How hard is it to get internships on Capitol Hill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So for school-year positions, you can only apply after you graduate, right?

In our office we had students that interned during the year and took classes through their university at night or through local universities that had exchange programs. Their internship also counted as several credits. We also had some that took all Tuesday/ Thursday classes and worked M/W/F.

[Anonymous]

Also most offices have their summer internships full by Feb at the latest. Need to be in there early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, seriously, it’s not that hard and I am a long time hill staffer who works for a senior member. If you’re looking to work for a NOVA/MD home town member it can be competitive. If that avenue doesn’t work, look for members who share a common internet. Does your child like trade? Tax? Environmental policy? Find a member who sits on a committee of interest. Many Midwest and west coast/ mountain states don’t have as many applicants. Write a professional and well written email to the intern coordinator. If there isn’t one listed, call the office, another intern will answer and tell you who to email.

Then email about their application process. Be upfront that while you’re not a constituent you have followed their work on tax/trade and would like to intern.

I have worked for popular members and still we had slots to fill for interns.

It’s a slow process and not uniform throughout the offices. However, there is always a need - especially if you want to work during the school year. I’ve hired probably 75+ interns over my career and only one pops out as his dad being a big donor and CEO of a large Fortune 100 company in our district.

Sorry. It is that hard. My DD did it because we had supported our Congressman. Then she parlayed that on her own to the Senate side and think tank. It is very much who you know to get the first entry level position

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is gross and exactly why we are so screwed. Both sides are so corrupt and live in an echo chamber of filth there is no coming back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is gross and exactly why we are so screwed. Both sides are so corrupt and live in an echo chamber of filth there is no coming back.

supporting your local candidate for public office is not filth. Stop being so judgmental or take it to Politics. It doesn't belong here

[Anonymous]

It seems a bit late for a junior in college.

Mine is on her 2nd summer internship on the Hill and will be a Junior this fall.

Connections - that's what you need. DD's professor had a connection last year that put in a rec for her. Getting in the first year made securing another internship easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, seriously, it’s not that hard and I am a long time hill staffer who works for a senior member. If you’re looking to work for a NOVA/MD home town member it can be competitive. If that avenue doesn’t work, look for members who share a common internet. Does your child like trade? Tax? Environmental policy? Find a member who sits on a committee of interest. Many Midwest and west coast/ mountain states don’t have as many applicants. Write a professional and well written email to the intern coordinator. If there isn’t one listed, call the office, another intern will answer and tell you who to email.

Then email about their application process. Be upfront that while you’re not a constituent you have followed their work on tax/trade and would like to intern.

I have worked for popular members and still we had slots to fill for interns.

It’s a slow process and not uniform throughout the offices. However, there is always a need - especially if you want to work during the school year. I’ve hired probably 75+ interns over my career and only one pops out as his dad being a big donor and CEO of a large Fortune 100 company in our district.

Sorry. It is that hard. My DD did it because we had supported our Congressman. Then she parlayed that on her own to the Senate side and think tank. It is very much who you know to get the first entry level position

DP. I worked on the Hill in senior positions for many years, and worked with over 100 interns in that time. The pp Hill Staffer is spot on. Having supported the member is helpful, but absolutely *not* necessary. For the formal internship programs in a member’s office, I would say maybe 2 out of 10 interns had parents who knew/supported the member, and they would probably have gotten the internship anyway. IME, you do need a connection to the home state. It does make it harder for kids from the DC area, because there is more competition (they know more about the opportunities, they don’t have to find housing, etc). If your kid is going to college in another state, apply with the members from that state. Look at the web site and apply as early as possible. The only “in” that generally makes a big difference is when the parent was senior Hill Staff themselves and can make a personal call to a Committee Staff Director and get an internship where there’s not a formal program. But that has to do with the personal relationship, not political donations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, seriously, it’s not that hard and I am a long time hill staffer who works for a senior member. If you’re looking to work for a NOVA/MD home town member it can be competitive. If that avenue doesn’t work, look for members who share a common internet. Does your child like trade? Tax? Environmental policy? Find a member who sits on a committee of interest. Many Midwest and west coast/ mountain states don’t have as many applicants. Write a professional and well written email to the intern coordinator. If there isn’t one listed, call the office, another intern will answer and tell you who to email.

Then email about their application process. Be upfront that while you’re not a constituent you have followed their work on tax/trade and would like to intern.

I have worked for popular members and still we had slots to fill for interns.

It’s a slow process and not uniform throughout the offices. However, there is always a need - especially if you want to work during the school year. I’ve hired probably 75+ interns over my career and only one pops out as his dad being a big donor and CEO of a large Fortune 100 company in our district.

You’re projecting and hoping your donation (which unless you’re a large bundler, no one really cares) is meaningful in advancing your child. In the house there are 435 offices. Each take at least two interns - most in the summer 4-8. Your odds of landing somewhere are good. If you can meaningfully string words together in an application and speak like an adult if interviewed, you’ll get a job. Will you be working for the Speaker? Probably not, but the smaller the office the more tasks you actually get that are meaningful.




Sorry. It is that hard. My DD did it because we had supported our Congressman. Then she parlayed that on her own to the Senate side and think tank. It is very much who you know to get the first entry level position

[Anonymous]

My kid interned for a Rep from near their university between their freshman and sophomore year last summer. We were not a donor as we live in DC - no connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, seriously, it’s not that hard and I am a long time hill staffer who works for a senior member. If you’re looking to work for a NOVA/MD home town member it can be competitive. If that avenue doesn’t work, look for members who share a common internet. Does your child like trade? Tax? Environmental policy? Find a member who sits on a committee of interest. Many Midwest and west coast/ mountain states don’t have as many applicants. Write a professional and well written email to the intern coordinator. If there isn’t one listed, call the office, another intern will answer and tell you who to email.

Then email about their application process. Be upfront that while you’re not a constituent you have followed their work on tax/trade and would like to intern.

I have worked for popular members and still we had slots to fill for interns.

It’s a slow process and not uniform throughout the offices. However, there is always a need - especially if you want to work during the school year. I’ve hired probably 75+ interns over my career and only one pops out as his dad being a big donor and CEO of a large Fortune 100 company in our district.

+1. I have worked on the Hill and know interns who got hired just by sending to an unsolicited resume to their member at the right time. You can do it without connections, just send a ton of resumes, don't be discouraged by not hearing back, keep trying and you'll eventually hit the right person at the right time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid interned for a Rep from near their university between their freshman and sophomore year last summer. We were not a donor as we live in DC - no connections.

The connection was the University in the Rep's district

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, seriously, it’s not that hard and I am a long time hill staffer who works for a senior member. If you’re looking to work for a NOVA/MD home town member it can be competitive. If that avenue doesn’t work, look for members who share a common internet. Does your child like trade? Tax? Environmental policy? Find a member who sits on a committee of interest. Many Midwest and west coast/ mountain states don’t have as many applicants. Write a professional and well written email to the intern coordinator. If there isn’t one listed, call the office, another intern will answer and tell you who to email.

Then email about their application process. Be upfront that while you’re not a constituent you have followed their work on tax/trade and would like to intern.

I have worked for popular members and still we had slots to fill for interns.

It’s a slow process and not uniform throughout the offices. However, there is always a need - especially if you want to work during the school year. I’ve hired probably 75+ interns over my career and only one pops out as his dad being a big donor and CEO of a large Fortune 100 company in our district.

+1. I have worked on the Hill and know interns who got hired just by sending to an unsolicited resume to their member at the right time. You can do it without connections, just send a ton of resumes, don't be discouraged by not hearing back, keep trying and you'll eventually hit the right person at the right time.

There was a mom complaining here about a year ago that her ivy kid had sent out 200 resumes with nary a nibble. Start first with the career office before trying this. It's an incredible long shot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is gross and exactly why we are so screwed. Both sides are so corrupt and live in an echo chamber of filth there is no coming back.

Because kids want to do super low paid internships? When my kids interned it was for no pay, but I guess there is a minimal stipend now.

Seems like getting more people exposure to how government works is actually what's needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, seriously, it’s not that hard and I am a long time hill staffer who works for a senior member. If you’re looking to work for a NOVA/MD home town member it can be competitive. If that avenue doesn’t work, look for members who share a common internet. Does your child like trade? Tax? Environmental policy? Find a member who sits on a committee of interest. Many Midwest and west coast/ mountain states don’t have as many applicants. Write a professional and well written email to the intern coordinator. If there isn’t one listed, call the office, another intern will answer and tell you who to email.

Then email about their application process. Be upfront that while you’re not a constituent you have followed their work on tax/trade and would like to intern.

I have worked for popular members and still we had slots to fill for interns.

It’s a slow process and not uniform throughout the offices. However, there is always a need - especially if you want to work during the school year. I’ve hired probably 75+ interns over my career and only one pops out as his dad being a big donor and CEO of a large Fortune 100 company in our district.

+1. I have worked on the Hill and know interns who got hired just by sending to an unsolicited resume to their member at the right time. You can do it without connections, just send a ton of resumes, don't be discouraged by not hearing back, keep trying and you'll eventually hit the right person at the right time.

There was a mom complaining here about a year ago that her ivy kid had sent out 200 resumes with nary a nibble. Start first with the career office before trying this. It's an incredible long shot

The members I’m familiar with hire people who apply directly to their office. But as other have discussed above, randomly sending 200 resumes is fairly pointless. It’s like applying to college — focus on fit. Look for members with which you have a geographic connection (it can be slight — just show you know about the state/district), who are on a committee that fits with your major, went to the same college you did…anything that helps you stand out from a pile of resumes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is gross and exactly why we are so screwed. Both sides are so corrupt and live in an echo chamber of filth there is no coming back.

Because kids want to do super low paid internships? When my kids interned it was for no pay, but I guess there is a minimal stipend now.

Seems like getting more people exposure to how government works is actually what's needed.

The stipends are generally pretty low, but it is a step in the right direction. As somebody who worked on the Hill, the biggest problem with internships is not that they all go to “connected” people (because that’s not true) but the fact that only kids from relatively wealthy backgrounds can afford to spend their summer working at an unpaid position in a city where lodging is quite expensive. A scholarship kid who needs to earn their spending money in the summer can’t afford to make nothing and *pay* several thousand dollars to live in DC.