Moving to DC (directly out of college)

Connemara · Jun 23, 2010

I think you're being a bit overly optimistic. My friend works in a congressman's office and told me a scary story. Recently, they posted an opening for a legislative correspondent (handles constituent correspondence). This is an entry-level gig in a congressional office, probably pays a little over $30k/yr. Within one day, she received over 200 applications. A LOT of these people had advanced degrees including a boatload of JDs. Yeah, that's right. People with JDs applying for an entry-level job that normally goes to bachelor's candidates. A woman in my office has been on the Hill since about 1982. She said she can't recall a time when the Hill job market was quite this bad. Honestly, if I were you, I'd really consider joining a campaign as a staff member.

LabelKing · Jun 23, 2010

Is Larry Craig looking for some fresh-faced young men?

ektaylor · Jun 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Connemara

Honestly, if I were you, I'd really consider joining a campaign as a staff member.
I would be more than willing to do this, as well. I have no idea where to find these positions, though. Contacting the local or DC office and asking if they're hiring?

Is Larry Craig looking for some fresh-faced young men?

I haven't shaved in nearly a week--but if it gets me a job on CH... Ah, wait he's not on my team so I can't work for him.

Joffrey · Jun 23, 2010

For campaigns, I'd imagine the local offices would be more helpful. PLus, since conne was just in DC, he would be your best person to seek advice from. However, DO NOT discount making contact with your alumni and professors. You never know who could get you some informational interviews. It may not be on the hill but it could be at a think tanks or lobbying/interest group.

leftover_salmon · Jun 23, 2010

FWIW, a couple people I know from college DID just land jobs with campaigns, but they've been state-level (governor and state senate).

texas_jack · Jun 23, 2010

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

FWIW, a couple people I know from college DID just land jobs with campaigns, but they've been state-level (governor and state senate).

Same

bkk · Jun 23, 2010

Originally Posted by ektaylor

How long should I expect it to take to find a job? Assuming I work as a floater while blanketing CH with my resume and working my connections in DC to find me informational interviews.

Its late June and you're fresh out of school. The major recruiting fairs and hiring sprees for college seniors completed months ago. With $2k to your name and needing to move across the country, there's quite a strong possibility you would be broke before you found a decent job.

Stay in the Bay area, get a job, save some money, and move to DC when your back isn't up against the proverbial employment wall.

A.K.A. · Jun 23, 2010

Originally Posted by hamish5178

Jesus, I know exactly what you mean. I go to college with a couple of these types, but I went to HS with a **** ton of them who all went to American University. It really pisses me off to see these young people who are IN LOVE with the SYSTEM. All they care about is rote knowledge of law and the way things work in DC. They all got started early with Model UN and other youth fake government programs. What happened to being young and passionate about REAL things? How can you become an old, boring, bureaucratic sell-out if you're already there at 19?

It's all about the attraction of sucking at the great governmental teat. Gov't pension lets you retire at 80% of salary after only 20 years work. The rest of us have to toil away until we are dead.

ektaylor, just say no. Do something productive with your life. Big government must be stopped. If it can't be stopped, it will fail soon enough.

DC is a bullshit city. Self important and the women are dog ass ugly. If you are ****, then you're in luck in DC. Lots of homosexuals in DC, some are even elected officials.

I lived there from the end of '83 to '90, and have travelled there frequently for business. It just sucks balls. The commute from Maryland or Northern VA is tedious. Sure there is the Metro, but you'll have to take a bus if you don't live close to the station in Arlington, Rockville, Bethesda (and those places aren't cheap). I can stay in Georgetown, Downtown, or Alexandria on the company dime, yet I still hate going to the DC area.

Connemara · Jun 23, 2010

Originally Posted by leftover_salmon

FWIW, a couple people I know from college DID just land jobs with campaigns, but they've been state-level (governor and state senate).
Yep. But you almost always work closely with the "coordinated campaign" in that situation. So with folks from the House campaign(s) in your state senate district, U.S. Senate campaigns, governor's campaign, etc. There's a mixing of state and federal politics in campaigns.

Neo_Version 7 · Jun 23, 2010

I was at the Shady Grove (?) metro early this morning (around 6:30 AM) and these were my initial observations: - Connes everywhere. Tall Connes. Short Connes. Asian Connes. Connes in Crocs. Connes in flip-flops. - For every runway model in a pencil skirt; there were 15 potential Biggest Loser candidates. - A guy was teaching a tree how to spell cat. - There were heaps of Pio's relatives.

TheAssman · Jun 23, 2010

I just moved to DC 3 weeks ago. I'm 20 and a paid intern for an econ thinktank, so my perspective should be somewhat similar to yours.

Basically the city is perfectly planned and the right size. It's really urban, but with the metro you can get everywhere that's fairly central in under 40 min. Rent is high. I pay 800 splitting a 2 bedroom with a random guy in Rosslyn, VA. Food is also fairly expensive. Everything else is pretty normally priced and most museums are free.

On the downside, people are not as cool as they are in most places I've been. A lot of boring ass yuppies age 25-35 and 50 year old government workers who look like they've had the soul sucked out of them. Not sure about the bars because I'm a few months short of being allowed in.

Anyway, whether or not you'll enjoy this place is up to your personality. It's not like SF though. Much more conformist and not stylish. Think guys wearing ugly khakis and oversized short-sleeve button ups on the weekend.

BTW, if anyone knows of any artsier, hipsterish place in DC let me know. Also, where do 20 year olds hangout who aren't georgetown dicks?

EDIT: The girls are dogs. I went to the Black Cat on Saturday and would have had to be wasted to touch any of those girls

shoreman1782 · Jun 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Connemara

I think you're being a bit overly optimistic. My friend works in a congressman's office and told me a scary story. Recently, they posted an opening for a legislative correspondent (handles constituent correspondence). This is an entry-level gig in a congressional office, probably pays a little over $30k/yr. Within one day, she received over 200 applications. A LOT of these people had advanced degrees including a boatload of JDs. Yeah, that's right. People with JDs applying for an entry-level job that normally goes to bachelor's candidates.

This happens with a lot of jobs that get posted places like USAjobs because govt HR is so backward. Job postings are really vague and they bring in tons of people with the wrong qualifications, or who are waaaay overqualified. It can be a real needle in a haystack situation to find a good fit candidate in a pile of 1,000 applications.

Originally Posted by A.K.A.

It's all about the attraction of sucking at the great governmental teat. Gov't pension lets you retire at 80% of salary after only 20 years work. The rest of us have to toil away until we are dead.

The worst part of living in DC is probably cynical ******** like you, living off the government teat and bitching about it the whole time. Not sure when the last time you looked at government jobs, but the Civil Service Retirement System (which was very generous and entirely unsustainable) has been scrapped and much more "normal" retirement plans are now the norm. The plans I'm familiar with are very similar, less generous even, than I have had in the nonprofit sector.

My only advice to the OP would be to look beyond just the Hill jobs; there's a lot of government work out there. Consider that some agencies may be hiring in the big picture--HHS, etc.--even if they don't have much open right now. The downside of going through traditional channels (i.e., usajobs) is that the hiring process is molasses slow.

swaggerisaliability · Jun 23, 2010

I'm wondering all this as well, since I'm spending the coming fall semester in DC.

cotton · Jun 23, 2010

- Don't overlook committees. They have staff too.

- Keep an open mind about working for a member whose politics are opposite yours. It's not unheard of.

- Assuming your wardrobe is SF-approved, bring all of it with you and rock it every day. This city needs your contributions desperately.

- Stand on the right side of the escalator. And move to the center of the car.

Connemara · Jun 23, 2010

I was actually pleasantly surprised by menswear on the Hill. There were a lot of nicely cut suits, pocket squares, decent shoes. Some of those guys were lobbyists (they tend to be flashy to the point of garishness) but a lot of them were staff. It's probably much worse if you're working at OPM or whatever.

Moving to DC (directly out of college)

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