The Launchpad by Second Day

Overall estimated read time: 19 minutes

Last updated: July 2021

Note一 this guide is focused on towns and municipalities. Click here for the overall Government Guide, here for the State Guide, here for the Campaign Guide, or here for the US Legislature Guide

If you have an interest in government and politics, one of the best ways to get directly involved is on a campaign. When you believe in the candidate(s) and their mission, working on a campaign is incredibly rewarding. A campaign job also allows you to see inside the electoral process. If you are interested in running for office one day or are planning on working within the civic realm, it is quite helpful to understand how campaigns really work. Finally, campaign jobs provide a network of like-minded individuals looking to pursue the same policy goals as you and these connections can lead to further positions in government or policy.

If this career path sounds exciting to you, this guide will take you through everything you need to know about working on a campaign. To inform our work, Second Day has spoken to experts in the field and gathered the best information out there for upcoming and recent graduates. First, the guide will take you through how campaigns work and the types of roles typically available. Then, we’ll provide tips on actually getting those jobs. We’ll finish with our next three steps and some thoughts on how a campaign job can build into a career. Let’s get started!