A legislative aide assists a legislator with a variety of duties and responsibilities. Because his job has no set hours, he is often mistaken for a combination of administrative assistant and personal secretary. His services are frequently required for the majority of each weekday and many weekends. The aide is usually expected to accompany the legislator wherever he or she goes.
The legislative aide is usually in charge of his boss’s calendar in the legislator’s local office. He is typically expected to effectively schedule speaking engagements and public appearances, as well as appointments, lunches, dinners, and travel, as the assumed liaison between the legislator and other government branches and officials. If a conflict arises as a result of a last-minute issue that requires immediate attention, the aide is usually expected to resolve it to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
Because he is frequently the first point of contact for constituents and media correspondents, a legislative aide is expected to be well-versed in the legislator’s political views and positions. In most cases, he is expected to have exceptional diplomatic skills as well as the utmost discretion in all of his job responsibilities. His job frequently requires him to accurately represent the legislator’s philosophies while also promoting the official’s positive public image.
A legislative aide is often expected to provide personal assistance to the legislator in addition to performing general administrative and office tasks. Picking up dry cleaning, handling personal correspondence, and integrating his superior’s personal and professional schedules are all common examples. Occasionally, the aide may be asked to choose and purchase small gifts for the legislator to give to dinner or party hosts or hostesses.
To be successful in this position, you must have excellent organizational skills. A legislator’s job frequently necessitates major, last-minute schedule adjustments, and some days are chaotic and disorganized. A competent legislative aide is expected to bring order to the legislator’s affairs and keep them as organized and on track as possible.
Although most legislative aides have bachelor’s degrees, there are no formal educational requirements for this position. Good social and conversational skills are highly desirable because the position typically requires the ability to communicate with a wide range of personalities. Because many of the duties are perfected through on-the-job training, solid administrative support skills are preferred, as is the ability to quickly grasp new concepts. Applicants who have worked in the public sector or as an administrative aide in the public sector are considered to have a strong advantage.