ERSTE LESUNG makes work-(political)-life balance possible
As a sociologist of technology and a communications and media scientist, I became interested in the social and political implications of the digital transformation early on, and from 2009 I also became an active specialized politician and advisor for the Greens (Bündnis 90/DIE GRÜNEN) at local, state and national level. To this day, my “private” calendar is overflowing with political appointments as spokesperson for the federal working group “Digital & Media”, as a district councillor and spokesperson for the economy and digitalization, with committee meetings, conferences, background discussions, retreats, party conferences and much more. Being able to fulfill my political duties despite a full-time job based in Berlin and Brussels is possible thanks to ERSTE LESUNG. I can incorporate my commitment to politics and digitalization as a constructive part of my work. ERSTE LESUNG really is a public affairs agency for enthusiasts and political animals like me.
In preparation for my candidacy for the Bundestag in 2021, I worked in 2018/19 as a senior technical advisor in the Bundestag for Dieter Janecek, a Green Member of the Bundestag, who was then spokesperson for digital transformation and the digital economy, as well as chairman of the Digital Agenda Committee, member of the Economic Committee and member of the AI Enquete Commission. After this time, it was clear to me that I wanted to and would dedicate not only my voluntary work but also my full-time employment entirely to politics in the future.
However, after my rank on the North Rhine-Westphalia list was not enough to get me into parliament after all due to the unexpectedly poor result for the Greens in the 2021 federal elections, I started to look for job opportunities. In Berlin and Brussels, at ministries and offices, think tanks and NGOs, but all the jobs I was interested in would have meant having to give up my involvement in politics and drop all offices and working relationships. So what now?
A senior consultant friend of mine at ERSTE LESUNG then asked if I could imagine becoming a political consultant at ERSTE LESUNG. Responsibility for global market leaders in the digital economy, management of various teams, agile operations with lots of expertise and flat hierarchies, full-time of course, and of course Berlin and Brussels were the appealing parameters. But the decisive factor was that active political offices and political commitment were and are not a conflicting issue here, but rather welcome. Because ERSTE LESUNG understands: you can best explain what you know from the inside, you can advise confidently and competently if you understand and can read the connections – even behind the scenes – from experience… and if you always stay on top of the game.
I couldn’t say no to that. ERSTE LESUNG not only gave me the work-(political)-life balance I was looking for, but more importantly, it represents a very professional and modern public affairs approach: it’s not about profane address book lobbying, but about understanding political processes and technical contexts in depth and working through their relevance for clients. This requires skills that can hardly be learned at university. It is also about experience, practical knowledge from party and parliamentary group work, from government and opposition work, at state, federal and EU level. A complex field, constantly in flux, with many peculiarities and even more idiosyncrasies.
I now work as an explainer of politics (Politikerklärer) and earn my living by understanding and evaluating digitalization and digital policy. Despite this demanding full-time job, as an Ersti I can also live out my political commitment on the side and (continue to) contribute to shaping the digital transformation and digital policy in political groups, often across party lines. So when I take on and continue to take on a role as a delegate, mandate holder or speaker at party conferences or conferences, this is not a problem for my work or for my client responsibility, but a natural part of my political life in every respect, now also professionally. My political and professional involvement is valuable for my work and also very interesting for my team members, many of whom are also politically involved.
This is what it must feel like when you can turn your hobby into a profession. And when a modern company knows what’s important, makes the most of the start-up culture and focuses on professionalism and personality instead of clichés and traditions. So I’ve become a happy Ersti and look forward to every customer project and every political appointment in equal measure.
Dr. Richard Ralfs has been working as a consultant and leader of multiple teams for ERSTE LESUNG in Berlin and Brussels since summer 2022.
