Professional Development (June 2009)

Growing up, Melissa Fireman never thought she would become a career counselor. Instead, she always wanted to be an entrepreneur and own her own business. As she got older, she spent some time in human resources, working for Time Warner and in recruiting, developing an interest for career counseling.

Many on Capitol Hill are at the beginning of their careers, working as staffers in a fast-paced, exciting environment. Some have no idea where the next chapter of their life will lead them and others have distinct plans and dreams to achieve their political goals.

Zara Khan emerges from the Treasury Department building with her poly-blend interview suit still rumpled from her Chinatown bus ride. This is the latest among dozens of interviews she’d undergone after her employer, Lehman Brothers, ceased to exist.

Graduates coming out of college this year face one of the bleakest job markets in recent history. In April, unemployment stood at 8.9 percent and many companies remain resistant to hiring additional staff.

The rise of the Food Network from an obscure channel to cultural phenomenon and the explosion of celebrity chefs changed people’s perceptions about the culinary industry.

Many congressional staffers dreamed of working on Capitol Hill when their peers were fretting about dates for their sophomore semi-formal. Others took a more circuitous route to careers in the public sector. But a small sample of the thousands of schedulers, press officers and legislative aides on whom members of Congress rely reveals they all developed a taste for politics at a young age.

Are you looking for a new job but wondering where to start? There are plenty of websites out there and many are often overlooked. The following cater to those who wish to immerse themselves in all that is D.C.