Howard era political advisers seeking jobs with Tony Abbott's lieutenants Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop says the Liberal Party has been "inundated" with CVs from Howard era political advisers looking for work in the lead up to the election. With the Opposition heavily backed to win September's election, senior Liberal figures claim they are being "inundated" with CVs from political advisers many of whom went to well-paid private sector jobs after Labor's 2007 victory. Deputy Opposition leader Julie Bishop confirmed there had been an "unmistakeable increase in the number of people applying for jobs" as the odds shorten on the Coalition returning to power after two terms in the wildnerness. The West Australian MP signalled she and other senior Liberal figures were encouraging people to lodge their applications with up to 400 staff positions potentially to be filled. Ms Bishop, who chairs the Coalition's staff committee, told News Limited that applications were coming from a range of people including Howard-era advisers now working in the private sector or for State-based Liberal governments. The Liberal Party's powerhouse husband-and-wife team, Brian Loughnane and Peta Credlin, have both put out feelers to potential staff during speeches to social functions. Ms Credlin, the Opposition leader's chief of staff, told a gathering of former Coalition advisers late last year that she wanted "plenty of grey hair" working for Ministers in an Abbott government. One senior Liberal figure said Ms Credlin mentioned the need to "hit the ground running" if the Coalition sweeps to power. Mr Loughnane, the Liberal's federal director, has also talked up the need for a future Abbott Government to hire experienced staff. Senior Liberal figures say Mr Abbott is determined to avoid one of Kevin Rudd's biggest mistakes hiring a group of mainly young and inexperienced staff when Labor took office in 2007. The Opposition leader will get the chance to directly address potential employees when he addresses a "Former Colleagues Network" dinner in Canberra in June. Up to 200 former Liberal staffers are expected to attend the dinner with several yesterday confirming they were keen to return to political advisory roles. However, one long-serving Liberal adviser, Ian Hanke, warned against would-be staffers dusting off their CVs just yet. "There is an election to be won before people worry about getting a job," said Mr Hanke, who worked for three Cabinet ministers in the Howard Government. Even though at this moment the polls look okay, we don't know what is happening in the future yet.