School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job
Each comment from a legislator includes their career and school ratings.
Career: "I was surprised to find out that through working in politics, specifically helping assist draft legislation, how little thought is initially put into each proposal. Further, how common it was for a legislator's constituent to complain about an issue and subsequently convince the legislator to introduce a bill to change the problem only they were having. Lastly, I was surprised how much more intense office politics is in this field compared to others."
+/-Best & Worst Things About This Career
As reported by people currently doing the job
"Sometimes our clients demand information in a shorter time frame than is possible, or request information that simply is not available. Sometimes we are asked for EVERYTHING about a topic and it can be stressful trying to tease out exactly what information is wanted. We don't want to simply drop a novel on their desk and hope for the best. I like to think the best part of my job is that I am improving our Democratic system by providing the knowledge needed for our legislators to make informative and applicable decisions."
+/-Tips for Succeeding in This Career
Helpful info from insiders
"Any background is appropriate for this type of work. Most importantly, you need to be able to communicate well. Your writing and speaking skills need to be top notch. Your ability to research not just the question asked, but the next question that will be raised, is also important. You need to find public service important. This is not the private sector. Your rewards are derived from inside, not necessarily from the outside."
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