover expenses.
Salary: According to Indeed.com, the average pay for a political intern is $13.26 per hour.1
Legislative Aide
Legislative staff can work directly on legislation or help a legislator with communications or administration.
- A legislative assistant or aide may focus on one topic area like gun control or immigration, for example, or research many different issues for the legislator they work for. The job includes writing and researching legislation, briefing the boss on the issues, and tracking bills as they proceed through the legislative process.
- Communication aides are a liaison with constituents, reading mail, answering questions, and providing information over the phone or by mail or email.
- Administrative staff members answer the phone, schedule appointments and meetings, organize calendars and logistics, and coordinate travel.
This entry-level job is a good starting point for a college graduate who wants to make a career in politics.
Salary: Base pay for a legislative aide averages $39,605, according to Glassdoor.2
Policy Analyst
Policy analysts work for the government, legislators, or candidates. They are the people who know all the details about an existing or proposed policy. Policy analysts work to identify, create, and implement policies and programs. Research and analysis are important components of this job.
The job description includes conducting research, surveying data, analyzing existing and proposed policies, and reporting information. Policy analysts can have a specific area of expertise, or be more of a generalist working on multiple issues.
If you’re a detail-oriented person who can write, this is a solid job with good growth opportunities.
Salary: Per PayScale, the average annual salary for a policy analyst is $59,534.3
Communications Coordinator
Communications coordinators work for candidates, legislators, and organizations involved in the political process. The job involves managing political and legislative communications, writing speeches, press releases, and newsletters, coordinating media relations, updating social media, and implementing communications strategies.
If you’re a people person who loves to get the word out, this would be a great job for you.
Salary: According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a communications coordinator is $47,993.4
Pollster
Political pollsters are the people who measure the effectiveness of a campaign and what voters think about candidates and issues. Pollsters are all about data – gathering information in a variety of ways, evaluating responses, analyzing and organizing data, doing statistical analysis, and presenting the results in a comprehensive format.
Pollsters can work directly for a candidate or legislator or work on a consulting or freelance basis. If you’re mesmerized by the numbers and how they can influence voters, consider a career as a pollster.
Salary: The average annual salary for a political pollster is $77,757, according to SimplyHired.5
Lobbyist
Top lobbyists are often retired politicians, but there are many other career paths for those interesting in lobbying. If you have excellent persuasive and communication skills, a lobbying job provides the opportunity to spend your day (and often evenings and weekends) contacting elected officials to get them to vote favorably on your issue or to oppose legislation that isn’t in your organization’s best interests.
Lobbyists can work independently with clients, for a lobbying or law firm, or for an organization or business that has a vested interest in legislative outcomes.
Salary: The average annual salary for a political lobbyist is $78,894, according to Glassdoor.6
Campaign Manager
The campaign manager is the big shot on the campaign trail, whether it’s working for a small local candidate or on a presidential campaign. Campaign managers organize and oversee all the details involved in managing a successful campaign.
On a broad level, they develop, plan, and implement a political campaign. A campaign manager’s responsibilities can include everything from hiring and managing staff, budgeting, logistics, and technology, to getting out the vote.
Salary: Per PayScale, the average annual salary for a campaign manager is $59,380.7
Political Consultant
Political consulting involves working on campaigns of those running for public office. All levels of politicians, whether on a local or national scale, need help with planning strategy, fundraising, voter outreach, and other aspects of running a campaign.
This is a general job title that covers a variety of different roles, depending on the consultant’s skills and areas of expertise.
You’ll need to have the right experience to land a consulting gig, so many consultants start out working on a campaign, for a legislator, or for the government.
Salary: According to Glassdoor, a political consultant earns an average annual salary of $77,368.8
Media Strategist
Media strategists are an essential component of a successful campaign for elected office. They help candidates promote themselves and assist with handling issues that arise during the course of a campaign. Media strategists are responsible for planning, implementing, and presenting in-person, print, television, radio, online, and social media campaigns to promote the candidate.
A political media strategist may organize campaign events, liaison with the press, handle media relations, prepare a candidate for interviews, oversee the creation and production of advertising, and plan ad buys.
Salary: According to PayScale, a media strategist earns an average annual salary of $52,762.9
Chief of Staff
The candidate or legislator’s right-hand person is his or her chief of staff. This is the most important job in the office, and the chief of staff oversees hiring, office management, budgeting, administration, and operations, and is the top advisor on everything political.
All office functions and most staff reporting in a legislator’s office are through the chief of staff who reports directly to the legislator. If your long-term career goal is to earn a spot as a chief of staff, you’ll need to work your way up the career ladder gaining plenty of legislative experience along the way.
Salary: The average annual salary for a chief of staff is $123,884, according to Glassdoor.10
How to Get Hired for a Political Job
Use Job Search Sites and Search Engines:
Plug your desired job title into your preferred job search site or job search engine. Most will let you narrow your search by geographic location, salary, employer, and more.
Find Government Jobs Through USAJobs:
Want to join the approximately 2 million people who work for the federal government? The USAJobs website is the best place to start looking for federal government jobs.
CONCLUSION
The world of political jobs can be a stressful and challenging one, but for those more than willing to face the challenges come lots of opportunities for personal growth. For someone just starting off in the political world, navigating everything from the job hunt to your first campaign is a tricky business—and even experienced politicians can face new and daunting obstacles that they must overcome. What follows is our examination of all aspects of political jobs, including how to get your foot in the door, what kinds of things you need to watch out for, and how to make a name for yourself as a politician.
