Capitol Investments

What would you do if, the very day you were hired, you knew you could be unemployed in as little as two years? You'd seek opportunities in your current job to develop a portfolio of skills and contacts in order to make yourself more attractive to future employers. Representatives and senators think about their jobs in Congress in precisely this way, according to Glen R. Parker.While in office, members of Congress plan not merely for the next election but for the next stage of their careers. By networking, serving on committees, and championing particular legislation, they deliberately accumulate human capital - expertise, networks, and reputation - which later will give them bargaining power on the job market. Parker's study of the post-elective careers of more than 200 former members of Congress, including both U.S. representatives and senators, who left office during the last half-century shows that such strategic planning generally succeeds. In most cases, the human capital these politicians amassed while in office increased their occupational mobility and earning power."" Capitol Investment$"" offers a sophisticated yet accessible analysis of the acquisition and marketability of political skills. It suggests that an awareness of the trade in human capital shapes an office-holder's actions as much as the desire to win another election.Members of Congress purposefully develop expertise to improve their employment prospects after they leave office.