Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials on February 1, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Office politics exist in virtually every workplace, so what better training for a young professional’s career than to spend some time working on a political campaign? No matter what your political persuasion, the 2008 election is a perfect opportunity to jump into the fray. To find volunteer opportunities, check out the website of your favorite candidate or party, and remember to check out the local and state levels, too. You’re likely to get more responsibility if you work on a smaller campaign.
GOTV or “Get Out the Vote” is one of the jobs to which a new volunteer will likely be assigned. What does this entail? Calling registered voters and reminding them to go to the polls on Election Day and knocking door-to-door. GOTV requires little experience, but lots of enthusiasm. This is a particularly good option for Generation Y volunteers — candidates and their staff members will love your youthful energy and your connection to other young voters.
Read the rest of this article at The Huffington Post.
Hi Andrea – Thanks for the comment. This is an important question. I believe it is a very personal decision how you reveal your politics to a potential employer. Some people are not sharing their politics at all, but I believe you can stay relatively neutral by staying non-confrontational about your political beliefs and simply focusing on the work experience gained on a campaign. What do you think?
I agree that it’s a great idea to work on a political campaign to gain experience (and contribute to something you’re passionate about!). But I wonder, in terms of listing your experience working for Candidate X on a resume, if you could face (even involuntary) bias from a hiring manager who is indisposed to that candidate or political party. What do you think?