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Course: Careers > Unit 2
Lesson 2: District representative- District representative: What I do and how much I make
- District representative: How I got my job and where I'm going
- District representative: My budget and planning for the future
- District representative: Working in public service
- What does a district representative for a state senator do?
- How do you become a district representative for a state senator?
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What does a district representative for a state senator do?
Learn about the daily tasks and career opportunities of a district representative for a state senator.
State senators represent thousands (or even hundreds of thousands) of people. Imagine trying to learn the unique views and needs of that many community members. It’s an impossible task without a dedicated team. A district representative for a state senator helps tackle this challenge, acting as the bridge between constituents and their elected official.
As the eyes and ears of the senator in their district, a district representative’s time will primarily be spent attending community meetings, learning about local issues, and speaking on behalf of the senator. District representatives also attend events alongside the senator to provide commentary about relevant issues and make introductions to community members. They also play a key role in making sure all of the events run smoothly by handling administrative duties such as scheduling.
No two days in this role are the same. On any given day, the district representative may wake up early to attend a community breakfast at a local school, drive to a meeting about the needs of local farm workers, and then give a speech at a company’s annual awards luncheon. In the days leading up to a contentious vote, they may instead spend time in the office answering hundreds of phone calls and emails--information that ultimately gets distilled into reports for the state senator.
A community’s needs are constantly evolving, which means the district representative’s work is never done. The hours for this role are often long, requiring a dedication of early mornings, evenings, and weekends. The compensation for this work typically falls between $35,000-55,000, and includes medical, vision, and dental coverage. For many, the key perks of this job are not the hours or the benefits, but the opportunity to help members of the community and to learn about a wide variety of policy issues.
Serving as a district representative for a state senator is typically viewed as a stepping stone to other opportunities. Some pursue law school or other advanced degrees, such as a master’s in public administration. Others move on to nonprofits or work in the private sector. Because this role exposes the person to so many people and issues, there are a number of paths they can later pursue.
References
“Working in Politics.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Quarterly. Summer 2008. What does a district representative for a state senator do?
Want to join the conversation?
- none of those jobs i would like to work for i wanna be my own boss and be able to relax and travail the world.(4 votes)
- Sounds like a cool job. If you keep that in mind, but still don't quite know what exactly the job type would be, you should check out the Design Create And Perform area of this course. And there are lots more jobs where you can be your own boss and travel the world that are not mentioned here. I, for instance, am very close to being an author. An author can write pretty much any story they want, send it to a publisher, control which books they send to be published, control which events and book signings they go to, and control (at times) the amount of money they make (when it comes to the payment negotiations with the publisher). You also get paid royalties, and you get money for the events you take part in, and you can sign contracts with film producers that give you a certain percentage of the money made in the box office. I get to be my own boss, and when it comes to the event aspect, I get to travel. But, because many people don't enjoy writing, I would suggest looking up different jobs where you can start your own business.(0 votes)
- What are some challenges you go through ?(3 votes)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Quarterly. Summer 2008. What does a district representative for a state senator do?(2 votes)
- i think that i want to be a cop when i grow up and me and my sister want to get a job like that.(2 votes)
- What steps are you taking to become a police officer? Why do you and your sister want to be cops? Just curious.(1 vote)
- How do people decide if they want to be a district representative for a specific district?(2 votes)
- they probally do a district they know(0 votes)
- whats the hardest part in ur job(1 vote)
- if u need help im hear(1 vote)
- Members of the U.S. House of Representatives each represent a portion of the state known as a Congressional District, which averages 700,000 people. Senators however represent the entire state.(1 vote)
- In low population states (like Wyoming) there might be more senators than representatives!(1 vote)
- What are some challenges you go through?(1 vote)
- The people who were interviewed for these lessons about 5 years ago do not answer questions raised by their presentations. Neither is there a teacher here to respond.(1 vote)
- What are the challenges you face?(1 vote)
- The people who were interviewed for these videos 5 or 6 years ago do not answer questions here. Neither is there a teacher in this "room."(1 vote)