Applying by Chance

My first job interview, out of college, I was hired by my Uncle during a teary phone call so that probably doesn’t count as a job interview. My second job interview required no resume, no prior experience or questions and I wasn’t even aware I was applying for the position, but was hired by chance by the time I left.

It’s January 1985, and I was jobless, wandering the halls of the Longworth House Office Building, and brainstorming on pulling together a game plan for my future. A little background on the situation………I’d just completed working on a successful congressional campaign for my Uncle Mike (Strang) who was now an incoming freshman Member of the House for 99th Congress in a few days. Nepotism disallowed me from working for Uncle Mike but in a fleeting moment (and a few glasses of wine) on election night I’d agreed to move to Washington DC with my friend Barb Berry and co-campaign worker. Barb was staying on in Mike's Congressional office and we had just found an apartment in Alexandria, Virginia so I needed a job.

Anyway…… back to my walk down the hall. The door to office 1222 Longworth was wide open and light as well as frustration and the language that goes with that was spilling out into the hall. I peered around the door to see a man standing, hands on hips with his back to me alone in the room, and facing a mountain of office furniture. He rubbed his chin and then his head in bewilderment and he walked around the furniture until he was facing me and muttered something again.

I knock knock knocked on the open door frame.

“Hello,” I said.

“Oh hello there. Can I help you?” He politely asked, though completely exasperated.

“I think the question is, can I help you?” I responded.

He looked up smiled and broke out in a full fledged laugh … “Yes, yes, you are right and you can. Hi, I'm Jim Kolbe, by the way.”

I introduced myself and we set to work lifting and moving furniture and equipment around the rooms of the office. As we worked Jim explained that he was a freshman Member of Congress and taking the oath of office in a few days. His skeletal staff was arriving from Arizona in a few days and he wanted to have the office set up before their arrival. We spent the afternoon working, laughing and getting to know each other. I confessed that I felt a bit like a fish out of water In Washington DC as a small town ranch kid with an Animal Science/Ag Business degree but I wanted to try something completely different. He applauded my choice for stepping outside the lines and told me he thought Animal Science and politics might just be a perfect match. After a few hours we’d unearthed the mountain of furniture and equipment and the rooms resembled an office.

I was gathering up my things to head home, Jim told me that if if I was willing to learn and work he could find a job for me somewhere. He didn’t ask for a resume, or anything about my politics. The best I could figure , all Jim knew about me at this point was that I was friendly, a hard worker and strong. That seemed to be good enough for him. He told me to return in the morning to sort out the details with his AA.

I nodded agreed and then I promptly asked him, “What is an AA?”

Jim winked, and said, “I love that you ask when you don’t know… You will learn what all these DC acronyms mean. An AA is an administrative assistant.”

I’m pretty sure I squealed as I floated down the steps of the Longworth Building that day.

Jim was sworn in as a freshman Member of the 99th Congress a few days later where he served for 11 terms. Jim tirelessly worked across the aisle for those years on trade, immigration, conservation and equal rights to name a few. In my time with Jim I went on to become his PA (Personal Assistant), then in 1986 his campaign scheduler, later I worked in his district office in Tucson. There are so many stories to tell about my work for Jim, most of which are humorous as that was my common thread with him. Some stories may come out in this blog, but the underlying take away today is Jim taught me to take that chance when opportunity presents itself. I took a chance and knocked on 1222 Longworth, offered my services, and in return a man from Arizona returned the favor and he turned out to be one of the most influential people and experiences of my life. That day and choice changed the course of my lifelong friends and the political context of my adult life.

The world now spins on a different axis in Jim’s absence. Jim died unexpectedly on December 3, 2022. He will be missed and left his mark on so many of us with kindness, empathy, goodwill and of course humor. Thanks for taking a chance on me Jim — and yes this country bumpkin learned all those acronyms, just for you. TTFN.

Jim Kolbe Dies at 80..