A lobbyist is an intermediary between business and government
Lobbyists always remain in the shadows: this is the main condition for their work. And we, discussing the next law, will never know whose influence on legislators turned out to be stronger.
Average salary: 44,600 rubles per month
Profession rating
Demand 61% Payability 60% Competition fifty% Entry barrier 37% Perspectives 62%
A lobbyist is a professional mediator who represents the interests of his customer in various government bodies, in the role of which can be large companies or individuals.
ContentHistoryDescriptionSpecialties and educational institutionsDutiesWho suitsHow much getCareerPerspectives
History of the profession
The influence on the authorities in order to make the necessary decisions has always existed. Opposing factions sprang up around each ruler, competing for his favor. But officially, lobbying began in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the United States. The term comes from the English word “lobby” literary analysis essay tragic hero, which means lobby, i.e. a place where it is convenient to negotiate face to face.
In the USA and a number of other countries (Canada, Great Britain, France, Austria), the issue of lobbying is regulated by law. At the same time, compulsory or voluntary registration of lobbyists was introduced and the structure of communication with officials was prescribed. In Russia, there have been several attempts to pass an appropriate law, but they all ended in failure. This has led to the fact that lobbyism in the Russian Federation is implemented in two ways: by the tacit influence of various groups on the government or by the open influence of the public and authoritative people.
Description and characteristics of the profession
Lobbying, contrary to popular opinion, is not a banal bribery of deputies or officials. This is the establishment of a dialogue with them on various important issues and a way to convey through your agent (lobbyist) position on these issues to a certain group of stakeholders, which is called a “pressure group”.
The influence on politicians and authorities who are the object of lobbying can be produced by various legal methods, such as:
personal negotiations;communication at various public events;sending petitions to the authorities;mailing letters with proposals for the adoption or rejection of any normative act;support of election campaigns of politicians, financing of their charitable projects, etc.
Bribery of a politician is an illegal activity, although such cases are not uncommon, which causes a negative public reaction to the phenomenon of lobbying.
In this regard, the term “lobbyism” is increasingly being replaced by other terms that do not have a negative connotation: Government Relations (GR), Policy representation, Public Affairs, Policy marketing. There are also cases when the law is not formally violated, but from a moral point of view, the advancement of the bill is not accepted by society.
Most often, lobbyists specialize in any issue that they understand deeply and at the same time have good connections in the relevant circles. This can be metallurgy, chemical industry, construction, automobile manufacturing, etc. In the USA, for example, there is a very strong arms lobby that blocks draft legislation aimed at restricting the rights of American citizens to own firearms.
Directions, specialties and educational institutions by training profile
There are no official requirements for the level of education of a lobbyist, but a person must be an expert in his issue. A good lobbyist cannot do without one or more higher education degrees. The lobbyist profession presupposes deep knowledge in politics, economics, finance and law. Therefore, a person who wants to become a lobbyist is best suited for the following areas: “Law”, “Economics”, “Finance”, “State and Municipal Administration”, “Public Policy”, etc.
Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the leading universities, which will not only provide high-quality knowledge, but also help to establish contacts with the right people:
Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation;Moscow State Law Academy;Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia;Russian State University for the Humanities;Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation;Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia.
Most often graduates of elite metropolitan or even foreign universities have access to the highest level of legislative and executive power. Although this path is not closed for talented students of regional universities. By the way, there is also lobbyism at the regional level.
Depending on the chosen university and the direction of study, the future lobbyist will need to take the Unified State Exam in a variety of subjects, most often it is Russian, social studies, history, foreign languages, mathematics.
After graduating from the university, you can undergo training in the specialty “GR-manager” in additional education or advanced training courses.
Professional responsibilities
Since the profession of a lobbyist is not legally approved in Russia, he does not have a clear list of responsibilities. The agent must fulfill the task of the customer, for example, to ensure the adoption of a law on reducing the duty on rolled metal products. And how he will do it – already the secrets of the profession.
But in any case, a good lobbyist must:
be always aware of the latest events in the world and in the country;keep track of all legislative and regulatory acts on the issue of interest to him, starting with creation, approval by committees and commissions, to adoption;monitor the work of various government agencies and analyze their activities;to get acquainted and constantly maintain good relations with officials, their deputies, assistants and secretaries, and often with their family members;know the specifics of the market in which customers work;generate ideas, write and promote bills;work with voters when it comes to politics;cooperate with public organizations and individual figures;conduct business correspondence in the interests of the customer;reach out to the public for support if needed.
To acquire useful contacts and maintain contacts, a lobbyist has to lead an active social and secular life. It provides an opportunity to chat with influential people in an informal setting.
Who suits
Not everyone can work as a lobbyist. As a rule, this profession includes former politicians or people who have received a good education and have experience working in government structures: line ministries, the State Duma, the Government or the President.
In addition, the following personal qualities must be inherent in a lobbyist:
communication skills and ability to negotiate;the ability to convince the interlocutor that you are right;impeccable business reputation and authority in various government bodies;analytical skills, the ability to see both individual moments and the picture as a whole;organizational talents, without which it is impossible to hold even an ordinary event, let alone implement a large-scale project;patience and endurance;hard work and perseverance;willingness to work 24/7 at the most crucial moments;endurance and ability to control emotions.
The advantage of the profession is its prestige and rarity, as well as high earnings. Each lobbyist is a unique master of his craft. But there is also a minus here, since it is very difficult even for an experienced person to enter this profession, and a university graduate needs to work tirelessly for several years in order to only get closer to a dream.
Wage
Payment for lobbying the interests of a company or a group of stakeholders is carried out in accordance with agreements. The amounts of the contracts are usually not disclosed. According to some reports, an ordinary employee of a GR company receives 2-3 thousand US dollars a month, the head of a department – up to 7 thousand dollars. The best workers can count on an amount of 15 thousand dollars, and the payment for the services of specialists of the highest level is not limited by anything and can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
How to build a career
As a lobbyist understands a career, it is about increasing authority and getting high-paying orders. Since getting into the profession is very difficult, a young candidate will have to work hard to become a professional lobbyist. A few tips for a novice agent:
First, you need to decide whether you have the qualities necessary for this work, first of all, in dealing with people.If yes, then you need to go to study at a good university and be active in social activities, be interested in politics and economics, and also establish contacts.In parallel, you can get a free internship at the local administration or city hall to understand the processes from the inside.It is advisable to start your activity by solving urgent local problems, while projects should be of interest to both residents and business groups.
If the applicant shows himself on the positive side, then they can turn to him for paid services. If lobbyism does not work out, the knowledge and skills gained can be applied to a political or administrative career.
Profession prospects
Today, a lobbyist is not the most demanded profession on the market, especially given its lack of legislative regulation. It is very difficult to become a professional, but those who managed to break through earn good money and have authority, which in itself serves as a tool for promoting the necessary solutions.
