Starting Out

Overview

The job hunt can really suck, especially early in your career. At best, it’s mind-numbing and slow; at worst, it’s emotionally devastating. It can feel impossible, and like the biggest thing in the world, but it’s important to remember that it’s just a process, that you will get where you need to go if you put in the work in, and that you only need to land one job.

Remember that you aren’t asking anyone for a favor. You’re not trying to get employers to give you anything you didn’t earn, you shouldn’t feel guilty or bad about advocating for yourself, and you’re not doing anything weird or wrong.

Instead, you’re doing potential employers a big service by offering them the opportunity to work with you. You have talents, strengths, and gifts. You could make more money almost anywhere else (more on that later …), and the work would be easier and less stressful. But you really care about making a difference, so you’re stepping up to help. You are a huge get, and you should see that.

At times, the hiring process is going to seem so weird and arbitrary that you’ll think you’re doing something wrong. You might think:

A hiring manager stopped responding to your emails because they don’t like you

An organization doesn’t post jobs on their website because they’re not hiring

You haven’t heard back from a job you applied to weeks ago because you didn’t get it

This often isn’t true. The truth is that most folks who work in politics are incredibly overextended, and hiring, unfortunately, isn’t a priority. People tend not to be responsive because they lose track of email, and, frankly, they prioritize responding to “important” folks (bosses, donors, etc.). They won’t post jobs on their website because they can’t find time to make it happen. This isn’t great--and, when you’re the one doing the hiring, you should do better--but, for now, you should truck along knowing that it isn’t a reflection of your worth or their interest in you.

Ultimately, though, it’s just a numbers game. You need to set yourself up for success by learning to tell your story really well, expand your network as much as you can, and then apply for as many jobs as you can find. Each application and informational interview has a very low probability of turning into a job, but if you get as many shots on goal as you possibly can, it will happen!

I’ve included a lot of background on the landscape here and a deep dive into strategies. If you slammed and don’t want to read a whole guide, here’s a TLDR:

Nail your resume and cover letter

Build your network through (virtual) coffee chats and informational interviews

Apply to as many jobs as you can.

Please feel free to reach out to Progressive Pipeline if we can ever be useful, or if you just want to chat. We’re happy to be helpful in any way we can!

Timeframe

The job hunt has many moving parts, and most people will undergo a period of job hunting multiple times throughout their careers. The job hunt can take weeks, months, or even years, so it’s important to understand that a long job hunt isn’t a sign of failure. Even if you end up getting hired for a job, the timeline between finding the job posting and receiving an official offer can take several months. Because the job hunt can take so long, it is always best to start as early as possible.

For people still in college, freshly graduated, or searching for entry-level positions, it’s best to be proactive when searching for jobs; the earlier, the better. Internships during college are a great start and can give you the experience you need to transition to an entry-level or higher role after graduation. Another advantage of starting the search before graduation is that many competitive internships are only open to currently enrolled students, so, although counter-intuitive, you will actually lose access to a huge pool of entry-level opportunities once you have your degree. But many folks don’t get the ball rolling until after graduation for many valid reasons, which is perfectly fine. Simply having a degree can be a huge asset when applying for jobs regardless of whether your degree is in the specific field you're applying for.

Even if you currently have a job, fellowships and internships tend to be temporary with an established deadline, so you should be planning for your next steps while you are still employed. It’s not uncommon to be on a continuous job search throughout the first few months or years of your career if you are bouncing between seasonal positions or have a job, but are looking for something that’s a better fit.

It’s never too early to start networking or applying to internships. If you’re currently in college, you’ll probably want to start applying to post-grad jobs January or February of your senior year. There are a few exceptions (usually larger organizations with more competitive hiring processes), but most orgs expect their entry-level hiring processes to take 1-3 months.

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