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Choosing a job in a political-consultancy firm — a strategist’s warning and a reality check

I say this with both affection for the work and bluntness about the industry: political consulting in India is one of the most exciting, creative and fast-paced career fields you can join — and also one of the least secure. If you’re a young graduate scrolling through glossy recruitment posts from campaign houses, read this first. This is a practitioner’s, strategist’s and realist’s take on what the job actually feels like — and what you must not sign up for without eyes wide open.

The field is booming — and precarious

There is no doubt the business of political consulting has grown spectacularly in India over the last decade. Firms that build war-rooms, digital campaigns, survey operations and voter-management tools now routinely get contracts that run into crores — and they hire fast, often recruiting hundreds or thousands of freshers for campaign seasons. 

In 2023–24 the conversation was visible everywhere: firms aggressively recruited engineers, MBAs and fresh graduates on short-term campaign rosters. Journalists called them the “hidden army” of election seasons — tech-savvy people doing short stints in campaigns, then moving on.

That boom creates opportunity. It also creates one brutal reality: the work is deeply seasonal and structurally gig-like. Contracts are short, roles are often project-tied, and the rhythm of employment follows the electoral calendar. After the ballot dust settles, firms downscale — often dramatically. The industry’s hiring is close to on-demand: swell up before the election, slim down after. For many campaign hires that means intense 3–6 month work windows followed by layoffs or the uncertain search for the next campaign. This is not an exception; it is the operating model.

The “posh office, no job security” paradox

A second truth: political-consultancy firms often sell themselves to young recruits using modern workplace gloss — designer offices, fun culture, “mission” language, and big job titles (research analyst, data-associate, Senior associate & social lead). These are attractive hooks. But those perks rarely translate to the traditional employment protections that many graduates expect: formal pay packages, EPF/ESI, notice periods, paid leave, severance — or even predictable monthly pay. Many hires are contractual, paid per project, or treated as interns for long stretches. Stories of unpaid or under-paid internships and traineeships are not unique to politics; they are part of a broader problem in several creative and campaign industries. 

The result is cultural dissonance. Young professionals work long hours, deliver measurable outputs, and carry campaign risk — but without long-term employment stability. Post-election redundancy is a real, common outcome. Some reports and field accounts suggest that a large percentage of campaign hires are released once the election objective is achieved; 80–95% figures circulate anecdotally among practitioners — the exact share varies by firm and campaign. 

The practical takeaway: if you need steady pay, health benefits or career continuity, this sector will test you.

Reputation cost: can you proudly say where you work?

There’s a subtle reputational cost to consider. Unlike traditional corporate or government jobs, political consultancy is intimately tied to partisanship. Depending on which campaigns you work for, you may be viewed as aligned with a party or leader. That can complicate future options — in media, in public service, or even in corporate roles that prefer neutrality. For some, the thrill of campaign highs outweighs this; for others, the partisan tagging becomes an unwanted ballast. This matters in India’s tightly-knit political ecosystem. The sector’s glamour often obscures the fact that many campaign veterans quietly avoid broadcasting their campaign stints on CVs when seeking non-political corporate roles.

The exploitation narrative — myth and reality

Let me be clear: I am not accusing the entire industry of predatory practices. There are ethical, well-run consultancies that treat staff fairly and plan talent pipelines. But the industry also attracts opportunistic actors — small firms, freelance war-rooms, ad-hoc call-centres — that prioritise client deliverables over employee welfare. This mixture has produced uncomfortable patterns: casual hiring, unpaid internships, and heavy reliance on young people to deliver exhaustive field work under tight deadlines. Journalistic investigations and NGO reports have documented both the professionalisation of political consulting and the risks young hires face in certain setups.

Why parties and consultancies behave this way

From the party and client side, the logic is straightforward. Elections are high-stakes, short-duration events where margins can turn on turnout drives, digital virality, or last-mile micro-targeting. Parties are willing to pay for specialized services — but only for the duration they deliver value. From the firm side, fixed costs are minimised by hiring contract staff; scalability is achieved by onboarding large teams for months and disbanding them later. Add to that the culture of secrecy (campaign methods are proprietary) and the unwillingness of parties to invest in long-term HR for consultants, and you have an industry that economically incentivises temporary labour.

What this means for young graduates — practical red flags

If you’re considering a job in a political-consultancy, here are concrete things to check before you sign:

1. Contract type and duration — Is it explicitly short-term? What happens after the campaign? Ask for the termination clause and notice period.
2. Pay rhythm and benefits — Will you be paid timely & monthly? Is there any statutory benefit (PF/ESI) or travel/meal reimbursements?
3. Severance / break clause — Do you have a safety net if the campaign ends early?
4. Role clarity — Will you be doing professional analytical work or unpaid grunt tasks? Ask for a one-page role description.
5. References and turnaround — Speak to alumni who worked there previously. How many stayed? How many were released post-campaign?
6. Portfolio vs pigeonhole — Will this job build a transferable skill (data, research, communications), or confine you to partisan operations? Choose roles that give you marketable skills.
7. Conflict risk — Understand the partisan brand risk: will your employer openly credit you or hide the campaign? Decide what you are comfortable owning.

If you still want in — safer ways to play the game

Political work can be deeply rewarding. If you choose to enter, do it strategically:

• Prefer established consultancies with track records of client diversity and repeat government/party contracts. They are likelier to offer clearer billing and sometimes better HR standards. (But verify — not all “big names” run clean HR practices.)
• Aim for roles that give you transferable skills (data analytics, survey design, social media strategy, field management). These pay off even if you exit the sector.
• Build a portfolio early — document your work in professional ways (data samples, campaign case notes, measurable outputs) — so your next employer sees concrete value.
• Negotiate written terms for pay, reimbursements, and deliverables — never rely solely on verbal promises.
• Keep your options open: maintain networks in corporate, NGO, or academic spaces so you can pivot if needed.

The sector needs reform

This industry is young and rapidly professionalising. There is space for better labour practices — standardised contract templates, minimum campaign employment protections, and industry associations that certify fair employers. Governments and labour ministries could, in theory, step in with clearer rules on campaign employment, internships, and contractual protections — but political will is the constraint; the very clients of these firms are political actors.

If you love politics, enjoy ambiguity and want high-intensity work that teaches you rapid problem-solving, political consultancy can be one of the most formative early-career experiences you can have. If, however, you need predictable income, benefits and a stable career ladder — this is not the place to start your life’s financial planning.

My final, practical advice to every graduate, MBA’s and unemployed youth ,tempted by the “posh firm + campaign mystique” recruitment post: go, learn, and build skills — but don’t mortgage your first three years of career capital for a one-off campaign title. Treat political consultancies as the equivalent of a high-risk, high-return apprenticeship. Be deliberate: negotiate hard, document everything, and plan your exit strategy — because when the polls end, most contracts do too.

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