Times are tough. It seems no job is safe unless you’re in upper-management making decisions on who to cut. However, some weekend research shed light on a career always on the rise. Along with the increasing number of bills spewing from government comes an opportunity for a career in lobbying. It’s not just the usual names crowding the legislative sessions anymore. With a new evolution of environmental law, lobbying is going green!!!
"Because there are so many efforts to appease all of these different interest groups, (policymakers) have to balance that with the goal of doing something to reduce this global warming pollution." Marianne Lavelle, author of The Climate Lobby’s Nonstop Growth.
How do you become a lobbyist? According to B.B. James, “One doesn't start out to become a lobbyist in Washington, DC, or a state capital. Instead, one becomes an expert on something, and then becoming a lobbyist is a natural outgrowth of that expertise.” (link)
I’m not convinced expertise is necessary. The RIAA and MPAA are two examples of lobbying agencies with no expertise in the areas they represent (music and movies). It’s a bad time to work for either of those entities though, they’re making cuts of their own.
Fred Krone asks, “Can you shill passionately? Are you willing to pledge total allegiance to an unseen boss who may ask you to take a fall? Do you have sales experience in your background? Perhaps a law degree? These are the building blocks of a good lobbyist.” (link)
Somewhere between being an expert at something and pledging total allegiance to a boss who may ask you take a fall is the key to becoming a lobbyist. There’s certainly no shortage of them. If you’ve been laid off or are in the process of becoming one of the millions of unemployed, take a look at lobbying as your ticket back into a career.
