Federal Official and State Official Job Description, Education and Training Requirements, Career, Salary, Employment – Definition and Nature Work « Info

SCHOOL SUBJECTSEnglish, Government, History

PERSONAL SKILLSCommunication/ideas Leadership/management

WORK ENVIRONMENTPrimarily indoors, One location with some travel

MINIMUM EDUCATION LEVELBachelor’s degree

SALARY RANGE$11,920 to $65,000 to $400,000

CERTIFICATION OR LICENSINGNone available

■ OVERVIEW

Federal and state officials hold positions in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government at the state and national levels. They include governors, judges, senators, representatives, and the president and vice president of the country. Government officials are responsible for preserving the government against external and domestic threats, supervising and resolving conflicts between private and public interest, regulating the economy, protecting political and social rights of the citizens, and providing goods and services. Officials may, among other things, pass laws, set up social service programs, and allocate the taxpayers’ money on goods and services.

■ HISTORY

In ancient states, the scope of government was almost without limitation. as Aristotle put it, “what was not commanded by the government was forbidden.” Government functions were challenged by Christianity during the Roman Empire, when the enforcement of religious sanctions became the focus of political authority. it was not until the 18th century that the modern concept of government as separate from the church came into being.

The Roman Republic had a great deal of influence on those who framed the U.S. Constitution. The supreme council of state in ancient Rome was called the “Senate.” Even the name “Capitol Hill” is derived from “Capitoline Hill” of Rome. The Congress of the United States was modeled after British Parliament and assumed the powers that London had held before American independence. Limiting the powers of the individual states, the U.S. Congress was empowered to levy taxes, engage in foreign diplomacy, and regulate Native American affairs.

■ THE JOB

Think about the last time you cast a vote, whether in a school, local, state, or federal election. How did you make your decision? was it based on the personal qualities of the candidate? The political positions of the candidate? certain issues of importance to you? or do you always vote for the same political party? as voters, we choose carefully when electing a government official, taking many different things into consideration. whether you’re electing a new governor and lieutenant governor for the state, a president and vice president for the country, or senators and representatives for the state legislature or the U.S. Congress, you’re choosing people to act on behalf of your interests. The decisions of state and federal lawmakers affect your daily life and your future. State and federal officials pass laws concerning the arts, education, taxes, employment, health care, and other areas, in efforts to change and improve communities and standards of living.

Besides the president and vice president of the United States, the executive branch of the national government consists of the president’s Cabinet, including, among others, the secretaries of state, treasury, defense, interior, agriculture, homeland security, and health and human services. these officials are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. The members of the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, and the National Security Council are also executive officers of the national government.

Nearly every state’s governing body resembles that of the federal government. Just as the U.S. Congress is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives, so does each state (with one exception, Nebraska) have a senate and a house. The executive branch of the U.S. government is headed by the president and vice president, while the states elect governors and lieutenant governors. The governor is the chief executive officer of a state. In all states, a large government administration handles a variety of functions related to agriculture, highway and motor vehicle supervision, public safety and corrections, regulation of intrastate business and industry, and some aspects of education, public health, and welfare. The governor’s job is to manage this administration. Some states also have a lieutenant governor, who serves as the presiding officer of the state’s senate. Other elected officials commonly include a secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction.

State senators and state representatives are the legislators elected to represent the districts and regions of cities and counties within the state. The number of members of a state’s legislature varies from state to state. In the U.S. Congress, there are 100 senators (as established by the Constitution two senators from each state) and 435 representatives. The number of representatives each state is allowed to send to the U.S. Congress varies based on the state’s population as determined by the national census. Based on results from Census 2000, California is the most populous state and sends the most representatives (53). The primary function of all legislators, on both the state and national levels, is to make laws. with a staff of aides, senators and representatives attempt to learn as much as they can about the bills being considered. They research legislation, prepare reports, meet with constituents and interest groups, speak to the press, and discuss and debate legislation on the floor of the House or Senate. Legislators also may be involved in selecting other members of the government, supervising the government administration, appropriating funds, impeaching executive and judicial officials, and determining election procedures, among other activities. A state legislator may be involved in examining such situations as the state’s relationship to Native American tribes, the level of school violence, and welfare reform.

“Time in each day goes by so quickly,” says Don Pre-ister, who serves on the state legislature in Nebraska, “there’s no time to read up on all legislation and all the information the constituents send in.” The state of Nebraska is the only state with a single-house system. When the state senate is in session, Preister commits many hours to discussing and debating issues with other state senators and gathering information on proposed legislation. In addition to senate sessions, Preister attends committee hearings. His committees include Natural Resources and Urban Affairs. “A hearing lasts from 20 minutes to three or four hours,” he says, “depending on the intensity of the issues.” Despite having to devote about 60 hours a week to the job when the Senate is in session, Preister finds his work a wonderful opportunity to be of service to the community and to improve lives. “I take a lot of personal satisfaction from being a voice for people whose voices aren’t often heard in government.”

■ REQUIREMENTS

High SchoolCourses in government, civics, and history will give you an understanding of the structure of state and federal governments. English courses are important because you need good writing skills for communicating with constituents and other government officials. Math and accounting help you to develop the analytical skills needed for examining statistics and demographics. You should take science courses because you’ll be making decisions concerning health, medicine, and technological advances. Journalism classes will help you learn about the print and broadcast media and the role they play in politics. take public speaking courses, as communicating verbally is fundamental to a career as a public official.

Postsecondary Training

State and federal legislators come from all walks of life. Some hold master’s degrees and doctorates, while others have only a high school education. Although a majority of government officials hold law degrees, others have undergraduate or graduate degrees in such areas as journalism, economics, political science, history, and English. Regardless of your major as an undergraduate, it is important to take classes in English literature, statistics, foreign language, Western civilization, and economics. Graduate studies can focus more on one area of study; some prospective government officials pursue master’s degrees in public administration or international affairs. Consider participating in an internship program that will involve you with local and state officials. Contact the offices of your state legislators and of your state’s members of Congress to apply for internships directly.

Other Requirements

“You should have concern for people,” Don Preister says. “You should have an ability to listen and understand people and their concerns.” this attention to the needs of communities should be of foremost importance to anyone pursuing a government office. Although historically some politicians have had questionable purposes in their campaigns for office, most successful politicians are devoted to making positive changes and improvements. good people skills will help you make connections, get elected, and make things happen once in office. You should also enjoy public speaking, argument, debate, and opposition you’ll get a lot of it as you attempt to get laws passed. A good temperament in such situations will earn you the respect of your colleagues. Strong character and a good background will help you to avoid the personal attacks that occasionally accompany government office.

■ EXPLORING

If you are 16 or older, you can gain experience in a legislature. The U.S. Congress and possibly your state legislature offer opportunities for young adults who have demonstrated a commitment to government study to work as pages. For Congress, pages run messages across Capitol Hill and have the opportunity to see senators and representatives debating and discussing bills. The length of a page’s service can be for one summer or up to one year. Contact your state’s senator or representative for an application.

You can also explore government careers by becoming involved with local elections. Many candidates for local and state offices welcome young people to assist with campaigns. You might be asked to make calls, post signs, or hand out information about the candidate. Not only will you get to see the politician at work, but you will also meet others with an interest in government.

Another great way to learn about government is to become involved in an issue of interest to you. Participate with a grassroots advocacy group or read about the bills up for vote in the state legislature and U.S. Congress. When you feel strongly about an issue and are well educated on the subject, contact the offices of state legislators and members of Congress to express your views. Visit the Web sites of the House and Senate and of your state legislature to read about bills, schedules, and the legislators. The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) also hosts a Web site (http://www.ncsl.org) featuring legislative news and links to state legislatures.

■ EMPLOYERS

State legislators work for the state government, and many hold other jobs as well. Because of the part-time nature of some legislative offices, state legislators may hold part-time jobs or own their own businesses. Federal officials work full time for the Senate, the House, or the executive branch.

■ STARTING OUT

There is no direct career path for state and federal officials. Some enter into their positions after some success with political activism on the grassroots level. others work their way up from local government positions to state legislature and into federal office. Those who serve as U.S. Congress members have worked in the military, journalism, academics, business, and many other fields.

Many politicians get their start assisting someone else’s campaign or advocating for an issue. Don Pre-ister’s beginnings with the Nebraska state legislature are particularly inspiring. Because of his involvement in grassroots organizing to improve his neighborhood, he was encouraged by friends and neighbors to run for senator of the district. others, however, believed he’d never get elected running against a man who’d had a lot of political success, as well as great finances to back his campaign. “I didn’t have any money,” Preister says, “or any experience in campaigning. so I went door to door to meet the people of the district. I went to every house and apartment in the district.” he won that election in 1992 and won again in 1996, 2000, and 2004.

■ ADVANCEMENT

Initiative is one key to success in politics. Advancement can be rapid for someone who is a fast learner and is independently motivated, but a career in politics most often takes a long time to establish. Most state and federal officials start by pursuing training and work experience in their particular field, while getting involved in politics at the local level. Many people progress from local politics to state politics. it is not uncommon for a state legislator to eventually run for a seat in Congress. Appointees to the president’s Cabinet and presidential and vice presidential candidates frequently have held positions in Congress.

■ EARNINGS

In general, salaries for government officials tend to be lower than what the official could make working in the private sector. In the case of state legislators, the pay can be very much lower.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that government legislators earned median annual salaries of $18,500 in 2004. Salaries generally ranged from less than $11,920 to more than $72,780, although some officials earn nothing at all.

According to the NCSL, state legislators make from $10,000 (Mississippi) to $110,880 (California) a year. A few states, however, don’t pay state legislators anything but an expense allowance. Salaries of state governors are typically much higher.

U.S. senators and representatives earned $165,200 in 2006; the vice president was paid $205,031 in 2005; and the president earned $400,000 in 2005.

Congressional leaders receive higher salaries than the other Congress members. For example, the Senate Majority and Minority leaders and the President Pro Tempore earned $180,100 in 2006. U.S. Congress members receive excellent insurance, vacation, and other benefits.

■ WORK ENVIRONMENT

Most government officials work in a typical office setting. Some may work a regular 40-hour week, while others will typically work long hours and weekends. One potential drawback to political life, particularly for the candidate running for office, is that there is no real off-duty time. One is continually under observation by the press and public, and the personal lives of candidates and officeholders are discussed frequently in the media.

Because these officials must be appointed or elected in order to keep their jobs, the ability to determine long-range job objectives is slim. there may be extended periods of unemployment, when living off of savings or working at other jobs may be necessary.

Frequent travel is involved in campaigning and in holding office, so some people with children may find the lifestyle demanding on their families.

■ OUTLOOK

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment of federal and state officials will grow about as fast as the average through 2014. to attract more candidates to run for legislative offices, states may consider salary increases and better benefits for state senators and representatives. But changes in pay and benefits for federal officials are unlikely. an increase in the number of representatives is possible as the U.S. population grows, but would require additional office space and other costly expansions. For the most part, the structures of state and federal legislatures will remain unchanged, although the topic of limiting the number of terms that a representative is allowed to serve does often arise in election years.

The federal government has made efforts to shift costs to the states; if this continues, it could change the way state legislatures and executive officers operate with regard to public funding. already, welfare reform has resulted in state governments looking for financial aid in handling welfare cases and job programs. Arts funding may also become the sole responsibility of the states as programs such as the National Endowment for the Arts lose support from Congress.

With the government’s commitment to developing a place on the Internet, contacting your state and federal representatives, learning about legislation, and organizing grassroots advocacy have become much easier. this voter awareness of candidates, public policy issues, and legislation will increase and may affect how future representatives make decisions. Also look for government programming to be part of cable televisions expansion into digital broadcasting. New modes of communication will allow constituents to become even more involved in the actions of their representatives.

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Federal Official and State Official Job Description, Education and Training Requirements, Career, Salary, Employment – Definition and Nature Work « Info