Politics, legislative staff, and campaigns
Behind every elected official is a team shaping policy, communications, and outreach. Legislative and campaign work is fast-paced, people-oriented, and deeply tied to the democratic process—ideal for students interested in politics, communications, and civic engagement.
Working for the US Congress and on campaigns
The guide linked to the logo on the left offers specialized guides on congressional internships, full-time roles, and fellowships under the general heading “Working in Congress: Why and How”
- U.S. Senate employment and resume bank
- U.S. House or Representatives employment and resume bank
- Contact Information for U.S. Congress Members
Campaigns: Political campaign types, organization and roles – includes links to the various campaign committees on both sides of the aisle
Working for state legislators
You can learn most of what you need to know from The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) website. NCSL was created by state legislators and legislative staff in 1975 and serves America’s 50 states, commonwealths, territories and the District of Columbia. Every state legislator and staffer is a member of the organization and has complete access to the latest in bipartisan policy research, training resources and technical assistance tailored specifically to their needs. NCSL offers members a variety of opportunities to connect and collaborate.
Running for office as a candidate
- National Run for Office Day – tons of resources including a quiz that helps you decide which office at which level is right for you
- She Should Run – by identifying and tackling the barriers to elected leadership, She Should Run convinces women from all political leanings, ethnicities, sexual orientations and backgrounds to see themselves as future candidates
- Run to Win – from Emily’s List; recruiting and helping thousands of women run for office at the state and local level
- How to Run for Office – from NPR
How do elections work?
- General info with a link to each state
- MN has a great site full of details on elections and how to run for elected office
🏛️ Sample job titles
- Legislative Assistant
- Campaign Field Organizer
- Communications Director
- Policy Researcher
- Constituent Services Representative
- Average salaries for elected officials
- Average legislative staff salaries
- Average campaign salaries
