Think carefully before joining National Journal
Pros
This review is based on experience in National Journal's account management/business development group ("Member Services") National Journal can be a great place to get started professionally for someone just out of college or graduate school. Your customers and prospects will be in government relations and advocacy, so if you are interested in this industry working at National Journal can be a great way to make connections. Everyone I worked with during my time in the immediate department was very professional and highly capable. There was also great exposure to the senior leadership team. In terms of the product you are renewing or selling, it's not a very sticky or essential one to have so there will be a ton of work making sure customers are downloading PowerPoint slides the company makes. If you are less concerned about compensation and need a place to hang out for a a year or two, NJ can work.
Cons
National Journal is not a company to work for if you are interested in long term advancement in title and compensation. For account managers ("dedicated advisors"), the pay is well below the DC market and the commission payouts for hitting quarterly goals are paltry. I'm not sure if this is still the case, but during the hiring process I was told that all account managers make the same starting salary regardless of experience. So, don't expect to be able to negotiate much even if you have years of account management or business development experience. National Journal's products are also far from inspiring, as the core business is selling downloadable PowerPoint slides that have used the same format for almost 10 years or selling custom slides (working with the group that makes these slides and the back and forth there could fill a few pages. In short - it's not a sustainable or scalable process). If you decide to join National Journal as an AM or salesperson, you WILL learn a ton about the government affairs industry which you can use to be effective working for other companies in the industry with more competitive compensation (Politico, BGOV, FiscalNote, CQ Roll Call, Quorum, etc.) Even if you are interested in the company long term, the opportunity doesn't really exist because the business is really built on paying younger people in the mid-20s lower salaries.The select few who have advanced in their roles have simply one the popularity contest and willing to leave money on the table for an inflated title. During my time and since leaving, I've seen great mid-level and senior employees who LOVED National Journal leave because they were passed over unfairly or underpaid. Lastly, the company is likely to be sold off like the rest of David Bradley's companies, so the future for the company seems uncertain given the current economic conditions and the competition from other vendors in the space with more essential products.