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Lobbyist: A Day in The Life of A Lobbyist

A typical day for a lobbyist involves persuading politicians through direct and indirect methods to support issues that benefit their clients. Direct lobbying includes meeting with politicians to provide information to sway their vote, while indirect lobbying involves grassroots efforts like organizing community members to contact politicians. Lobbyists work long hours, often evenings and weekends, when bills are being voted on. While most lobbyists operate ethically, the profession suffers from perceptions of corruption due to a few bad actors. There are no formal education requirements to become a lobbyist, but common paths include careers in government, law, public relations, or as a former politician leveraging connections. Networking is important, as personal relationships can help open doors.

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34 views2 pages

Lobbyist: A Day in The Life of A Lobbyist

A typical day for a lobbyist involves persuading politicians through direct and indirect methods to support issues that benefit their clients. Direct lobbying includes meeting with politicians to provide information to sway their vote, while indirect lobbying involves grassroots efforts like organizing community members to contact politicians. Lobbyists work long hours, often evenings and weekends, when bills are being voted on. While most lobbyists operate ethically, the profession suffers from perceptions of corruption due to a few bad actors. There are no formal education requirements to become a lobbyist, but common paths include careers in government, law, public relations, or as a former politician leveraging connections. Networking is important, as personal relationships can help open doors.

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ramonet
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lobbyist

Day in the Life | Quality of Life | Present & Future Facts & Figures | Majors | Graduate Programs

A Day in the life of a Lobbyist


Whether lobbyists wor for a large organi!ation" a #ri$ate indi$idual" or the general #ublic" their goals and strategies are the same% First and foremost" lobbyists must be ade#t at the art of #ersuasion" which is the mainstay of their job% &hey must figure out how to sway #oliticians to $ote on legislation in a way that fa$ors the interest they re#resent% &his means tailoring a##eals to s#ecific indi$iduals as well as to grou# $oting blocs" such as 'outherners or #ro(choicers% Lobbyists also occasionally lobby one another% When normally o##osing grou#s find a common area of interest and can #resent a united front they are e)tremely effecti$e% Lobbying can be direct or indirect% Direct lobbying means actually meeting with congressmen and #ro$iding them with information #ertinent to a bill being $oted on% &he lobbyist im#arts her information with the hel# of gra#hs" charts" #olls" and re#orts that she has hunted u# or created% *eedless to say" this is usually information that the #olitician might not otherwise ha$e access to" that casts the matter in a light fa$orable to the interest the lobbyist re#resents% 'ometimes" lobbyists will e$en sit down and hel# a #olitician draft legislation that is ad$antageous for their interest% Maintaining good relations with #oliticians who can be relied on to su##ort the lobbyist+s interest is ey% While lobbyists and their em#loyers cannot themsel$es ma e large cam#aign donations to #oliticians" they can" and do" raise money from other sources for reelection cam#aigns% &o be successful at all of this" the lobbyist must be well(informed" #ersuasi$e" and self(confident% Personal charm doesn+t hurt either" and lobbyists will often do social things li e host coc tail #arties" which allow them to interact with #oliticians(and o##onents(in a less formal atmos#here% ,ndirect lobbying" sometimes referred to as grassroots organi!ing" is a bit less glamorous% Grassroots lobbyists enlist the hel# of the community to influence #oliticians by writing" calling" or demonstrating on the organi!ation+s behalf% &his means long hours s#ent on the #hone and writing letters" trying to rouse the community to get in$ol$ed% &hese lobbyists also re#ort to #oliticians about the concerns and reactions they ha$e gotten from community members% ,ndirect lobbying is also done through the media% Grassroots lobbyists write articles for news#a#ers and maga!ines and a##ear on tal shows to generate interest in and awareness of their issues% Lobbyists tend to wor long hours(between forty and eighty hours #er wee is normal" and when a bill is u# for $ote they will usually wor through at least one night% -ut the least attracti$e #art of being a lobbyist may be the #rofession+s less(than(s#otless re#utation% While most are undoubtedly scru#ulous" some lobbyists ha$e been nown to grease a #alm or two where #ersuasion falls short" and the rest must suffer the #ublic+s mistrust% &hese honest lobbyists" who re#resent e$ery segment of society" ta e refuge in the nowledge that they are wor ing to #romote causes they belie$e in%

Paying Your Dues


Lobbying is a #rofession full of #eo#le who ha$e changed careers" since rele$ant nowledge and e)#erience are all you really need to become a lobbyist% &here are no licensing or certification re.uirements" but lobbyists are re.uired to register with the state and federal go$ernments% Most lobbyists ha$e college degrees% / major in #olitical science" journalism" law" communications" #ublic relations" or economics should stand future lobbyists in good stead% While you+re still in college you can chec out the terrain through $arious go$ernment(related internshi#s(as a congressional aide" in a go$ernment agency" or with a lobbying firm" for e)am#le% /ny of these #ositions will gi$e you a loo at the role of lobbying in the #olitical system% /fter college the same holds(wor ing in a go$ernment or #olitical office" es#ecially as a congressional aide" ta es you to the front lines" but it may also be useful to start out in a law or #ublic relations firm% Many lobbyists also come from careers as legislators" as former #oliticians often ca#itali!e on their years of go$ernment ser$ice and their connections to old #als still in office% &his is the 0re$ol$ing door1 that recent legislation has begun to regulate 2see 0Past and Future13% ,ndeed" networ ing is the name of the game in lobbying" where #eo#le are hired as much for who they now as what they now% 'omeone who can schmoo!e at high le$els will start his lobbying career from an accordingly high #erch" while others face a long hard climb u#wards% While there is no hierarchy of seniority as in cor#orations" this also means that there is no ceiling for those who do well%

Associated Careers
Primarily" the lobbyist wor s with legislators and aides" both of which are career o#tions for former lobbyists" with their inside nowledge of the #olitical system% Public relations is also a natural choice" since #ac aging and communicating messages is the lobbyist+s #rimary s ill% /d$ertising" journalism" and teaching are also good outlets for the lobbyist+s energy and talents%

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