Is legislative assistant too "basic" for work experience for MPP/MPA admissions?

[Whatdoidohelpplz]

I am graduating from gtown in May and was recently offered a position as an LA on the hill. This might be a stupid question, but will being an LA be too basic for work experience? Obviously people on the hill move fast, but do these programs get a lot of apps form hill staffers? It seems like a lot of the people that are admitted to MPP/MPA at HKS and WWS (respectively) worked at non-profits or abroad and gained super unique experiences. I just feel like the hill might be a more...vanilla...experience compared to other applicants. This has honestly been my dream job forever, and I know I shouldn't tailor everything I do to getting into these programs, but I'm just trying to make myself the best applicant I can be.   

Should I apply to think tanks, non-profits, etc., instead? 

I'm a strong applicant in all other areas, but I know job experience is a book one. 

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

[Yass]

8 hours ago, Whatdoidohelpplz said:

I am graduating from gtown in May and was recently offered a position as an LA on the hill. This might be a stupid question, but will being an LA be too basic for work experience? Obviously people on the hill move fast, but do these programs get a lot of apps form hill staffers? It seems like a lot of the people that are admitted to MPP/MPA at HKS and WWS (respectively) worked at non-profits or abroad and gained super unique experiences. I just feel like the hill might be a more...vanilla...experience compared to other applicants. This has honestly been my dream job forever, and I know I shouldn't tailor everything I do to getting into these programs, but I'm just trying to make myself the best applicant I can be.   

Should I apply to think tanks, non-profits, etc., instead? 

I'm a strong applicant in all other areas, but I know job experience is a book one. 

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

I'd say do what makes you happy and then explain in your application why you chose that job or how it helped you to get the skills/experiences you need or how/if it brought you closer to your career goals. Whether you chose a right or wrong first job will also not make or break the deal for you. Before I applied, I had three different jobs/internships and all in very different sectors. In the end it's what you learn from each experience and how you move forward from that. Since you said that it is your dream job, why not take it then? Job experience is only one part of the application, other things like your motivation letter and good recommendation letters are also very important if not even more important. 

[GradSchoolGrad]

13 hours ago, Whatdoidohelpplz said:

I am graduating from gtown in May and was recently offered a position as an LA on the hill. This might be a stupid question, but will being an LA be too basic for work experience? Obviously people on the hill move fast, but do these programs get a lot of apps form hill staffers? It seems like a lot of the people that are admitted to MPP/MPA at HKS and WWS (respectively) worked at non-profits or abroad and gained super unique experiences. I just feel like the hill might be a more...vanilla...experience compared to other applicants. This has honestly been my dream job forever, and I know I shouldn't tailor everything I do to getting into these programs, but I'm just trying to make myself the best applicant I can be.   

Should I apply to think tanks, non-profits, etc., instead? 

I'm a strong applicant in all other areas, but I know job experience is a book one. 

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

First of all... congrats! A lot of people are graduating without jobs, and it is really awesome you got a job offer. I used to live in DC and had a lot of friends who were LAs. 

1. Yes, Capital Hill LA is a lot of grunt work, and what makes it super interesting is that it is a job where egos go to die. Due to the nature of Capital Hill, you are equally to find an LA from Dartmouth or University of Northern Kentucky. I have heard of how people who felt like they worked really hard to get to an elite school struggle with the social dynamics of being a Capital Hill LA. 

2. It isn't about where you start, but you where promote to. I have seen LAs get promoted to very significant areas of responsibility very quickly and I have seen LA stagnate. It is a combination of smarts, social graces, and lots of luck (as if your Congressperson/Senator gets re-elected + shifts priorities). It can be an insanely quick way to rise. 

3. Given how there are a fair amount of MPP programs that take in straight from undergrads, I am pretty sure being an LA can get you into anything short of possibly HKS, WWS, and/or Harris assuming a strong academic background. However, within the 2 to 4 years of working (the most popular work experience range I see those in policy graduate schools), you definitely can bet promoted beyond LA super quick and acquire power positions to get you into a top flight grad school.

Edited April 10, 2020 by GradSchoolGrad

[prokem]

I got into an MPP program straight out of undergrad so being an LA can only be a benefit. Like others have said it is a job where people are often rapidly promoted which will help your prospects. Admissions decisions differ every year so it's not like you'd be a guaranteed rejection at HKS/WWS if you applied after 2 years of being an LA. Some years there are overqualified people that are rejected and in others under qualified people are accepted. 

That being said, you might be at a slight disadvantage if all you've done is grunt work. That's why it's so important to have a well rounded app (great undergrad GPA and relevant coursework, relevant internships, high GRE scores, and perhaps most importantly coherent, well written essays with specific and clarified career goals that are backed up by your experience). You probably know all that, but it will be important to show how the few years of being an LA helped you realize your passions, gave you experience on important policy matters, etc. I would also recommend getting involved in service, professional, or interest groups outside of work to back up your stated intentions and show that you have leadership and public service in your DNA.

Overall, if this is your dream job, go for it! There are always ways to weave your experiences into a great application, regardless of if you are an LA or a kindergarten teacher. You will probably find this much more rewarding than if you took a job you weren't as interested in, and that can be used to your benefit on apps. On the other hand, if you find you don't like it, it's still a valuable experience that you can use to help you pivot. And in the end, you might find you don't need that shiny (and expensive) HKS or WWS degree to do what you love!