How to Prepare to Become a Lobbyist

Be a lobbyist on Capitol Hill

Most children, when asked what they want to be when they grow up do NOT respond "lobbyist!" They probably have never even heard of the word. It is not a profession that is normally explained to the younger set unless that particular younger set has a family member who is a lobbyist!!! Then those children, of course, will want to know about it in minute detail.

As a matter of fact, most people do not know what a lobbyist does or how to become one. Lobbyist has become a dirty word for many people in the country in the wake of the Abramoff scandal. The picture of the corporate lobbyist conjures up all sorts of bad feelings as do gifts for political favors.

I want to tell you that most Americans only hear about lobbyists when something illegal or distasteful happens. Most lobbyists are honest, ethical workers doing their job to the best of their ability. In Washington, D.C. alone, there are more than 30,000 lobbyists working on a variety of issues from civil liberties, to banking problems, from your social security to another country's trading issues. I will give you some ideas on how to become a lobbyist yourself.

Things You'll Need

• college degree, a graduate degree (most of the time), contacts, Hill experience

Instructions

1. 

   Study the political process. This means go to college and get at least an undergraduate degree in political science or some related area. Then get a graduate degree, too. Most lobbyists have masters degrees and/or law degrees. There are some who do not have graduate degrees, but not many.

2. 

   Get a job on Capitol Hill (if you want to be a federal or national lobbyist.) Refer to my resources for an article on that topic. Most lobbyists, me included, have Hill experience. The interests you will represent will want you to know how the Hill works. If you do this at the state level, get a job in the State House first.

3. 

   Read everything you can about the way bills become law on the Hill. Talk to experienced professionals about it. I don't mean read college textbooks. Read "The Dance of Legislation" by Eric Redmond and others like it. This particular book inspired me. I wanted to do it like the protagonist in the book, too.

4. 

   Decide if you want to work on public interest types of issues or more corporate topics. You will need to know because it will determine where you apply to work. You will become immersed in these issues and you will affect public policy so your employment should be carefully considered.

5. 

   Decide also if you will be able to play both sides-Republican and Democrat. If you can't, then you better apply to a firm that is partisan. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on which political party is in power.

6. 

   Make contacts. I cannot stress this enough. When I left Capitol Hill, it was a great plus that I had worked for the Senate Democratic Majority Leader and for another very prominent Member of Congress. I had contacts. I needed to make more.

7. Get someone to make you an apprentice without getting a Hill job. This means you start at the very bottom at your selected company, trade association, or firm and work your way up. You can become a lobbyist this way, too, but it will be harder and it will take longer.

8. Be familiar with the rules for lobbyists. All lobbyists who go to talk to people on Capitol Hill must be registered with the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. There are many restrictions and instructions you should know about. You will learn on the job but be at least semi-prepared and do your homework.

9. Remember that politics is a game. You have to learn the rules and to play it honestly. Once you land that lobbyist job or apprenticeship position, you will find a new and exciting world open up. You will be defending the rights of the people to petition their government. You will be defending your fellow American's first amendment rights and you will be having fun doing it, too.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't expect to become a lobbyist overnight. It is a long evolutionary process. The steps are school, campaign, Hill, and lobbyist (if you don't run for office yourself, by then!).

• Remember that lobbyists are good people doing a job that can be quite exhilarating and sometimes make you feel quite powerful. Lobbyists are also hardworking, ethical, and most are paid a decent wage but most do not make the big bucks you hear about in the news!

• Never make enemies. Everyone is a friend. You never know when you might need to collaborate with someone down the road.

Resources

• Lobbying and Advocacy: Winning Strategies, Resources, Recommendations, Ethics and Ongoing Compliance for Lobbyists and Washington Advocates: The Best of Everything Lobbying and Washington Advocacy
• The Dance of Legislation
• Lobbyist Registration and Compliance Handbook: The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA) and the Lobbying Disclosure Act Guide, House ... and Lobbying Regulations for Nonprofits