While it’s not for everyone, campaign work gives you the chance to work in a face-paced environment while building key relationships with people that could open doors to job opportunities down the road. If you are a college student thinking of working on campaigns, we have some key advice on how to get started.
What is your advice for someone wanting to launch their career in the political world? Hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and every connection you make is a valuable opportunity. Because job opportunities in the political field are sometimes limited, any experience helps. A good way to get your foot in the door is to start by volunteering or interning on a campaign. This is a great opportunity to build relationships with other volunteers, staff, and donors. Hard work and experience can help open doors to new experiences.
How do you make connections if you don’t already have them? Networking is always a crucial step to obtaining a job in any field. If you don’t already know someone working on a campaign or in the political process, it might be a good idea to start reaching out to alumni groups or joining your local Republican group. Stopping by the Republican Party or attending a fundraiser to introduce yourself is also a good way to help get you in touch with the right people and build relationships.
Do you need a degree in Political Science to hold a job in Politics? Not necessarily. While it does help to have background knowledge of the field, you don’t need to have a Political Science degree to work on a campaign. Each campaign will have different roles and needs. In my case, it was helpful to have a background in writing and social media management to help get my start on campaigns.
What skills can you gain from working on a campaign? This will vary depending on the type of campaign you are working on and the political climate at the time. Invaluable skills that you can typically gain from working on a campaign are attention to detail, the ability to work under pressure, and the ability to multitask. Mastering these skills has helped me feel confident to take on any project or client.