Trust in politics: Hiring professionals who worked for other parties

Seasoned political professionals are vital for political parties. Their expertise in policy, campaign strategies, and communication can be game-changing during elections. However, finding the right experts for your party is like finding a diamond in the rough. When a party has the opportunity to snatch one, it must act decisively to harness their expertise. But such decisions can stir dissent among existing party members, staff and activists, especially if the expert has worked for other parties, political opponents or competitors.

There is always the dilemma of whether parties should hire professionals from the outside or focus on “breeding” their own experts. As political professionals gain knowledge and versatility through successfully working on different campaigns, long-term party professionals often feel threatened by outsiders. Although versatile professionals usually start their careers from the grassroots of a party, the issue of (not) trusting outsiders over “your own” is often raised. So, the crux of the matter becomes: to what extent should party allegiances determine hiring decisions?