If you run the numbers, there are currently over half a million elected officials at all levels of government across the United States. That also means that there is a nearly equal number of defeated challengers. In order to run a successful campaign (i.e., win) in politics today, candidates must have campaign managers, and some staff (perhaps volunteers). These campaigns need to be armed with the latest political tools and skills.

Political campaigning has undergone tremendous change in the last 20 years. Politicians throughout the US are finding that the tools and techniques used in "American style" political campaigns, including polling, political marketing, and focus groups, are essential for achieving success in any election, even down to the local level. At the same time political campaign rules and regulations have increased making it a virtual impossibility for a candidate to participate in the election process without some additional hands to "help". If for no other reason except to sign the finance reports (so you won't be tempted to steal all those millions in donations you raised to run for city council - yea right!), you need help !

"WikipediA" (the online encyclopedia), offers the following definitions and reading to set the stage and get you started:
Campaign Consultants
Campaign Manager
Campaign Staff

Here is some basic information about political campaign professionals to help you when you are thinking about who you will need to run a successful campaign. The "job descriptions" here represent the tasks and roles that need to be performed in any campaign. Whether you have a small local campaign or a large state-wide one, these tasks will need to be done, its just a matter of scale.

Often, political aides or campaign managers move into the "private sector" when they leave their jobs with a particular campaign or politician. Some become lobbyists when they depart. A staffer who handled business issues for a state senator would be well placed lobbying for a state business development organization or working for a consulting firm with local clients. A significant percentage go on to corporate law, where legislative experience is often required and rewarded. Others still, become campaign consultants either with and established firm or in private practice. These individuals work on either a part-time consultant capacity or even full-time on retainer performing tasks requiring the most political experience and savvy. In large campaigns the campaign consultant may help develop strategy which would be handed off to the campaign manager to execute, in smaller campaigns the consultant may be the campaign manager.

In addition to campaign consultants there is an ongoing industry that supplies political data, campaign analysis and advise. These companies and individuals often focus on a specific niche in which to work. Some may provide demographics, news analysis, financial systems or services, fundraising, or even technology assistance in the form of newsletters or web site creation. These companies can help a candidate save money by allowing them to select just the specialty services they need when they need them.

Political campaign managers specialize in the art (which includes a lot of science) of running winning election campaigns. The job includes many areas of expertise: Press and public relations, polling, opposition research, fundraising, logistical organizing, and a wide range of other skills to deal with the business of a political campaign. In large campaigns, specialists representing all of these skills work together to develop integrated campaign strategies; in smaller, local elections, one or two professionals will serve as jacks of all trades, putting to use this entire range of skills and developing their expertise. Technical and tactical skills are extremely important in campaign management, but the ultimate goal in this job is winning the election.

Campaign managers with a reputation for victory can have lucrative, prominent careers; those who participate in too many losing campaigns may have trouble finding work. Many get into the profession by volunteering for a particular candidate they support and then continue in the profession through a series of campaigns.

In the weeks preceding elections, campaign managers work full time, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, as they plan and coordinate down-to-the-wire campaign logistics. Deadline pressure is intense, and election day is the ultimate grade of the campaign manager's work. Many in the profession thrive on the pressure; others burn out and find other work. Campaign management is also highly public work. Pollsters and researchers may work behind the scenes, but the press and public relations specialists, and those who wish to rise to the top of the profession and become campaign managers. At the highest level of political campaigns, statements and actions of the campaign manager, and senior campaign aides are considered to be those of the candidate. Some relish this visibility; others find it one of the profession’s major drawbacks.

The career campaign professional’s first exposure to politics is usually as a volunteer for a campaign, perhaps over summer vacation while still a student. Volunteers perform the bulk of the low-level jobs in every campaign, but they are often found in positions of substantial responsibility in smaller, local campaigns. A bright, hard working volunteer can rise rapidly in a re-election staff, and this is often the best way to acquire the credentials that can lead to a career working on major political campaigns. In some of the profession’s disciplines, educational or career background is also extremely important. Training in statistics is a prerequisite to polling and voter analysis; many influential pollsters have doctorates in statistics. Many political workers begin as journalists and then put their knowledge of the media to use as press aides and campaign spokespeople. A degree in political science can also be useful. Some universities offer masters degrees in political management, itself a testament to the wide range of skills required to manage a campaign. This can also be an effective route into the profession.