A lobbyist is a person who tries to persuade legislators or elected officials to vote a certain way. Groups and organizations have different lobbyist jobs to promote their interests and get their views heard by politicians. These professionals often meet with legislative members to give them information about the group’s position, such as written reports, graphs and other statistical documents. Some lobbyists work in public policy, while others may work for special interest companies.
One of the popular lobbyist jobs is that of a health care lobbyist who tries to get legislative acts passed that affect health care. Lobbyists often work in-house for a particular medical company and conduct extensive research regarding upcoming health care bills and legislation. Another duty this professional has is to network with jurisdictional lawmakers who may be in favor of passing bills that would benefit the medical organization’s doctors and specialists. The lobbyist is also in charge of preparing educational materials for seminars and attending medical conferences.
Another type of the many lobbyist jobs is that of a lobbyist consultant who is paid to lobby on behalf of a company or organization but does not work directly for the organization. Most lobbyists act as a liaison between the company and the voting committees. The consultant may be hired to lobby one or several issues. This professional meets with government officials on behalf of the company, prepares industry reports, and monitors regulations pertaining to the client. Consultants usually work in different areas ranging from regulatory affairs to taxation issues.
Some lobbyists choose to help the public by working as policy associates. Many organizations have policy associates who represent the organization at special events and public meetings. These people are responsible for coordinating with other companies who have similar policies and speaking on behalf of the company to the media. A public policy associate also has to meet with the directors for community programs and government agencies.
Most people who work in one of the different lobbyist jobs usually have an undergraduate degree as well as a graduate degree in legal studies or political science. Often, lobbyists are politically well-informed individuals who have previously worked in public service or government administration. These professionals have to be able help their clients get their interests out in the public and heard by members of the judicial branch. Lobbyists often work for unions, corporations and even branches of the government.