'Alumni Staffers Helping Current Staffers': Event Attendees Share their Best Takeaways

Attendees shared their best takeaways from our mentorship event in October, themed 'Alumni Staffers Helping Current Staffers.' Check it out below🔥⬇️

Transcript:

Jeff Berkowitz (Founder & CEO of Delve LLC; former manager of messaging/research at George W. Bush White House)

I think the best piece or the two best pieces of advice—because I cheat and always extend the question—the first is, when you're in an interview, pitch yourself. I thought Marina’s point on that was really important.

You don't go in just worried about ‘Oh, can I get the job or anything’? Think about if you get the job, how are you going to help them? And pitch yourself. That way, I think you're going to be a much more compelling candidate.

And the second would be from the chiefs panel. You know, I think in today's age we’re so used to sort of rushing to instant gratification, but putting your time in, doing what needs to be done—identifying what needs to be done and jumping in where it’s needed—will pay off dividends in the long term of your career.

David Eaton (former legislative staffer, House of Representatives)

The best piece of advice for a young staffer is not being too bent on doing what you came to do—there’s a lot to be said for getting a little bit of information from everything and every issue that you can get your hands on while you’re up there. This is not about digging in and finding out as much as you can about one thing. It’s about trying to make sure that you are being resourceful enough to ensure that you are helpful to your congressperson and it also benefits you in the long run, because if you’re ever thinking about doing something like becoming chief of staff or something like that, although the subjects of the issues change, the structure, format, and how they unfold do not. It’s always going to be useful down the road so I would say make sure you do as much as you can to learn as much as you can while you’re there, and enjoy.

Julie Devine (Legislative Director, House of Representatives )

I’m an LD on the Hill so I’ve heard a lot of advice from a lot of people. I think the best piece of advice I heard tonight was hire people smarter than you. You know, sometimes being in a management position, I feel like you could get a little bit on a high horse, especially on the Hill. You’ve got to put together the best team. So I think that that was a really great piece of advice that I've heard before, and then they said it again.

And then for a lot of the younger staffers, I heard make sure you’re just willing to do what needs to be done. And I think a lot of new staff assistants on the hill can really take that advice to heart particularly, you know a staff assistant where if your boss requires 10 Pepsis to be in the fridge at all times, you better make sure those 10 Pepsis are in the fridge.

And if you do those things and you master that job you do, that's what shows your superiors that you're worthy of being promoted. So I thought that was really great advice and I really enjoyed it—it was a lot of fun.

Brendan O’ toole (Staff Assistant, House of Representatives)

The best piece of advice that I have been given would be to get as much coffee with people as possible in the sector that you're looking to get into. It would help you not just gain more insight on how to interview with people in those areas, but also connections for further down the line with opportunities after your time on the hill.

Jane Campbell (President and CEO of U.S. Capitol Historical Society; former chief of staff to Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA))

The best piece of advice is to do the job they ask you to do. Do it fabulously and then allow that to mold into where you want to go.

Ryan Ehly (Legislative Director, House of Representatives)

The best piece of advice that I heard tonight I think was don't be afraid to reach out to folks to help build your network. Talk to everybody, and in your role do the best job you can do, crush it, and help build your own reputation because that is what will either make you succeed or fail.

Jordan Joiner (Ways and Means Committee and Library of Congress Intern)

The best piece of advice I got was that sometimes to move up, you have to move out of the position and kind of gain some other unique experiences before you come back and do the role that you do want to end up in.

Brad Bourque (Staff Assistant, House of Representatives)

I definitely thought this event was super helpful. The best piece of advice I got was that no job is beneath you. Do the little things right and just build that trust in your office.

Danny Reeves (Staff Assistant, House of Representatives)

The best advice that I got tonight is that it's all about relationships in how this small town views you. So if you think that things are beneath you or that you’re above things in anyway, that's going to come off as a negative. So approaching every opportunity with an open mind and the ability to get things done is going to help you down the road.

Jacquelynn Reif (Legislative Intern, House of Representatives)

The best piece of advice that I heard tonight was to continue to work hard and do everything that's asked of you; and no job is beneath you—just to do your best at every small task.

Tristan Brown (Legislative Counsel, U.S. Senate)

I'd say the best piece of advice—going back to you know when I started on the hill 10 years ago—is become invaluable by showing up and offering to help. You know, it doesn't take that much and often people don't need the help, but they really care that you want to help—that you want to stay a little bit late. That others in your office are staying late—they clearly have a lot of work to do and having one extra person to do a simple task… it shows your dedication and team mentality and I think that’s what a lot of people really need and value. So be indispensable.

Anna Rosenfeld (Legislative Correspondent, U.S. Senate)

I think the best thing I heard tonight was that you really don’t know what your path is going to be. That's been my experience thus far, being on the Hill. I wanted to come to the Hill right out of college and I was told there are no jobs for Democrats so go do something else and then come back… and it’s worked so far, so I think that was good advice and something I'm going to keep keep in mind as I move forward.

Sam Dryzmala (Principal at Clever Edge LLC; former Digital Director to Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ))

The best piece of advice I heard tonight was to get involved in the institutions that we’re part of—so not just a single job, but to think about the larger group and structure that we're a part of—that's a part of the engine of American democracy.

Tamera Luzzatto (Senior Vice President of Pew Charitable Trusts; former Chief of Staff to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY))

What I would advise anyone getting started in public service is to think of what you want other people to say about you. That will focus you on hopefully being a nice person, being supportive of your colleagues, and doing the best possible job you can do. That is called reputation, which is the currency of Washington, DC.