How to Succeed in a Career in Political Communication

Do you like the idea of a career in politics but would prefer to be behind the scenes? Do you want to help implement change and influence policies? Do you also have a knack for communication and possess excellent people skills? If you’ve answered yes to all of these questions then a career in political communication could be just what you’re looking for, ticking off all the must-have boxes. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can set yourself up for success in the very competitive and exciting field of political communication.

Build the foundations through learning

A great first step in your quest for a rewarding career in political communication is to build your foundation of skills and knowledge through understanding.

An online Master of Mass Communication focusing on political communication can arm you with everything you need to get job ready. A political communication concentration means you'll get to focus on such things as the importance of messaging in the digital age, best practices and techniques, digital advertising, how to increase engagement, how to analyze your efforts and much more. Politicians are embracing digital media and social media like never before, which means you need to be a pro in this regard.

Some of what you'll cover in an online master's in political communication can include digital political campaigning and organizing, web design, how to use social media, influencing change, how to mobilize voters and more.

It’s not your typical 9-5 workday

It’s also important to be realistic about what you’re getting yourself into. The field of politics is never going to be a 9-5 job, especially when you’re in communications. Events, announcements, engagement, campaigning and more happen seven days a week and not during just the standard work hours. You’ll need to have a lot of drive and energy so that you can perform at full steam at all times. Many people in the business end up thriving in this kind of environment, as working under pressure isn’t necessarily a bad thing for them.

Be open to change and evolving with the times

Because the world of communication is always changing, you also have to be flexible and ready to pivot at any time. What’s trending today isn’t necessarily the case tomorrow. You need to read the trends, react quickly and ensure your political candidate stays relevant and gets the attention they need to be successful in their post.

Enjoy working with social media

You’ll also need to have a passion for social media and understand how to engage and connect with followers. Often it is the communication team that is crafting the messages sent out by the politician, and they need to be worded just right and get optimal engagement.

A career in political communication can be an extremely rewarding and exciting job for the right people. It’s ever-changing and you can feel as though you’re making a true difference in your community, state or even country.