Table of Contents
How to Start a Career in Politics
Do you know how to start a career in politics? There are ways to start a career in politics.
If you’ve graduated from college and are reviewing job prospects, it’s important to determine what area you want to lean toward. In the case of those interested in starting their political career, it is important to identify how to achieve it since it is a competitive field where your peers will also want to obtain that coveted position that you have insight into.
For your first job in politics, it is important to persevere
The key thing to start is identifying all possible job vacancies and internships to start the application process. Make sure you have something concrete in which you can demonstrate your interest in politics and justify the start of your career in this area.
For example, volunteering with your local government or some charity organization, which always needs help, is the kind of experience that is valued positively. Usually, many resumes come in from people who want to work in politics but have nothing in their CVs to show that they are qualified for the job.
Remember that your interviewer may have different political opinions than yours.
Unless you are being interviewed for a role with a particular party, you should always keep this in mind. There is the possibility that the opinions you express before a ministerial office or state organization are contrary to the party of the person interviewing you, which will make you not leave a good impression.
When discussing politics in these types of interviews, try to think more like a journalist for some medium, offering a fair assessment rather than a partisan attack.
Stop applying for anything you can think of.
Adapt your applications to what is verifiable in your curriculum summary. Apply to jobs with parliamentarians or government officials whose interests are closely aligned with yours and where you can really show that you will add value.
If what you want is to stand out, the more experience (internships or formal jobs) you can demonstrate in the area you are applying to, the better since it will make you look like an ideal prospect.
Supplementary education vs. work experience
For jobs in politics, unless you want to be an academic, getting another degree won’t give you an advantage. To find the relevant work experience, think about where you want to professionally and do some research on who is working in that field.
Once this is done, get in touch with that group of people to request information and start your foray into the world of work.
Less emphasis on resume and more on recommendation letters
Try to customize your resume for the job title you are applying for and tell them why you want to work for them. Personalize with a cover letter showing interest in the position you are seeking, and consider including letters of recommendation from people you have worked with, be it in your internships, non-governmental organization, etc.
If a recruiter reads a generic CV that doesn’t say anything in particular about the person, they might instantly reject it, so try to make it relevant to your job title.
Remember that it takes years to develop a full-time career in politics.
This is especially true if you are thinking on a national level. Many potential candidates go through multiple office elections without success until they have a shot at something achievable.
Working for an MP and/or Assemblyman is a great way to be at the center of the political issue, and if this is not something you enjoy, then working in public affairs might be your next best option.
Get involved in community events as much you can.
Talk to local councilors or political groups and ask if they would like your help or support on a particular local issue. This way you can build your local politics network.
Every local area has a strong core of strong community groups working for the good of their locality, and they are always a good place to start working if you really want to make a change in your community.
team eaboute
We hope you enjoyed this post “How to Start a Career in Politics?”