Julie Klein Case Study

Julie Klein is currently working for Senator Harry Reid as a Deputy National Security Advisor. Julie attended Haverford College and studied political science; however, she noted that on the hill what you studied in college does not necessarily matter. Many of her coworkers have multiple degrees that they do not use. Much like many other Hill workers, her career started as an intern. Her step in the door was with Tim Johnson of South Dakota. Here she did typical intern work, including responding to constituents and research on given topics. After her internship, she worked as a legislative correspondent with many domestic topics. Domestic issues were not her forte; therefore, she decided to get a masters degree in public policy. In lieu of circumstance, she was offered a job right out of grad school as a legislative aide in foreign affairs for the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. From this position she worked her way up in the office …show more content…
The most important factor in working here is to be a strong writer. Considering that writing statements and letters to constituents on behalf of the member are a large portion of the job, the most important factor in working here is to be a strong writer. Communication within the office is another key trait that is essential for excelling in Washington. Everything done here is through collaboration; therefore, effective communication skills as well as an energetic attitude is important for success within the office as a whole. Julie also stated that being able to conduct research in a timely manner is helpful when having to brief the Senator. Often times she would be given an issue to master within a short period of time and she would need to be able to navigate quickly to adequately inform him. Writing skills, communication skills, and researching skills are just a few of the qualities needed to excel on the hill; however, they are often times seen as the most