In college, she interned for a member of the Congressional Black Caucus but quickly realized the career wasnt for her. In addition to overseeing daily front office operations, the Staff Assistant manages constituent requests for information, tours, and meetings, as well as answering the phone. Interns spend days with top policymakers and observe meetings with guests representing a myriad of political perspectives. Staffer Guide: Making the Most of Capitol Hill. Copyright 2023 CQ Roll Call. The median salary for a Congressional Chief of Staff in the United States is $278,233, and his or her annual salary ranges between $57,826 and $798,468. There is a gym for staff, credit unions on both the House and Senate side, and professional organizations like the Office of Compliance that are dedicated to helping staffers out of uncomfortable situations. Backing CHH is an even bigger deal this year as the developer works to open its 12th Ave Arts project which will create theater and nonprofit office space, retail and affordable housing. But something has to change on Capitol Hill. First, they have to master making coffee and copies. The LA position, as well as the lawmakers overall staff, should be highly compensated. 18 Overall, this suggests that if you're a staffer on a committee relevant to a high priority problem area, it may be possible to do good that's of similar value to moving tens of millions of dollars . Should the opportunity to work as a full-time staffer in our nations legislative branch be, in practice, reserved for the wealthy? Dental and Vision Benefits. Some offices keep a record of how many constituents have called on a particular topic and which position they are advocating for. Rather, expanding responsibilities and knowledge is what most Hill staffers are seeking, including the questioner, and advice was given as such. July 7, 2021 - D.C. Working on the Hill, you are frequently asked how you can continue to work in the current political climate, or whether you find the world depressing these days. Remember, this only gets your resume into a big pile of others, so this cant be your only strategy for getting a Capitol Hill job. The trick is to find one or more paths from you to the person hiring entry-level staff in a congressional office. On the other side of the coin, having an immersion experience on Capitol Hill provides fellows with a unique experience and a type of policy expertise that is just not possible to gain in other ways. Thornell understands the impulse to prefer candidates who have lived among constituents, but thats a subjective criterion that should be balanced against the benefits of diversity, he said. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. There are also an endless number of off-Hill professional development options that cater to Hill staff that both further your career, as well as develop useful relationships and rewarding friendships. Here are five strategies you can employ to help you land a job on Capitol Hill. To the victor go the spoils. There are a number of factors that contribute to the high salaries of Capitol Hill jobs. She was sworn in after . Make an appointment to get more information on renting with us. Firstly, the cost of living in Washington, D.C. is significantly higher than the national average. DAVIDSONVILLE, MD. Before joining the office of Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), Bosak spent several months as an intern at the nearby . Working at BRIDGEPOINT HOSPITAL CAPITOL HILL: 7 Reviews Review this company Job Title All Location United States 7 reviews Ratings by category 2.6 Work-Life Balance 2.4 Pay & Benefits 2.7 Job Security & Advancement 2.1 Management 3.1 Culture Sort by Helpfulness Rating Date Language Showing all 7 reviews Unfortunately the hiring process, as it currently operates, excludes all but Americas wealthiest students. Congressional aides are not required to have a specific educational qualification. The skill of being able to compose a memorandum or a recommendation in a clear, concise manner will let you go far in congressional offices. The salaries of program assistants in Washington, DC are widely varying, depending on a variety of factors such as their skills, experience, employer, bonus, tips, and so on. Some congressional staffers work on campaigns part time while still holding onto their Capitol Hill or congressional district jobs. But doing so can give you an edge when it comes to Capitol Hill jobs. Just when you think youve figured out how to get around the maze of Capitol buildings or seem to grasp a particular issue, things change and you find yourself in a new place. Senate leaders, who are majority and minority leaders, and the president pro tempore, have received the highest salaries since the 1980s. Capitol Hill is a great place to work, whether youre just starting your career or have been staff for a while. Again, the Hill provides ample opportunity for nurturing your faith. Sure, youre going to have to find roommates, and youre probably going to live in an apartment that is way too small for the number of people living there. Just because youre offered a job doesnt mean you have to accept it, said Katy Carter, a legislative assistant-turned-horse trainer. He lived with four other staffers in a horrific place that shouldve been condemned, but she had her own apartment in a building with a doorman and a view. With a little inheritance money from her grandmother, she moved to D.C. and landed that CBC internship that set her career into motion. Michael Hardaway was no stranger to wealth when he came to Washington to work as a staff assistant in Sen. Richard J. Durbins office. The Senate Placement Office performs two key functions for senators offices and committees. Its not meant to be a lifetime career for everyone. A mentor pointed her toward Washington, and friends from the National Black Law Students Association told her about the internships they did on the Hill before law school. The district was expanded in 1976, 2003, and most recently in 2015 when the Swampoodle neighborhood was added to the . I had no family money or connections, he said. Its size is balanced by a healthy and well-manicured garden complete with a lawn, patio, and even a water feature. In the last 7 years, Ive been covering everything related to the career and job seeking world. All students should have a shot at it. Not that every family is functional, there are many dysfunctional families on the Hill. Employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program, which offers pretax dental and vision benefits. A LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENTS responsibilities include responding to constituent mail, assisting legislative staff members, and attending constituent meetings. Reviews from Capitol Hill Day School employees about Capitol Hill Day School culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. The six-bedroom, seven-bathroom, 9,320-square-foot home sits on 2.5 lots in North Capitol Hill. A new government report shows the U.S. Capitol . However, the knowledge that you are making a contribution to something greater than yourself makes all of those experiences entirely worthwhile. If they have the physical space, Hill offices love free labor. Laura Knudtson, PhD,was an APA Congressional Fellow in the Offices of Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Al Franken during the 2017-2018 Fellowship year working on issues related to health and human services policy. And finally, friends are vital, not just the Facebook variety. You never know which ones will pay off. On Capitol Hill, its not always that way. It takes extra effort to find candidates of color, Thornell said, more so if the office is starting from scratch. The truth is, no matter what office or position you work in, there will be times of great success and deep disappointment. 0 Congressional internships are the only way to see the legislative process in action as a student. It may take working on a few campaigns before you get your opportunity at a Capitol Hill job, but keep doing good work, and good things will happen eventually. What are the benefits of working for Hilton? Unpaid internships are the primary path to full-time employment on the Hill. Policymaking is a multidisciplinary exercise. Hill staffers get health insurance, Metro benefits, books from the Library of Congress delivered to their door, underground parking, matching thrift savings plan contributions. Jan. 18, 2023 6 a.m. Congress literally cannot effectively create public policy that benefits all Americans if people that are making the decisions do not look like America. Sending a signal to diverse candidates that theres somebody that looks like me in his orbit or her orbit, thats important, he said. First, living in DC gives you more opportunities to meet people who can help you in your career. But working on the Hill can also give staffers the chance, often at a young age, to build a rsum, make a positive difference in peoples lives, and literally change the world. They are there for you, too. AI technology sends schools scrambling to preserve learning. During that time, they answer phones, sort mail, conduct short research projects, and draft correspondence for their employers staff. It was never in my mind because I had never been exposed to all the opportunities on the Hill., The Source for news on Capitol Hill since 1955. Most of the kids I interned with had both. Salary should be high enough to make the LA job worthwhile. You can have a lot of connections, you'll meet a lot of people, a lot of like-minded people. Heavily research the staff and member before you accept a job. Honor that by countering ill-will with a bit of loving kindness., See how I just did that? Also, believe the rumors about nightmare bosses. Work as many angles as you can. endstream endobj startxref endstream endobj 1095 0 obj <> endobj 1096 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 1097 0 obj <>stream If you are visiting offices, be respectful but dont be afraid to go to the offices of members who are not already on your side. But it takes a willingness to give as much or even more than you receive in friendships. Fellows who are eager to learn quickly and work hard can be an invaluable resource and are highly sought after. 6. %%EOF Typically, there is far more work than there are people, so everyone has their hands full and that can lead to burn out.. So why is it the greatest job Ive ever had? Leaders in the United States make $193,400 per year. Being a congressional staffer is a great privilege with many benefits. Many young people with their newly printed political science, public policy and law degrees set their sights on Capitol Hill as a place to get their feet wet in the national political scene. 4. Working on Capitol is both trying and rewarding. Salaries for positions that require a few years' experience, like a legislative assistant, may pay $50,000.. Unfortunately, these life-changing positions are unpaid, making them largely inaccessible to all but the nations wealthiest students. LIz'6>`b=kz,~~0~t4isb`x K6AsP'inx;t{GG)I .DF=Um #|2 'M(>}k5&u$oS~_/mc}'/^ADng4q1{Fu,{E,rY-_Fi Legislators in Los Angeles will be able to use their positions for free because positions in the city are in high demand. Legislative assistant-turned-horse trainer wasnt for her responsibilities include responding to constituent mail, conduct short research projects, advice. Wasnt for her ), Bosak spent several months as an intern at nearby... 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