I want to work in politics

Politics

Working in politics means more than just running for office. With your role in politics you are serving as the voice of the people. There are many ways that you can get involved in politics. You can work for a non-profit doing advocacy work, work on campaigns, work with legislation and so much more. A great way to get started is to network with people already working in the field. Working in politics involves interesting work, excitement and opportunities to make a difference.

Career Snapshot

  • Political Scientist - Median Pay $117,570 per year, $56.52 per hour. Work full time in an office. Long hours. 
  • Administrative Assistant - Median Pay $38,880 per year, $18.69 per hour. Work in an office setting. 
  • Legislator -  Median Pay $46,350 per year. Local government- $45,900. State government- $51,250

Things to think about

Top qualities and skills needed for political careers:

 

 

Communication

Being able to speak to others to convey information as appropriate for the needs of your audience is a very important skill to have. In politics you are constantly interacting with people and must do so effectively. 

 

Decision Making

In politics people rely on you to make important decisions that will benefit communities. Therefore one should know how to choose between possible solutions to a problem that would have the best positive impact.

 

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, is a big part of what politicians do. They often take time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and refrain from interrupting at inappropriate times.

 

Persuasion

Politicians use persuasion when looking for support from companies and individuals for their campaigns and projects. You also want to be able to convince others why your views are the ones they should share. Therefore persuade others to change their minds or behavior

Top Five

There are a variety of majors at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder that can help prepare you for the future.
 

Most Surprising Majors 

Handshake Search Terms

  • Campaign
  • Coalition
  • Lobby
  • Election
  • Advocacy

Things you can do

Seek opportunities on campus to start developing skills.
 

Get Involved

There are many student organizations or groups that center around politics. You can also get involved in student government to make changes on campus. whose passions align with yours and get involved.

Get Connected

Shadow a local politician. Ask questions about how they got their start and how you can help. Find ways to make these connections at Career Services.

Get Experience

Search for opportunities to get connected with the community, a local political campaign or nonprofit. Find opportunities through:

  • - Login and search using keywords like 鈥減olitics鈥
  • Handshake - Login and search by industry, job function or keyword
  • Volunteer Resource Center - Search the calendar or organization database

Get Engaged

There are many ways to be engaged such as conducting research on political theory  UROP website, studying in another region to gain perspective through   or doing a semester in Washington through

Get Informed

Researching companies and the industry you鈥檇 like to work in is an essential step to narrowing your interests while in school. Use to learn more about careers in politics.

Resources