Covering the world of issues Behind every successful politician is a terrific aide. Aides, a term which encompasses a variety of positions from policy wonks to press secretaries, interact with the public, represent politicians at public meetings, and occasionally act as their mouthpieces. Aides are the politicians' public relations officers, trusted advisors, and personal secretaries. In short, a politician's aide is his or her right hand. Political aides handle issues ranging from welfare to business and deal with constituents from a wide range of backgrounds.
Many political aides specialize in areas like transportation or technology.
Aides are not only responsible for keeping abreast of political trends among policymakers, but also for staying in touch with the needs and concerns of the constituents. The downside of the job is that, just as politicians' careers depend on reelection, so do the careers of their staffers. Staffers who are just starting out are often opportunistic. If an aide does find herself out of a job, however, and she has made a name for herself, landing a new position is relatively painless. Political aides can also move into the private sector as consultants, or pursue their own political careers.