There are many careers in the world, ranging from retail associate on a Saturday morning, to President of the United States, and many people choose what they want to do with their life from a very early age. Many people know very young whether they want to work in medicine or whether they want to embrace their creativity and become a writer. The thing is, there are those that will only discover their passions a little later in life, breaking into one field only to discover a passion for a different one altogether.

Choosing what you want to do for a living is hard, but when you want to break into a career like politics, you really have to consider what it is that you are hoping to get from it. Take Mike Crapo, for example. Initially a lawyer with a degree in political science, he entered politics in the 1980s. Politics was in his family history, with distant relatives in power in Michigan in the late-1800s. Deciding to be a part of the world of politics won’t always come with a family history in the arena; sometimes you just have a passion for change and want to make a difference to the world. So, what are the best ways that you can get involved in politics?

1. Volunteer. This isn’t like Scandal; you won’t be the next Olivia Pope, who worked her way from assistant to fixing the presidents life. Once you get a driving license, you are able to volunteer. Get yourself into political community meetings and speak to the person in charge. They will be able to direct you to the right place to start lending a hand.
2. Education. Getting an education is an absolute must when you want to be a part of the political world. Not only will it help to propel you to success in the industry, you’ll ensure that you get a chance to be involved in a number of the right societies and groups that lean toward your own political beliefs. Choose a college degree within political science, law or communications to get the right stepping stones.
3. Network. A lot of the success in politics comes from who you know, and you need to get yourself out there. Politics involves high levels of communication and you need to be able to talk to anyone wherever you go, from all backgrounds. Getting to know people at your own level as well as higher than you will be the best way to climb the political ladder.
4. Commit. Politics has the power to take over your social life. When you’re campaigning and travelling to get your political message across, you can find yourself overwhelmed. You need to be sure that you can truly commit to this part in your life, and you have to be ready for it, too.

Politics can alter your life in a good way, and a career in this industry is high-pressured as well as being exciting. Be sure, be ready and go for it.