If you work on the hill, how fast does the recruitment cycle go?

[Anonymous]

Applied to a lc position on the hill with a senate office. I got through the resume screen and was sent a writing exercise to complete over a weekend. I sent that in and it has been a couple of weeks of no response.

Is the delay because of the senate being out of session till yesterday? It seems in general the hill moves pretty fast in recruitment/interviews but I wanted to hear from anyone on the hill presently

[Anonymous]

Bump. NP, would like to hear an answer because my DH is interested.

[Anonymous]

It moves quick. But proceed with caution. Do you know someone in the office? Are you from the state/district? You're competing with 500 application for a 40k/yr. job. I also know a lot of Hill staffers that are stuck because exit options aren't what they seem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It moves quick. But proceed with caution. Do you know someone in the office? Are you from the state/district? You're competing with 500 application for a 40k/yr. job. I also know a lot of Hill staffers that are stuck because exit options aren't what they seem.

yeah i thought it does move quick - heh, i'll give up. I'll probably out myself if someone from the office reads this but the one i applied to (i'm op) I knew someone in the office, I'm from the same state and a current long time constituent, I had prior hill experience (at the intern level), grad degree in the subjects the portfolio was covering etc. pretty much checked off every box on the pre-req.

40k would be nice - i think the jobs I applied to were closer to 35-37 at best. I def thought I'd make the cut for atleast in person interview.

[Anonymous]

It moves quickly but every office is different. For an LC position, there are probably others able to fill in, so I could see it taking a few weeks. But, if you don't have a hook (from that state, know someone) it's very hard to get these jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It moves quickly but every office is different. For an LC position, there are probably others able to fill in, so I could see it taking a few weeks. But, if you don't have a hook (from that state, know someone) it's very hard to get these jobs.

Yep I know - thought I had the required hooks. Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Tough to say. This type of thing can easily get backburnered. Or perhaps there was an internal candidate, VIP, or former intern. They were just in recess over Memorial Day. Is that when you were given the writing test? I would say if next recess comes and goes and you haven't heard then they likely went with someone else.

[Anonymous]

OP here - got dinged today. sad that i didn't even make it to the interview stage even with multiple 'hook's.

should i reach out to the person i know in the office (that person is at the ld level) and ask them to critique my writing samples?

[Anonymous]

What is your financial situation like, OP? Most of my co-workers were hired out of an internship or fellowship. Unfortunately, getting hired required them to stick around for a while (longer than the other interns or fellows). My office had a law school grad from a top-10 school work for us, unpaid, for 8 months before he was hired on as a Legislative Assistant when the former one left the office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your financial situation like, OP? Most of my co-workers were hired out of an internship or fellowship. Unfortunately, getting hired required them to stick around for a while (longer than the other interns or fellows). My office had a law school grad from a top-10 school work for us, unpaid, for 8 months before he was hired on as a Legislative Assistant when the former one left the office.

I interned on the hill before I went to do other things as nothing opened up really when I was interning (twice - two different offices) there. I financially couldn't do a 8-10 month stretch.

But if that's what it takes - then yeah, I'm not sweating it.

Appreciate your post however - unvarnished truth is good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It moves quick. But proceed with caution. Do you know someone in the office? Are you from the state/district? You're competing with 500 application for a 40k/yr. job. I also know a lot of Hill staffers that are stuck because exit options aren't what they seem.

found out that it was around 150 applicants for this opening - but I'm pretty sure it that number is a lot lower than the typical 300+ because it was open for less than a week and had a number of pre-req's listed that would've restricted applicants

[Anonymous]

sorry. you'll find something that pays more and has actual growth. no disrespect to anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your financial situation like, OP? Most of my co-workers were hired out of an internship or fellowship. Unfortunately, getting hired required them to stick around for a while (longer than the other interns or fellows). My office had a law school grad from a top-10 school work for us, unpaid, for 8 months before he was hired on as a Legislative Assistant when the former one left the office.

Is this really true? People will work sans pay for 8 months to get a crack at a $50k/year job on the Hill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is your financial situation like, OP? Most of my co-workers were hired out of an internship or fellowship. Unfortunately, getting hired required them to stick around for a while (longer than the other interns or fellows). My office had a law school grad from a top-10 school work for us, unpaid, for 8 months before he was hired on as a Legislative Assistant when the former one left the office.

Is this really true? People will work sans pay for 8 months to get a crack at a $50k/year job on the Hill?

Yes. We get dozens of applications from licensed attorneys for "fellow" type openings. The Senate Judiciary Committee has a very competitive unpaid fellowship program that requires a 12-month commitment. Working closely with the issues and committee brass is valuable experience if you want to work at a trade association down the line. Though I wouldn't be surprised if most end up at law firms after their stint on the Hill.