How to become a Political Consultant?

displaying a multi-faceted personality to its citizens. In this ever-changing landscape, Political Consultants have come to play a crucial role in recent times. Their need is felt now more than ever, as they help shape political strategies and campaigns in the country. They also have a considerable influence on political decisions, contributing to the overall democratic process of India. This article throws light on their rewarding career path and also defines the steps to become a Political Consultant in India.

Who is a Political Consultant?

Let us begin by defining who a Political Consultant is. As the name suggests, Political Consultants refer to professional advisors in the world of politics. They are responsible for offering strategic advice and counseling to politicians, political candidates, organizations, or campaigners. They hold expertise in public relations, campaign strategy, and effective communication. 

How to become a Political Consultant?

Let us now move on to the exact steps to become a Political Consultant. They are detailed as follows:

1. Build a robust educational foundation: This is the very first step on the career path for Political Consultants. They must obtain the relevant educational qualification, such as a degree in political science, communications, or public administration. This will help students gain valuable insights into public policies, the political landscape, and techniques of effective communication.

2. Gain relevant work experience: Apart from gaining the desired educational qualification, aspiring Political Consultants must also earn sufficient professional experience in the domain. This helps them gain real-world hands-on training in the field. They can either take up internships or volunteer training work in NGOs, political campaigns, or government offices. 

3. Develop industry-specific skills: This is one of the key steps to become a Political Consultant. You must have the desirable skill set to perform the role well. The most important skill here is effective communication, both written and verbal. Political Consultants must have the exceptional ability to communicate, concisely, and effectively to the concerned parties. They should be able to articulate ideas and thoughts and prepare compelling speeches. 

4. Get a thorough understanding of the landscape: Among the many Political Consulting skills needed, this is highly crucial. Before setting foot into the industry, it is important that you understand the landscape well. This includes researching the ins and outs of a political campaign, analyzing data trends, and learning how to interpret the results of a political poll.

5. Stay updated: This is a very important step on the career path for Political Consultants. It helps to stay up-to-date and attuned with the latest trends in the political scenario, current affairs, existing policies, and proposed policy changes. Networking with peers and other industry experts can facilitate growth and help you stay on top of your game.

Skills required to become a Political Consultant

As defined in the above section, you need special skills and formal education to be a successful political consultant. Listed below are some essential Political Consulting skills that can help you take the first step on this career path:

• Fair knowledge of politics: This is one of the most important Political Consulting skills required from aspiring Political Consultants. A thorough background knowledge of the domain you are working for is a great skill to have. It allows you to make informed decisions at work. Make sure to stay updated with past and present political trends, elections, and campaigns.

• Effective communication: Political Consultants should have the ability to communicate clearly as they are required to hold regular meetings with their candidates and other members of the campaigning team. They also need to write speeches for the candidate and other marketing and promotional material. Hence, they must have good written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to research: This is important to tread forward on the career path for Political Consultants. Thorough research of the political landscape allows them to deeply understand voters’ psyche and help their candidates get favorable election results. Additionally, through research, Political Consultants are better able to understand regulations and create detailed political campaigns for their respective candidates.

• Problem-solving ability: This is a key skill to possess as it helps Political Consultants deal with challenging situations promptly and wisely. In an ever-changing political landscape, changes are about to happen every minute. New political candidates and events may sometimes pose a challenge for your candidate. At this time, problem-solving ability can help re-examine ideas and improvise on methods.

• Keen observation: When working in a political environment, it’s important to keep your eyes and ears open at all times. This would help identify any change in the public opinion of your candidate and improve marketing materials to improve their image. Also, voters expect prompt and thoughtful responses from political candidates, especially before elections. A Political Consultant needs to be prepared for these. 

Building a career in Political Consulting

Ready to start a career in the domain? There are a variety of job roles in Political Consulting. You can start your career path in the role of a Campaign Assistant or Political Analyst at the entry-level. This would help you gain the much-required experience and hands-on training in the field. You can then slowly transition into roles such as a Political Strategist or Campaign Manager. After gaining sufficient experience in the political field, you may proceed with practicing as an independent Political Consultant for different candidates to share your expertise and knowledge. 

Listed below are the detailed Political Consultant job responsibilities for the roles defined above:

1. Campaign Manager: Their primary responsibilities include planning, managing, and executing campaigns for campaign promotion. They oversee all activities of advertising and marketing campaigns for their clients.

Average annual salary of Campaign Manager in India: INR 4 lakh – 14 lakh per annum

2. Political Analyst: Among the many job roles in Political Consulting is one of a Political Analyst. They study and research the current political landscape and report on the major events. They also analyze data to forecast trends and offer support to policymakers in proposing guidelines and laws.

  Average annual salary of Political Analyst in India: INR 3.5 lakh – INR 4.7 lakh per annum

3. Political Consultants: They offer advice and assistance in political campaigns. Some of the major Political Consultant job responsibilities include managing election campaigns for politicians. They also play a vital role in helping them win elections. Political Consultants also collaborate with local party workers to organize public events, rallies, and door-to-door canvassing. 

Average annual salary of a Political Consultant in India: INR 3 lakh – INR 18 lakh per annum

4. Political Strategist: They work with political candidates for campaigns. Political Strategists are responsible for designing effective strategies to win an election. In other words, they help electoral candidates win. They also offer expert advice and assistance in political campaigns. 

Average annual salary of a Political Strategist in India: INR 3 lakh – INR 6 lakh per annum

5. Campaign Assistant: They offer logistical and administrative support to the campaign team members and perform a host of other Political Consultant job responsibilities. These include providing assistance in planning and executing a campaign, data entry, event coordination, monitoring activities, and ensuring the smooth running of a campaign.

Average annual salary of Campaign Assistant in India: INR 3 lakh – INR 5 lakh per annum

Conclusion

A career as a Political Consultant can be highly rewarding. There are several job roles in Political Consulting, which you can assume, based on your qualifications and work experience. Take the first step on this path with an MA-Political Science from Sikkim Manipal University. The course is designed to help learners gain advanced knowledge and skills in the world of politics. It also helps master your ability to evaluate political issues and boost your political career path. The course is available in 100% online mode on the Online Manipal platform.