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Looking for a job working for an MP?
(or in a politics-related setting)
Completely revised and updated: 13 August
2007
Other useful job search
websites list expanded again:
31 March 2008
Link to our new 'Creating a Winning CV and
Cover Letter' guide added: 26 February 2008
If you are looking at this page, chances are you have already decided that you want to work for an MP. This guide is aimed at making the process more understandable and to help you increase your chances of getting a job in an MP’s office.
The first thing to realise about MPs is that they tend not to have the time to train a member of staff up to being able to do the job. MPs prefer to employ people who already know something about how their offices are run and what is required of their staff. Therefore, whilst some people do gain employment in an MP’s office without any political work experience, it is very rare and usually only happens where there is a personal connection to the MP.
It is worth noting that some jobs get filled by word of mouth without ever being advertised, often because someone already working for an MP moves on to another job at Westminster.
The following information should help you to establish what you need to do prior to sending an application to an MP.
The first thing you need to think about is that working for an MP is party political. MPs do receive applications from people who have either worked for an MP of a different party, or who say ‘I’m not party political, but…’ – in short, this is not going to get you a job in Parliament. Whilst party membership is not a pre-requisite, you should know which party you support and therefore only target MPs of that party. Bear in mind that once you have worked for an MP of a particular party, it will be very difficult to work for an MP of another party.
The next consideration is whether you want to work in the constituency office or Parliament. MPs typically employ Secretaries and Caseworkers in the constituency office and Parliamentary Assistants/Secretaries and Parliamentary Research Assistants in Parliament. The jobs are quite different and command different salaries. Our page on the parliamentary salary scales is updated every April: www.w4mp.org/html/library/salaries/general.asp.
Caseworkers typically help constituents with localised issues such as housing, immigration, benefits and social services.
Parliamentary Assistants/Secretaries typically run the Westminster office, taking care of everything from running the diary, writing letters to managing staff. Parliamentary Research Assistants typically respond to political letters from constituents, write speeches, and research and write/orally present briefings. In addition, many researchers coordinate All Party Groups. The roles vary from MP to MP which is why it is difficult to be more specific about the duties of each different role.
Once you have decided where you want to work, and in what capacity, you need to think about how your CV will stand out from the hundreds of applications an MP will receive in response to a job advert.
In general, most research positions require you to have a degree. The classification of your degree is not hugely important. In some respects your education is taken as a given and what really counts is what political work experience you have. More specifically, the key issue is whether you have ever worked, in a voluntary or paid capacity, for an MP.
The most successful applicants will have a few months of work experience for an MP. This may be in the form of voluntary work in the constituency office, for the local party, helping during an election campaign, or in Parliament. This may seem prohibitive to people who cannot afford to work for free, or for small amounts of remuneration, but it is the reality of gaining work for an MP.
If you are coming from outside the UK, look at our page on ‘Foreign Nationals working for MPs (and other organisations around Westminster)’.
If you haven't found the W4MP jobs page yet, it's at: www.w4mp.org/html/personnel/jobs/list_jobs_ref.asp.
Prior to approaching an MP for work experience, you should be clear of how much time you can offer per week. Be realistic – it does not look good to commit yourself to, for example, 3 days, and then find you can only do 1 day per week. You should also think about whether you are offering to work for free, or if you need some remuneration. MPs have limited staffing allowances and usually cannot afford to pay voluntary staff. However, keep an eye on the adverts for interns on W4MP as some are beginning to offer money; click here for our Jobs page.
Once you have clarified what you can offer an MP, start writing to the MPs you are interested in working for. It is worth contacting your local MP first, unless they are not of the party you support. They will be more inclined to offer you a position if you have a real link with their constituency.
If you are not sure which MPs you might want to work for, do some research on individual MPs at this website:
http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm
Internships are regularly posted on W4MP so keep an eye on our Jobs page too.
Remember to keep your CV succinct and on no more than 2 pages. Emphasise points such as being involved with your Student Union, writing for the student newspaper and any debating societies. You will stand more of a chance of getting a job with an MP if you can provide a narrative of how you got to the point of wanting to work for an MP.
It may seem obvious, but if you are using the same letter to write to a number of MPs, make sure the MP you address it to is the same MP you write to in the greeting of the letter. In the concluding paragraph of your covering letter, try to give three reasons for why you want to work for the MP you are applying to – not generic points on why you want to work for an MP.
If you have worked for an MP in any capacity, make sure you put that early on in your CV and covering letter. It will focus the MP’s concentration on your application.
Contact Points for the Parties
Labour Party - Write, including a CV, to the Parliamentary Labour Party Secretary, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. The PLP keeps a file of all applicants that MPs can look through when they are recruiting. Also try the Labour Party jobs page: http://www.labour.org.uk/jobs
Conservative Party. Telephone Conservative Central Office on 020 7222 9000. Also try the Conservative Party jobs page: http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=involved.jobs.page
Liberal Democrats. Write to the Liberal Democrat Whip’s Office, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. Also try the Liberal Democrats jobs page: http://www.libdems.org.uk/jobs.html
Publications
The House Magazine: This is effectively the in-house magazine of Parliament. They advertise some jobs inside the back page.
Contact details:
The House Magazine
Dods
Westminster Tower, 3rd Floor
3 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7SP
Tel: 020 7091 7530
http://www.housemag.co.uk/default.htm
Other print media: Some of the weeklies and dailies advertise jobs in parliament e.g. the Guardian, Spectator etc. However, the majority of MPs know of W4MP and use it as it is free and widely viewed by prospective candidates. Most researchers in parliament gained their jobs through this site.
Other useful job search websites (in no particular order):
Adecco:
http://www.adecco.co.uk/branch_info?id=245
The Victoria branch offers temporary,
permanent and contract positions in various government departments.
Capita RAS Public Sector Resourcing:
http://www.capitaresourcing.co.uk/ras/
Provide recruitment, assessment and
related services to government departments, executive agencies and other public
sector bodies.
Civil Service Jobs portal
http://www.careers.civil-service.gov.uk/
This site will give you an overview of what they do and the vast career
opportunities that are open to you.
Civil Service Fast Stream Development
Programme
http://www.faststream.gov.uk/
This is the Civil Service Recruitment
Gateway.
Electus Group
http://www.electus-group.com/
The public affairs and
political communications recruitment consultancy across all sectors.
Electus Start
http://www.workinpolitics.com/jobs/default.asp
A division of Parliamentary Communications
Limited, has an online resource -
www.workinpolitics.com - which offers advice about
how to get into jobs in politics and has a
job listings section -
Ellwood and Atfield
http://www.ellwoodandatfield.com/
A public affairs and
government relations recruitment consultancy for the private and public sectors.
EuroBrussels
http://www.eurobrussels.com/
Has a useful guide to finding a job in
Brussels. Have a look, too, at the European Parliament’s Stagiaire Association
website:
http://www.epstage.eu/news.php
FCO Careers
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1177505121521
"Do you dream of a career that is exciting and
diverse? Would you like a job that offers challenge, responsibility, travel and
reward? Does working for an organisation that embraces diversity and welcomes
individuality appeal to you? If so, a career in FCO could be just what you’re
looking for."
Jobs-Brussels.com
http://www.jobs-brussels.com/
Helps candidates find jobs in Brussels. Has material on
internships/traineeships/stagiaire positions in Brussels.
Jobsgopublic
http://www.jobsgopublic.com/
Range
of Public Sector and Not for Profit jobs
JobisJob
http://www.jobisjob.co.uk
Search engine for job offers in the
UK, which allows you to search the full
range of jobs listed on the major online job boards instead of going through the
trouble of searching in each job site individually.
jobrapido
http://www.jobrapido.co.uk/?q=politics uk
Job search engine which allows
jobseekers to search through all current UK politics jobs posted on all UK job
sites.
One World
http://uk.oneworld.net/job/list/professional/
A job section which allows you to search
through ads for jobs and internships around the world in human rights,
environment, and sustainable development.
Parliament Job Opportunities:
http://www.parliament.uk/useful/job_opportunities.cfm
This site does not advertise for MPs, they
advertise Parliamentary jobs e.g. House of Commons Library researcher positions.
PRJobSeek
http://www.prjobseek.com/
An online recruitment facility for the
Public Relations industry
Susan Hamilton Group
http://www.susanhamilton.co.uk/
The Parliamentary Division at the Strand
supplies research and support staff to MPs, Peers and Public Affairs agencies.
ED August 2007
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