Your first job out of college is sort of like your first love. The expectations are greater than the realities. You walk into it with a childlike optimism only to experience shattering disappointments. You take all of the bad moments personally, and you feel as though your every misstep will determine the course of the rest of your life. And then, miraculously, you move on. You realize that in working life, as in relationships, there are plenty of fish in that sea of high unemployment rates. You realize that your career, like your love life, cannot be totally organic, that it must consist of a little bit of luck and a substantial portion of it has to do with circumstance. I walked into my first job after college with all the confidence and idealism that a degree from a good undergraduate college can give a girl. Team Brain hired me as an intern for the Democratic Party's bid for governor in my state. I was hired based on my intern experience with a previous race, and due to my shameless tenacity (i.e., I practically begged for the job). The political world is, like many professions, a world unto itself. It has its own rules and its own rituals. These rituals are both good and bad. The political arena is a fast-paced place with tremendous responsibilities. At the ripe old age of twenty-two, you might be called upon to write speeches or television commercials, not because you're some sort of marketing whiz kid, but simply because you are willing to work cheaply. These experiences are invaluable and precious. And though working on a campaign is a tremendous opportunity for recent grads, I thought I'd share some things I've learned so that others may walk into the experience with eyes wide open. **1) On the heels of the first female Supreme Court Justice's retirement, the political world is still a male-dominated one.** Since politics is a highly emotionally-charged profession, a lot of being successful at a political job has to do with one's ability to socialize and fit in. You have to be taken seriously because there is no science involved; everything is conjecture. In order to be a woman in politics, you have to be able to play with the boys. This is not always an easy task. Getting totally offended by the sex jokes seems a little over the top in this day and age. However, laughing right along with them represents a betrayal not just to feminism, but to your own sense of humor. Hold your own out there with the fellas. **2) Working campaign politics is a lot like working a sales job.** Though it is nice to believe in your product, you do not have to in order to do your job. You are not trying to change issues, you are trying to change minds. Though your product is free, they do not call it advertising campaigns for nothing. **3) Expect long hours and little pay.** That's all there is to it. **4) You will not be able to get out of canvassing.** Going door-to-door and talking to people is part of the job. Whether you love it or hate it, you will be spending your weekends doing it. **5) Campaign politics is a highly emotional world.** It is personal and gritty. More than jobs are on the line; reputations are called into question. Families get involved. With all of that said, don't take it personally. Regardless of the 70 hours a week you may pull at this job, remember: it is just your job. Learn everything you can, take it for what it is, and have fun. Read More