Atlas|GAIN Lay of the Land & Job Search

Lay of the Land:Progressive Professional Opportunities &

Basics of Job Searching

Ashley Spillane, Executive DirectorCecili Thompson Williams, Training & Outreach Director

Working in Progressive Politics

Before You Start…Evaluate:

What did I enjoy about my last job? What did I hate? What are my skills? What do I need in my next job?

• Financial requirements• Schedule• Location• Benefits

What do I want in my next job? • More money• Additional job responsibilities• A promotion

Where do I want to be in 5 years?

Before You Start…

Research: What is the mission? Who is the leadership? What is the governing structure? Who makes decisions and how? What are the benefits? What does the position entail?

Prepare: Resume & Interview Skills

Some of Your Options

Campaigns & Elections

All of the Above:Internationally

Issue Research & Advocacy

The Administration

The Hill

Campaigns & Elections

Candidate Campaigns

Party Committees

Consulting Firms

Labor Organizations

Progressive Ally Organizations

Candidate

Kitchen Cabinet/Donors Campaign Manager

Finance Director

Finance Assistants

Field Director

Regional Field Directors

Field Organizers

Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteers

Administrative Staff/ Scheduler

Administrative Assistants

Communications Director

Press Secretary

Communications Staff

New Media

Research Director

Research Staff

Trackers

Consultants

Consulting Firms

Labor Organizations

Progressive Allies

The Hill Senator / Representative

Chief of Staff / Admin

Asst.

Legislative Director

Legislative Assistant

Legislative Corresponde

nt

Intern

Press Secretary

SchedulerStaff

Assistant

Intern

District Office(s)

Legislative Assistant

Legislative Corresponde

nt

Intern

The Administration

Career Political Appointment

Issue Research & Advocacy

Think Tanks

Public Advocacy

Issue Advocacy

Think Tanks

Public Advocacy

Issue Specific GroupsHuman Rights

Women Issues

LGBTQ

Development & Education

Environmental

International Work

Preparing Your Resume

Basic Resume Content1. CONTACT INFORMATION

Name, Address, Phone Number, Professional Email Address

Objective (Not necessary, helpful for career switchers)

2. EXPERIENCE Highlights

Professional Experience

Education (Post High School only)

3. SKILLS Additional Qualifications: Computer Skills, Language Skills,

Research/Writing Experiences, Training/Public Speaking Skills

Trainings: GAIN, Wellstone Action!, etc.

You Should….

Tailor your resume to the position/organization Keep it short

1 page (10 years work experience or less) 2 pages (10-20 years work experience) 3 pages (20+ years work experience)

List job title, employer, dates worked & location

Fact check yourself Keep it clean, concise and reflective of your

experience

Best Practices

Highlight accomplishments vs. tasks you performed Use action verbs to describe responsibilities &

experience Wrote, managed, researched, directed, oversaw,

coordinated, produced, increased, implemented Use numbers to quantify experience

“Managed a team of 3 interns and more than 20 volunteers over a three week period.”

“Directed GOTV effort and increased turnout by 15% over previous election year”

Getting it Out There

Send as a PDF

Address to a specific person at the organization, if possible

Include a cover letter

Make sure all of your documents match

Name the files appropriately!

Good Examples:Smith, John Resume.pdf

John Smith Resume.pdf

Bad Examples:My resume.doc

Political resume.pdf Resume12.doc

Writing A Cover Letter

Begin by addressing to someone specific. Find out who will read your letter. If you don’t know, use “To Whom It May Concern.”

Then, three Sections:

1. Express interest, specify the job you’re applying for and describe how you heard about the job.

2. Provide professional highlights that are relevant to the specific job. Don’t repeat your resume!

3. Explain why you’re interested in this specific job and why you’re the best fit.

Application Package

• Be consistent across all your documents.

• Read the requirements before submitting application package. Make sure you follow all instructions carefully.

• Double check your files on more than one system to catch any formatting errors.

Finding a Job

Finding a Job

National membership association providing training & support for progressive professionals & organizations.

Join to GAIN access to all the benefits we offer, including: Job Board & Career Counseling Talent Bank & Hiring Assistance Training & Certifications Networking Opportunities

Join the free JobsThatAreLEFT listserv for daily job updates!

Additional Resources

LISTSERVS: NOI EMILY’s List Tom Manatos Grassroots Solutions

NETWORKS: LinkedIn Facebook Twitter

JOB BOARDS: Idealist.org Unionjobs.com WorkForCongress.com Brad Traverse HillZoo.com The Hill Roll Call Politico DSCC DCCC DLCC

Learn more about what you can GAIN by joining us!

www.democraticGAIN.org

info@democraticGAIN.org