Uncategorized
Hit the Campaign Trail, Kickstart Your Career: How Politicking is a Lot Like Startupping
|
10
Volunteering or working for a campaign is an amazing way to fill your resume, make great connections, and build valuable skills while you’re searching for your dream job. And if you’re looking for ways to do those things, your timing is right: a pretty big presidential election is just around the corner (lucky you!).
With less than 5 months until Election Day in November 2012, it may be worth it to explore working for a campaign for the next new months.
When my post-graduation job offer fell through, I seriously needed something to do to alleviate my jobless misery living at home with my parents. Lucky for me, there was a special election ramping up in my home state – and it turned into the perfect career opportunity. I took a shot in the dark: I emailed the only email address I could find on the campaign website. Lo and behold, I ended up setting up a meeting with the person that responded, and full-time dedicated myself to the campaign the next day.
A political campaign is just like a tech startup.
Campaigns are scrappy, just like startups. The office space is always set up with 8 to a table, you often bring your own computer or use your own cell phone, and you’re surrounded by a ton of young people. You do a little bit of everything – from running to the post office, to knocking on doors for signatures, to driving the campaign van with signs in the back and staking them in the ground. The smaller the campaign, the more variety in your day.
Most importantly, campaigns function with a core mantra: if you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done. There is a finite amount of time and resources within which your team needs to achieve its goal. This means a heck of a lot of late nights, but also a solid amount of autonomy to prove yourself and make a real difference on the campaign.
If you prove yourself, you get responsibility.
Unless you bring previous experience or a specific technical skill, such as being an accountant, starting out on a campaign might not be glamorous, and will probably include a good amount of “phone banking,” the age old practice of calling registered voters with a script to ask them to vote for your candidate. But if you put in the time and commitment, you can gain responsibility fast. There is always more to be done on a campaign, and if you show that you are dedicated, organized, competent, and going to show up, any campaign will reward you with a little extra responsibility. Volunteer turnover is particularly high, so know that persistence pays off!
I started my first campaign as a phone bank volunteer – after a week, I managed the schedule of volunteers, after 2 weeks, I trained new volunteers, and soon after I became the Headquarters Volunteer Coordinator. In the last Get Out The Vote push of the campaign, when we had high school students, lobbyists, and hill staffers alike volunteering in the office, everyone was directed to me for their assignment. I earned the nickname “boss lady” – and to think it all started because I actually showed up regularly to make phone calls!
You learn how the political system works.
Believe me; I was a political science major in school, and I learned more about how our government actually works in my three months on the campaign trail than I learned in all four years in school. Seeing firsthand who the major players are, how money affects campaigns, and what factors drive decision making on important campaign issues will give you a whole new understanding of our government. And this real experience and knowledge is actually quite applicable when you work outside of the industry- as long as you continue to exercise you right to vote, that is.
In college– and often times as young professionals– we’re surrounded by people of our same age. On a campaign, though, the people you work with in the field (in other words, your core voting demographic) are almost guaranteed to be people you aren’t used to interacting with. I visited with a Girl Scouts troop and their moms, baked cookies for a retirement home, and played Euchre with wonderful gentlemen at a Veterans Administration hospital. Learning who makes up your community is really powerful – and no other job gives you this kind of opportunity to learn. Plus, understanding how to put yourself in the shoes of people who are different from you will always be a skill, no matter what kind of job you end up in after the campaign.
Want more information? Check out Berkeley’s “How to Get a Job in Politics.”
_____________________________________________________________________
Leslie Zaikis is the head of Business Development at The Levo League. She graduated from the University of Michigan and worked in DC at Price Waterhouse Coopers before joining the Levo team.
Even though I never really considered entering politics in the long run, this article definitely made me reconsider. I think perhaps I've been so closed off to it because I feel like I don't know as much as I probably should. After reading this, however, I've realized that not only is it ok, but that I will learn a lot during my experience maybe even inspiring a new interest of mine!
I have definitely had a similar experience when I worked for a campaign one summer. You have to make yourself known, especially when you are willing to be more involved in the fast paced environment. The tedious work pays off in the long run.
Great article! I also worked at a Presidential Campaign and learned a lot of great skills that I use at work today. As you explained, campaigns function with a core mantra: if you don't do it, it doesn't get done.
&Learning who makes up your community is really powerful and no other job gives you this kind of opportunity to learn -- Leslie, this was an awesome article and I couldn't agree more with this statement. Politics or not, immersing yourself in your community will help leverage and build a network that will benefit you for years to come.
Totally true - a political campaign (or, at least a Presidential one) is like a tech start-up: you need to be very scrappy, things change by the hour, and there is never enough money (or, at least, you're not getting it). You will learn a ton, make valuable connections and deep friendships, and have once-in-a-lifetime stories. Working on the 2008 Obama Presidential campaign was one of the best most enjoyable experiences of my life. Like the author, it took me awhile to get through to the right person. But when I did, things moved quickly and soon I was living in another state for several months, and I moved up the ranks quickly. I highly recommend it!
This is completely true! I absolutely recommend it. My first job out of college was for a congressional campaign. You really learn a lot in a short period of time. I jumped from there to a start-up which felt just like home. In both cases you have limited time and limited resources to reach your goal. There are many things outside of your control (press, demographic trends, the economy...) so you have to work that much harder to compensate. But winning is the best feeling in the world.
Great advice, Leslie! I'm sure this will be helpful to new grads not sure where to step
I didn't know you worked on the Obama campaign!!! (Ummm..is it awful I assume you're a liberal?) I did too! Definitely going to revisit this year!
This is wonderful article showing the benefits of working on such a fast-paced, goal-oriented project like a political campaign. As a frequent intern on campaigns I can attest to how accurate the anecdotes are, as well as how beneficial skills acquired are!
I so agree with you Leslie. I had similar experiences on the various campaigns I've worked on. It's a great way to connect with people, rally around a cause and if you're a would-be entrepreneur, get a glimpse of what it's like starting your own business. I often tell people that the difference between a political campaign and a startup is that a political campaign has an end-date.