Political Administrative Assistants Work in a Fast-Paced World

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If you like working in political arena and don't mind late hours and skipping meals now and then, you may be a candidate for an staff administrative assistant to a member of U.S. Congress.

Most members of Congress are extremely busy—speaking on the "floor," stuck in committee meetings, holding court with lobbyists, or addressing constituents in public or via broadcast media. Most work round the clock and still can't seem to get everything done. That's where their administrative assistants come in.

Members of the House of Representatives can hire up to 18 permanent employees for their congressional and district offices. Of course, there’s no limit to the number of temporary hires, which is a great place to get your foot in the door.

In terms of job function, the Administrative Assistant reports directly to the member of Congress. They pore over various legislative proposals and constituent requests. They are also typically in charge of overall office operations, including the assignment of work and the supervision of key staff.

Then there's the Legislative Assistant, who specializes in a specific legislative field or fields and crafts and monitors legislation. These people orchestrated specific strategies to ensure a bill gets passed.

There's also the Staff Assistant. These people answer phones and e-mail in the Congressperson's office, greet visitors, sort mail, and provide tours of the Capitol.

For an additional perspective, check out this video:


Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.

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