Education Lobbyist

In most parts of the world, a “lobby” is just the first floor of a building. In Washington, D.C., and other major cities, however, it’s also a group of people that’s trying to influence elected officials to vote a particular way on a given political issue, such as health care reform, gun control or environmental protection.

When you’re a member of a lobby, you’re a Lobbyist. And when your issue of choice is education, you’re an Education Lobbyist.

Typically employed by communications or lobbying firms, you’re basically a Public Relations Representative. While most PR Reps target Reporters and Journalists, however, you target Legislators and Politicians. Your goal as an Education Lobbyist: Like a legislative Pied Piper, you persuade Policymakers to side with your clients — including trade groups, unions, universities and corporations — on educational issues such as Teacher training and compensation, school funding and improvement, curriculum development, academic standards, student loan programs and standardized testing, just to name a few.

Your job as an Education Lobbyist requires a thorough knowledge of education issues and legislation. It also requires strong written and verbal communication skills that will come in handy when it comes to tackling your daily to-do list, which includes: networking with Politicians and stakeholders, writing press releases, scheduling and attending meetings between clients and Lawmakers, representing clients at press conferences, creating and distributing informational literature, responding to regulatory inquiries and testifying at public hearings.

Although sometimes controversial, your job is critical to modern American democracy, which looks to you to be a bridge between Legislators and the people they represent.