General

Category: General

Political Campaign Staffers

Political campaign staffers are the backbone of every campaign. They are responsible for managing budgets, raising money, running social media, building field programs, prepping candidates for public appearances, and implementing campaign strategies.   Campaign staffers have a difficult job because they must oversee the day-to-day operations of a campaign while also keeping the long-term strategic goals in mind. A political campaign staffer is a member of the campaign team. This team must manage the work of both internal and external aspects of the campaign. The campaign staff oversees everything from managing the door-to-door volunteers to approving the creative for digital ads and direct mail pieces. A good political campaign staff should also be creating reports on the campaign’s progress, which requires the ability to obtain, manage, and analyze data.

To get started as a political campaign staffer, most people start by volunteering to gain experience and relevant skills. In most roles, you need excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to be persuasive and informative with diverse audiences. You should be enthusiastic about politics and passionate about relevant causes, issues, and priorities. There is no specific educational background required to be a political campaign staffer, but a bachelor’s degree in government or political science is very helpful. Political campaigns offer the opportunity to develop and refine a wide assortment of skills in an extremely fast-paced and flexible environment. Moreover, they give a unique perspective into the electoral process, as well as the cares and concerns of elected officials and the American public.

The average annual pay for a Political Campaign Staff in the United States is $42,776 a year. However, this can vary greatly depending on skill level, location, and years of experience.

People choose to be political campaign staffers for many reasons. Some are passionate about politics and want to make a difference in their community or country. Political campaign staffers can advance to managing larger campaigns for statewide or national office. Some senior campaign staffers may move into political consulting, working for multiple candidates or causes.  Additionally, campaign staffers can use their skills and experience to transition into other careers such as public relations, journalism, or government work.

WORKS CITED:

https://hls.harvard.edu/bernard-koteen-office-of-public-interest-advising/a-quick-guide-to-working-on-political-campaigns/

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-get-into-politics

https://work.chron.com/political-career-start-29679.html

https://www.thecampaignworkshop.com/blog/pillar/campaign-management/political-campaign-staff

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/e/How-to-Get-a-Political-Campaign-Staff-Job

https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/running-a-political-campaign

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-involved-in-activism-and-join-political-organization-2020-6

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_campaign_staff

https://spcs.richmond.edu/professional-education/areas/legal-government/campaign-management/index.html

https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Industry=Political_Campaign/Salary

Creating and Pitching Television Shows, Movies, and Video Games

Television, movies, video games, and even web series are all things we consume at least somewhat frequently, and the entertainment industry is rapidly growing and looking for new ideas (This current deficit of new, fresh ideas is at least one reason they’ve been remaking so many movies that were already fine to begin with). If you feel like you want to make a show or a movie and have an idea that you think should be out there, chances are that others would absolutely agree. This article is dedicated to explaining the basics of what you will need to get started, and a groundwork for where to go next.

The most important part of creating a show is its pitch, specifically presenting it quickly while covering the most notable parts of your idea, called an “elevator pitch.” Elevator pitches are quick, abbreviated editions of the concept itself- so quick, you should be able to pitch it to an executive in an elevator ride. For example, Breaking Bad’s elevator pitch was famously “Mr. Chips becomes Scarface,” quickly describing how a high school teacher turns into a drug lord, which was so bold, Sony executives picked it up. When you get straight to the point of an elevator pitch, you jog the cogs in someone’s brain and they become curious if there is more, which helps you move on to the next part: the pitch meeting and the bible.

Following the elevator pitch comes the pitch meeting, where those interested in making a show or movie must talk to executives. You should create a bible, or a book/binder full of different ideas for the show or movie and bring a copy to the meeting to show executives. Spongebob Squarepants’ pitch was more of an experience than a regular pitch because the creator, Stephen Hillenburg, really put his all into his pitch. He and the creative director, Derek Drymon, showed off a tiny diorama of Bikini Bottom in an aquarium tank with tiny versions of the characters in it, wheeled it into the room, and blasted Hawaiian music both wearing Hawaiian shirts, truly making the pitch their own. They told their plans for the characters and ran down the pilot with executives. It was so good, the executives wished they had it on tape. So, the best thing to do in a pitch is make it your own and have fun, because if you have fun making it, executives will have fun watching it, and they will be more inclined to pick you up. You can read through the Spongebob Squarepants show bible here! There is no right or wrong way to do a pitch, but here is a good template for how you could structure your own pitch meeting. Feel free to build off it!

The best thing about the entertainment industry is that you do not need a degree from a big school, or even in any specific program (film studies, animation, English/creative writing, computer science, etc.). For example, Lawrence alum Josh Sawyer majored in history here and participated in theater and was able to become a design director at Obsidian Entertainment and has used his love of history to create one of the best-regarded games of 2022, and one of Obsidian’s best: Pentiment. Sawyer found early on he did not want to pursue a career with his history major and used his tinkering in web design and animation to jump into the world of video game development and directed Fallout: New Vegas and the Pillars of Eternity duology.

If your pitch does not get picked up at first, know that it is completely okay! Even the greatest creators have struggled to land a place with a publisher or network. But even if it is discouraging to have your idea turned down, it is important not to give up. There are plenty more people who will be willing to give you a chance. The industry can be for anyone (including Lawrentians), and if you have any interest, the worst thing you can do is not try to get involved.

WORKS CITED:

https://www.slashfilm.com/963967/why-so-many-networks-turned-down-breaking-bad/

https://careerdevelopment.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf1041/files/media/elevator_pitch.pdf

https://www.lawrence.edu/articles/lawrence-expertise-helps-fuel-pentiment-video-game

https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/12/spongebob-squarepants-made-air/

Spencer R. Brown is a junior in their first year at Lawrence University, with a major in Government. They work as a media and marketing assistant in the Career Center, and curates articles for students in both Communication, Journalism & Written Arts (#CJW) and Government, Law & International Relations (#GLI) career communities. A writer and animator by trade and part-time mascot, Spencer is fascinated in finding ways to make digesting information entertaining. Feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn here!

Being and Working for an Elected Attorney

Elected attorneys are everywhere and are necessary in every city and state, and there are only two ways to get the job: run for it or be appointed to it. There are two main types of elected attorneys: attorneys general, who oversee a state, and district attorneys, who oversee a county, city, or general area, depending on the state. If you are interested in both law and politics, then serving as (or for) an elected attorney could be a goal for you!

Here in Wisconsin, we have seventy-one district attorneys, or DAs (we have seventy-two counties, but Shawano and Menominee counties unite to elect one DA) and one attorney general, or AG. In Appleton (and Outagamie County as a whole), our DA is Mindy Tempelis, and she is responsible for three main things: prosecuting all criminal actions and asset seizure for the county, arguing her position in front of the appellate or supreme court if summoned by the Attorney General, and managing the prosecutorial unit (regarding budget and administrative issues). DAs also can issue subpoenas for a grand jury and oversee the proceedings.

The Wisconsin Attorney General, Josh Kaul, is in charge of answering questions about the law to officials, examining and certifying both bonds and trust funds, managing the state Department of Justice, and appointing people who can manage and represent the state as either defense or prosecution (depending on the case). Rarely ever do attorneys general prosecute cases, so it seems, at a first glance especially, that district attorneys have more power than attorneys general, but the state DOJ oversees more territory.

All district attorneys and attorneys general are Juris Doctors and have passed the bar exam, which you would need to do if you had interest in one of these positions. However, there are many appointed positions within both sectors. Most people they hire are law school graduates or paralegals, but there are positions (such as chief of staff and some directing posts) that may only require a bachelor’s degree. Students who have studied government/political science, history, and economics have the greatest likelihood of landing a job working for a DA or AG.

DAs and AGs are both vital to making law work. If you end up with a JD, have ideas you think would make the world a better place, and want to enter the political arena, throw your hat in the ring! With a cause people can get behind, you may have what it takes to win!

WORKS CITED:

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/978/001

https://medium.com/durham-district-attorneys-office/explained-the-role-of-the-district-attorney-7dbebd69b132

https://www.zippia.com/attorney-general-jobs/what-does-an-attorney-general-do/

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/165/015

https://www.doj.state.wi.us/professional-profiles

Spencer R. Brown is a junior in their first year at Lawrence University, with a major in Government. They work as a media and marketing assistant in the Career Center, and curates articles for students in both Communication, Journalism & Written Arts (#CJW) and Government, Law & International Relations (#GLI) career communities. A writer and animator by trade and part-time mascot, Spencer is fascinated in finding ways to make digesting information entertaining. Feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn here!

Public Relations

Public relations is a big umbrella term, since it covers so many things! You could be creating media for a brand, speaking for an important figure, or writing for an organization, and you would not be wrong calling it public relations. If you are interested in writing, being creative, and/or getting your face out there, public relations is a field you should look at!

Jobs in public relations, or PR as will be said throughout the article, involve you being the spokesperson for an organization or person in a way. Sometimes, you’re directly speaking for a person or organization, like Press Secretary for the White House, and at other times, you could be the voice of the  SunnyD Twitter account, hoping this attempt at humor will be even funnier than your last try.

There are several career paths in PR, such as administration (press secretary), marketing (marketing coordinator), communications (content manager), media (media director), account managing (brand specialist), and development (fundraising), and usually these jobs go to people in communications, business, and social sciences, but because of how broad PR is, any person with any college degree can get involved in a sector that fits their needs. Your creativity and your sense of humor are vital to any PR job you have interest in because employers love to see what you can do differently from what came before. In a way, public relations is a playground and allows you to be as personal as you want to be in your role.

So, what do you do if you are interested in a job in public relations? There are jobs on Handshake and Indeed, but you can also visit the website of the Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org). In addition to being a resource for Public Relations professionals, you will find several job postings that you may not see posted anywhere else.

How do you get started? Like most every other occupation, getting an internship while still in college is particularly important. Also, take classes that will help develop both your verbal and written communication skills. As always, making connections with PR professionals already in the work place is vital, so visit the Career Center to find out more about PR jobs and  connections with Lawrence alumni already working in PR. Make your appointment with the Career Center here!

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-are-public-relations-jobs

https://www.prsa.org/career/find-a-job

Spencer R. Brown is a sophomore experiencing their first year at Lawrence University, with a major in Government. They work as a media and marketing assistant in the Career Center, and curates articles for students in both Communication, Journalism & Written Arts (#CJW) and Government, Law & International Relations (#GLI) career communities. A writer and animator by trade and part-time school mascot, Spencer is fascinated by finding ways to make digesting information entertaining. Feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn here!

International Trade

If you ask any child in fourth grade what kind of job they want to have when they grow up, no child would say they want to work in international trade, although maybe they should. These jobs are integral to making trade work across the world, and the industry is growing incredibly fast as our world gets more and more globalized, and wherever you live, there could be a job that pertains to the sector.

So, what is international trade? International trade is like a clock, where it looks so simple to define on the outside, but on the inside there are a lot of moving parts. International trade involves purchasing and selling goods and services between companies across different countries. However, the people who are in control of the process are like the cogs and springs, who keep it all together and keep the system moving. According to learn.org, there are three main career paths: global marketing, international trade law, and shipping logistics, and anywhere you look, their definitions are incredibly fuzzy. Jobs in global marketing are responsible for the home front: specifically to project their message and better their image towards other companies interested in doing business with them. After a company finds interest in another abroad, international trade lawyers step in and facilitate the trade through contracts and other legal documents. After the trade lawyers reach an agreement, logisticians take over and plan when and how to get the product from point A to point B. These jobs are vital to both nationwide and worldwide economies, since countries have realized that trade helps us consume more products than we would be able to produce without it.

Hypothetically speaking, let’s say you’re sold on working in international trade, and there’s absolutely no way you could live a happy life without working in the industry. What are the next steps? Jobs in international trade law require a law degree, and potentially a bachelors in government and/or international affairs. Jobs in global marketing usually require a bachelor’s degree in communications or business (related experience), and your chances of getting hired increase with an MBA. Logisticians’ chances of being hired stem from a bachelor’s degree in business, communications, logistics, or a potentially relevant field. It’s easy to find jobs in international trade anywhere in the world, especially in D.C., Virginia, New York, Arizona, Alaska, Illinois, and Massachusetts.

Because of how much trade is on the rise internationally, there are many job and career opportunities. Since international jobs pay well, it might be a great option to consider! Plus, you sound really cool when you tell people you work in the international trade industry!

WORKS CITED:

https://www.investopedia.com/insights/what-is-international-trade/

https://learn.org/articles/Careers_in_International_Trade_Your_Job_Questions_Answered.html

https://www.dallascollege.edu/cd/credit/international-business-trade/pages/career-info.aspx

https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/business-administration/careers/international-trade-specialist/

https://www.zippia.com/international-trade-specialist-jobs/best-states/#

Spencer R. Brown is a junior experiencing their first year at Lawrence University, with a major in Government. They work as a media and marketing assistant in the Career Center, and curates articles for students in both Communication, Journalism & Written Arts (#CJW) and Government, Law & International Relations (#GLI) career communities. A writer and animator by trade, Spencer is fascinated in finding ways to make digesting information entertaining. Feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn here!

Personal Project Ideas for a Productive Summer 

Summer is a wonderful time to relax and recharge, but it’s also a great opportunity to work on personal projects that can enhance your career prospects and personal growth. Whether you’re a student, a recent graduate, or a working professional, there are many ways to use your summer break to work on personal projects that can help you achieve your goals. Here are some ideas to help you get started: 

Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile: 


Updating your resume and LinkedIn profile is an essential project that can have a significant impact on your career growth and success. These two tools are often the first impression potential employers or professional connections have of you, so it’s essential to ensure they accurately reflect your skills, experience, and achievements.

To start, review your current resume and LinkedIn profile and make any necessary updates. This includes adding new experiences, skills, certifications, and job responsibilities. Make sure your headline, summary, and job descriptions accurately reflect your unique value proposition and what sets you apart from others in your field.

It’s also important to tailor your resume and LinkedIn profile to the specific job or industry you’re interested in. Use relevant keywords and highlight the skills and experiences that align with the job description. This can increase your chances of being noticed by recruiters or hiring managers and increase your likelihood of landing an interview.

The career center’s page on Lawrence’s website is an excellent resource for learning how to write effective resumes and build a strong LinkedIn profile. We offer samples, templates, and guidance on how to highlight your strengths and make a lasting impression on potential employers or connections.

Build Your Personal Website:


Building a personal website is a valuable asset in today’s digital world, regardless of your field of study or profession. It’s a powerful tool that allows you to showcase your skills, experience, and accomplishments to the world. With the rise of online job applications and remote work, having a professional-looking website can help you stand out and make a lasting impression on potential clients, customers, or employers.

Creating a personal website has become easier than ever before, thanks to website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. These platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and customizable templates, making it easy to design a website that suits your unique needs and style.

Your personal website should include relevant information such as your resume, portfolio, projects, and any other achievements that demonstrate your expertise and value. It’s an opportunity to showcase your work and highlight your unique selling points to potential clients, customers, or employers. Including a blog, section can also help you establish your authority in your field and attract a wider audience.

In addition to showcasing your skills and experience, a personal website can also help you connect with like-minded professionals in your field. You can use your website to create a network of contacts and share your work with others. This can lead to new opportunities and collaborations that can help you grow professionally.

While building a personal website may not be a common practice in STEM fields, it certainly has its benefits. It offers a platform to showcase your work, connect with others, and establish your authority in your field. It can also demonstrate your proficiency in web development, design, and communication skills, which are highly valued in today’s job market.


Write Research Papers on Topics of Interest:

In today’s fast-paced world, staying up-to-date with the latest academic trends and honing one’s skills has become more critical than ever but staying engaged in academics is a vital aspect of your professional and personal growth. One effective way to stay engaged and work on your own time during the summer is to write research papers on topics of interest.

Writing a research paper is an excellent way to explore a topic in-depth, gain new skills, and showcase your abilities. The best part is that you don’t need any prior research experience or access to data to get started. A review paper can be an excellent place to begin, as it enables you to synthesize and evaluate existing research on a given topic.

To get started, you can identify a topic that piques your interest or that you’ve always wanted to explore. Then, use online databases like the Library, JSTOR, or Google Scholar to find scholarly articles and research papers related to your subject. Once you’ve gathered sufficient information, start synthesizing it into a unique paper that adds value to the existing conversation on the topic.

While writing your research paper, you’ll develop critical thinking, research methodology, writing, and communication skills. You’ll learn to analyze and synthesize complex information and gain valuable insights into the topic you’re exploring. This newfound knowledge and skill set will prove beneficial in your future academic and professional endeavors.

In addition to the personal and professional growth opportunities that come with writing a research paper, it also offers a chance to contribute to the academic community by adding new ideas to the existing discourse. Your paper can open up new avenues of exploration for future researchers, sparking new debates and ideas.

Conduct your passion project:

If you’ve ever had an idea for a personal project or passion project, this summer is the perfect time to turn that idea into a reality. Whether it’s becoming an advocate for a cause you’re passionate about or creating a project to empower a specific group, pursuing your interests can not only bring personal fulfillment but also have a positive impact on your community.

Lawrence University has a history of supporting students in pursuing their personal projects, and many Lawrentians have already turned their ideas into successful ventures. For instance, some students have launched initiatives to promote sustainability, while others have developed programs to support mental health and wellness.

In addition to the support of the Lawrence community, the Career Centre offers Experiential Funding to help students finance their personal projects. These funds can be used to cover project expenses and support your research, development, and implementation.

When choosing a project, consider selecting one that is aligned with your field of study or intended career path. This can help you gain valuable experience and skills that will be relevant to your future career goals. Furthermore, pursuing a project can help you build your resume and make you a more competitive candidate in the job market.