I have a first round interview for a legislative correspondent role in a few weeks. I’ve never interviewed for something like this, what kind of questions can I expect?
Congrats on landing a Hill interview. I’d note that a Hill interview is a different beast than most normal corporate job interviews. It’s about assessing your political sense, your writing skills, and, most importantly, whether you can handle the chaos without causing a headache for the team.
You’ll likely talk to the Legislative Director, a Legislative Assistant, and maybe the Chief of Staff. If you make it to the final round, you might even meet the Member. Here’s a breakdown of what’s really going through their minds and the kind of questions you can expect.
LEGILATIVE ASSISTANT (LA)
What They’re Really Thinking: “Is this person going to make my life easier or harder? Can I give them a complex bill and trust them to summarize it accurately? Will they be a team player when we’re stuck here at 2 AM during a vote-a-rama, or will they complain? Basically, are they competent and can I stand working next to them for 12 hours a day?”
Questions They’ll Probably Ask:
- Let’s say it’s 4 PM on a Friday. The LD needs a one-pager on a new bill, I need you to pull co-sponsor memos for me, and your mail bin is overflowing. Walk me through how you prioritize that.
- You’re going to get angry, sometimes crazy, calls and letters. How do you write a response that’s respectful and makes the constituent feel heard, without backing down from the Member’s position?
- Tell me about a time your boss or a professor gave you harsh feedback on your writing. What was the feedback and what did you do about it?
- Have you ever used a CRM like IQ, Fireside, or Capitol Canary? If not, what systems do you use to keep yourself from letting tasks fall through the cracks?
THE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR (LD)
What They’re Really Thinking: “I’m drowning in work. I need someone who can learn our policy portfolio yesterday, write like the Member, and not need their hand held. Can this person drink from a firehose without panicking? Are they here to actually work, or just to get ‘Hill experience’ on their resume?”
Questions They’ll Probably Ask
- Alright, I’ve seen your resume. Connect the dots for me—why this office, specifically? And why an LC job? You know it’s 90% managing a firehose of constituent mail, right?
- What’s the boss’s signature piece of legislation? Now, tell me about a vote they took that you disagreed with. How would you write a letter defending that vote to an angry constituent?
- Imagine a thousand emails just landed in our inbox about a hot-button issue we weren’t expecting. What are the first three things you do to get a handle on it and start drafting a response?
- What are you reading right now to stay on top of the policy areas we handle? And don’t just say the Post or Politico.
THE CHIEF OF STAFF (COS)
Important note: For an LC role, there’s a good chance that this is your final round interview and you don’t even speak with the member/senator before getting an offer. The COS should be treated as though they’re a direct extension of the member and that they are speaking for the member.
What They’re Really Thinking: “Is this person going to be a problem? Do they have good judgment? Do they understand the political landscape of our district? Are they going to say something stupid at a reception and embarrass the office? I need someone with zero drama who gets what we’re about.”
Questions They’ll Probably Ask:
- Let’s be honest, the Hill can burn people out fast. Why do you think you’re cut out for this environment? We’re looking to invest in someone, not just fill a seat for six months.
- Tell me something about our district that I couldn’t find on its Wikipedia page. What’s the one issue that really matters to folks back home?
- If you get this job, what’s your next move in two years? Are you trying to become an LA, go to law school, or head to K Street? There’s no wrong answer, but I want to know your plan.
- Have you ever had to work for a boss you didn’t always agree with? How did you handle that while still doing your job effectively?
THE SENATOR/MEMBER
What They’re Really Thinking: “I have exactly five minutes between a vote and a fundraiser. My Chief of Staff says this is the person. Do they pass the gut check? Do they seem smart, loyal, and normal? Can they talk about something other than politics? Do they have a connection to my state/district? Let’s see if they can hold a conversation without being weird.”
Questions They’ll Probably Ask:
- So, tell me about yourself. What’s your story?
- My staff tells me you want to be our new LC. Why do you want to work for this office, for me, and for the people of [State/District]?
- Forget about Washington for a second. What’s the most important issue facing your hometown right now?
- What’s the last good book you read?
- I’ve got a pretty good team here. What makes you think you’d be a good fit for it?
A few Final Tips
Know the Member, Cold. Don’t just know their party; know their committee assignments, their key votes, what they talk about on Twitter, and the major employers in their district.
Your Writing Sample is Your Audition. Make sure it is flawless. It’s often more important than your resume.
Come with Smart Questions. Don’t ask “What’s the office culture like?” Ask, “What’s the process for an LC to take on more policy work and collaborate with the LAs?” or “How does the DC office coordinate its messaging with the district staff?”
Good luck.
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Excellent post. This is the kind of stuff I wish I had when I was first looking to get on the hill
This is incredible! I wish I had something like this when I was interviewing to get on the hill
Ditto. Especially the point on knowing the member and their district cold. In my interviews, I was separately asked something about the district by basically every person on the team.
What are you reading right now to stay on top of the policy areas we handle? And don’t just say the Post or Politico.
This is exactly the sort of question I could see an LD asking, especially because it’s so useless
Like how tf is a new LC supposed to know all the insider industry publications?
But if you can search up some names before, definitely would help.
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