Aides, a term which encompasses a variety of 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 advisor, and personal secretaries. In short, a politician's aide is his or her right hand. Political aides deal with 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. Politicians depend on their staffers, usually an elemental staff of senior advisors, throughout their campaigns and their careers. The downside of the job is that, just as politicians' careers depend on reelection, so do 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.