U.S. Congress: Dream Job Accepted
By guest author Danyelle R. Carter, Staffer, U.S. House of Representatives
Four months ago, I landed my dream job in the U.S. House of Representatives. I am lucky to serve as digital press secretary within the Office of Congresswoman Val Demings (D-FL).
Before this opportunity came together, I was a new media intern with an entity off the Hill. I counted the minutes until the end of that internship. My goal was always the Hill. With three weeks left, I left early, ending the internship so I could pursue Congress full time.
The very next day, I received a call from my former Chief of Staff asking for my résumé and cover letter. This quickly led to one interview, and then another. I met with the Chief of Staff and Communications Director then received the offer shortly thereafter. I quickly accepted.
I was officially a staffer in Congress.
Between the House & Senate, there are approximately 100 digital staffers. There are very few digital press secretaries. At present, I know of less than five in the House.
Broadly, other digital roles include digital director, digital managers, and digital assistants. From a minority perspective, there are seven Latina/Hispanic women and only five black women. It’s a very small pool so if you’re interested in #civictech join in! A political science or international relations degree is not required.
If you’re up for the challenge, here are my tips for becoming the next digital staffer within the United States Congress. This is only my experience, but hopefully it can be helpful to others.
Your Application Details
Most people think that the email you send when applying for a position is a throw-away email. Specific to Congress, the text of that email matters a great deal! Chiefs of Staff want to be hooked in the body of the email. It's the first place to show that you can write clearly and deliver a concise message. The better your text, the better the chance that a Chief will open your attachments.
Slay The Interview
Even if it makes you feel very uncomfortable, you need to showcase your work and the effort you’ve put into learning your craft. They need to see how your skills can have an impact. For example, I applied for a conference opportunity that I felt was beyond my reach. During the conference, I was able to create trending hashtags that peaked internationally with 9.7 million impressions. We even had a Former First who weighed in. I was grateful for the opportunity but afraid to brag in my next interview.
You need to brag a little bit. Did you get your press clips out at 6:30 AM? Did you increase the level of engagement by 200% on Instagram? Have you written to Facebook about their privacy issues and how it impacts digital citizens? Did you organize a march for a specific cause? Are you an expert on #NetNeutrality? Brag about it just a touch and share your work with those experiences. Your work shows that you are prepared to lead in Congress.
Maximizing The Job
If you work until you win, you will become a congressional staffer. What now? Your first charge is to immediately draft a digital plan. Take your time as this plan will guide you in becoming one of the most effective digital staffers. Fill out your plan with creative ideas that are exciting and challenging.
Constituents depend on you to not only give them information, but deliver new info in a manner they can share with family, fellow church-goers, and schoolmates. It’s not always easy to be uber-creative, so heads-up, there’s a democratic press list that you’ll have access to for ideas, suggestion, and help.
Most digital and communications staffer will share the contact of a reporter, or new ideas on a digital marketing campaign. Even the little things can be handy. If your laptop dies and you need a charger or a tripod you can ask someone if they have one. It's a team effort to be sure.
On days when the Congress is in session, there are weekly meetings for communications staffers that offer briefings on social platform trends. Ideas are passed around constantly. These ideas can be incredibly helpful to Members. Multiple offices could be tracking the same issues. You’re not alone, I promise.
Lastly, as a brand new digital staffer, connect with as many mass communication professionals on and around the Hill as possible. Join groups such as the Digital Communications Staff Association and U.S. Senate Toastmasters. Convince your Member to have a professional development budget if your office doesn’t already have one. Within that budget, include webinars, media subscriptions, and professional development support.
Do you feel prepared to be the next digital staffer? There are several platforms to launch your search. I used two main entities. I was very fortunate to connect with Running Start and Time On The Hill in the very beginning. I was not alone. There are many people to thank along the way. The same is the case for you. If you have the willingness to work hard, every Member in Congress needs a dynamic digital team.
See you on the Hill!