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How
to Ace a Job Interview on Capitol Hill
Free
Sample
The
information on this page is an excerpt from the FabJob Guide to
Get a Job on Capitol Hill. It is only a small sample of the valuable
information contained in the 114 page complete guide.
Questions
You May Be Asked
Every House and Senate office
conducts interviews differently, however most have two or three favorite
questions that they always ask job candidates. Here are the questions you
can expect, based on my own experiences as well as interviews with Capitol
Hill chiefs of staff.
Why do you want
to work for this Congressperson?
You should have a substantive,
thoughtful and realistic answer to this question. "I'm desperate for a
job as a Congressional Aide and am pursuing every opportunity I can find"
is not appropriate.
Craft an answer that combines
an interest in the issues the Congressperson cares about, the district
he or she represents and your own personal goals.
Sample
Answer: "Congresswoman XYZ's stance on environmental
issues, and particularly her work on deforestation is very intriguing to
me, as I spent a summer in Costa Rica learning about new forestry techniques.
In addition, having grown up in the Congresswoman's district, I am anxious
to give something back to that community. As someone just starting out
in my public policy career, this office seems to be an ideal place to learn
about Congress and the issues I care most about."
What do you expect
from this job? What do you think it will be like?
According to one House AA
(Chief of Staff), "The question I always set up in interviews is to ask
the applicant what they think the job is and to give me their idea of what
the job description would be if they had to write it, or to describe 'a
day in the life' on the job. This gives me some sense if the person
is reasonable and practical but also if they are creative or innovative."
It also allows me to judge
whether they are clueless about the reality of Hill jobs, or at the other
extreme, think that they are the congressman's peer and suffer from visions
of grandeur. It makes the applicant think an answer through and does not
have a pre-scripted response that can be gleaned from the Political Almanac."
This excellent question should
be answered honestly and thoughtfully. You can review Section 1.2 of this
guide to familiarize yourself with the job you are applying for.
If you are an entry-level applicant, you should reflect a realistic attitude
toward the work as well as an interest in learning as much as you can.
Sample
Answer (Entry Level): "To me, the staff assistant
position sounds like an outstanding opportunity to learn more about Capitol
Hill and the district while honing my administrative and writing skills.
I imagine that most of my
day would be spent answering phones, opening mail, responding to constituent
requests for tours, running errands, and providing general assistance for
the staff as needed. I would hope to eventually have the opportunity to
draft constituent correspondence, attend an occasional hearing or briefing
on a topic of interest, or even handle a lower-level issue or two.
My philosophy is that I can
learn something new from anything, whether it's how to talk to an angry
constituent, set up White House tours or write a constituent letter."
More senior-level applicants
should also reflect an interest in learning, as well as the value that
they bring to the office, along the lines of the following.
Sample
Answer (Senior Level): "Serving as the Environmental
Legislative Assistant, I imagine that my day would be comprised of meetings
with constituents and lobbyists, time spent drafting statements, responses
to constituent letters and memos for the Congressman, and monitoring the
floor, with the occasional hearing or briefing thrown in.
While I definitely think
I could learn a tremendous amount from this experience, I believe I could
add value to the Congressional office as well. I am eager to put my expertise
on environmental issues, my ability to juggle multiple tasks and my willingness
to put in the time and energy to get the job done to work for you."
Additional
questions, plus tips on how to do well in an interview and common mistakes
to avoid, are included in the guide.
The
above is only a small sample of the valuable information in the FabJob
Guide to Get a Job on Capitol Hill. You
can have all this and more for a special price. A six month subscription
to a publication listing Capitol Hill jobs costs $69. This guide not only
tells you where to find job postings for free, it also tells you
how to find out about unadvertised jobs and how
to get the job you want. Visit www.FabJob.com/congress.asp for more
information. |
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