Malcolm Rivera
Working for a political campaign can be an incredibly rewarding experience, providing a unique perspective on the democratic process and an opportunity to promote change in local or national government. Campaign jobs are often fast-paced, high-pressure environments, requiring full-time work in the weeks preceding elections. While campaign work is not for everyone, it offers a chance to connect with like-minded individuals and build a valuable network of contacts, which can lead to further positions in government or policy. This paragraph will provide an introduction to the topic of how to work for a political campaign, covering the benefits, challenges, and potential career paths associated with this field.
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What You'll Learn
Volunteering and networking
Volunteering is a great way to get involved in a political campaign and can be done in a variety of ways. Firstly, you can reach out to a specific candidate's campaign and see if they are looking for volunteers to perform tasks such as writing and mailing postcards to voters, canvassing, phone banking, or fundraising. Canvassing involves knocking on doors and engaging with the public to explain your candidate's goals and ideas, while phone banking involves making calls to persuade potential voters or ask for donations. These are great ways to interact directly with voters and make a difference in the campaign.
If you're more introverted, there are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer. Many campaigns offer text banking, where you can communicate with voters anonymously, and some groups even use apps that allow you to send and respond to text messages from your computer. You can also help with putting up signs, delivering yard signs to voters, or expressing your support for the campaign online. Additionally, you can encourage others in your circle to donate to the campaign or host an online fundraiser. These activities can be done alone or with friends and are crucial to the success of any political campaign.
Volunteering is also an excellent way to network and build connections with people who work in political campaigns. By getting involved, you can develop valuable skills and networks that can benefit your personal and professional life. You can also gain experience, learn about different positions, and expand your professional connections. Networking is crucial to obtaining a job in the political field, and it's important to consistently cultivate and nurture your network over time. Reach out to campaign alumni, use your college or school alumni connections, and identify alumni working on campaigns or affiliated with partisan work.
In addition to volunteering, you can also apply for internships or entry-level jobs within political campaigns to increase your experience and build your network. These positions can help you better understand how a political campaign functions and allow you to work in an official setting while learning valuable skills. Remember, campaigns thrive on diversity, and your unique experiences and transferable skills can amplify the campaign's messaging and help reach more voters. So, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved!
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Field, advance, or fundraising work
Field Work
Field staff are the primary liaison between the campaign and local influentials, such as interest group leaders and community activists. They are tasked with direct voter contact, including canvassing, phone calls, and building local events. They also run local "storefront" campaign offices, organize phone banks, and stage locations for canvasses and other campaign events. On a statewide level, field departments are organized by geography, with regional field directors overseeing the efforts of several local offices.
Advance Work
An "advance man" or advance team scouts locations, arranges logistics, and assists in drumming up an appropriate audience before a candidate appears in public. They handle the publicity and plan every moment and detail of the candidate's day, including travel, lodging, and media appearances. Advance work involves a lot of travel, with staff often on the road for twenty days out of the month on a national or statewide campaign.
Fundraising Work
Fundraising is essential to any political campaign, and there are many creative strategies to consider. These include grassroots campaigns, utilizing social media, parades, and float decorations, as well as more traditional methods such as letters, emails, phone calls, and flyers. Chain fundraising letters are a non-digital approach to crowdfunding, where supporters are asked to donate and then forward the letter to their friends. Online tools and platforms can also be used to automate and manage the fundraising process.
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Political consultant
To become a political consultant, a bachelor's degree in political science, public administration, public relations, business, international relations, or a related field is often a prerequisite. Many consultants also have master's degrees in global business administration, which provides valuable skills in management and leadership. Gaining relevant experience through internships and expanding professional networks is also crucial.
It is important to note that the work of a political consultant can vary depending on the type of consulting firm. Data consulting firms, for example, produce statistical models and hire data analysts, scientists, and software engineers. In contrast, digital firms focus on emails and social media, hiring web developers, social media managers, and analysts. TV ad firms develop talking points and ad concepts and tend to hire professionals with a background in marketing or advertising.
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Campaign manager
To become a campaign manager, it is important to gain experience in political campaigns. This can be done by volunteering for local or state campaigns, or through internships. Entry-level positions include volunteer coordinator, fundraiser, or financial officer, which can provide valuable insights into the inner workings of a political campaign and help build connections. A graduate degree is not required, but a master's degree in political science, political management, or elections and campaign management can help one stand out and gain additional knowledge and skills.
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Communications staff
Working on a political campaign can be a rewarding experience, especially for those with political aspirations. While there are no set rules for joining a campaign, it's important to give thought to the type of position you desire and those you would be willing to take. Campaign workers often start with field, advance, or fundraising work, and later transition into policy or political roles.
To become a part of a campaign's communications staff, you can look for relevant job opportunities and internships offered by political parties, non-profits, and universities. For instance, The Leadership Institute in Arlington, VA, offers training on campaigns, fundraising, and politics, and collects relevant job openings. The Mobilisation Lab provides training and coaching on advocacy campaigns, including workshops and online courses. Additionally, the National Democratic Training Committee offers a free, interactive online campaign school with training in communications and digital campaign skills.
It's worth noting that most entry-level campaign positions offer meager compensation, and many positions are filled by volunteers. However, working for a campaign, even without pay, can provide valuable connections that can benefit your future career.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to find a political campaign to work for. You can check the campaign website for job postings and follow the application instructions. If there are no postings, you can send your application directly to the candidate or campaign manager. You can also join a placement program that can help you locate a campaign. Networking is also important in the political world, so make sure to leverage your connections.
Volunteers perform many of the low-level jobs in a campaign, such as knocking on doors, making phone calls, or canvassing. Volunteers can also take on substantial responsibility in smaller, local campaigns. Other entry-level roles include working in the digital department, which involves creating graphics and social media content, and the political team, which manages relationships with local politicians and party leaders.
Campaign work is demanding and often requires long hours, especially before elections. It can also be highly public, so comfort with media and public relations is important for certain roles. In terms of skills, familiarity with political analysis tools, databases, and software is valuable. Transferable skills and unique experiences from outside the political realm can also be beneficial, as campaigns thrive on diversity.
