Being part of the legislative process. I was in a small office so I had a lot of opportunities to get involved. The culture was so professional too and coffee chats were integrated into the experience so smoothly
What I wish was different
Advice
Reach out to people you don't know, thats the only way to expand your network!
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Legislative Intern
May - July 2023 • Washington, DC
What I liked
A lot of hands-on experience that makes an actual impact on the policy priorities that the office is attempting to push through. Networking opportunities are also endless, and you are exposed to people with a diverse array of experiences who can put you in touch with people in any industry you could think of
What I wish was different
Would have liked it if the pay was a bit higher because DC is a very expensive city to live in. I was able to find housing that was an hour long commute away that was within my budget but expended beyond what I was paid
Advice
Make sure to take advantage of every single opportunity that arises. This internship is very much based on what you make of it, therefore you should be very active when it comes to networking, and during work time, you should be offering to do projects for staffers and try to always make yourself busy
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Intern
May - August 2023 • Albany, NY
What I liked
I enjoyed doing on the ground work, by hosting mobile office hours for my Congressman and discussing casework with constituents.
What I wish was different
I wish I had been able to do more work with the legislative aspects of my Representative's work.
Advice
If you are not interested in the constituent-work aspects of congressional office, a district office internship is likely not for you.
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Legislative Intern
January - May 2023 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Serving as a legislative intern is a breathtaking and rewarding experience. As a freshman intern in college, engaging directly with policy affairs within the U.S. House of Representatives taught me invaluable lessons that could not have been gleaned from within the classroom. While acting as both a full-time student and policy intern, I was taught invaluable lessons on multi-tasking, properly engaging with various commitments, and expanding my knowledge and skills of the legislative process.
What I wish was different
Legislative Internships on Capitol Hill are short and incredibly sweet. Ensure that you use your time wisely, and explore relevant career opportunities that arise out of your internship.
Advice
Serving as an intern on Capitol Hill can be a challenging, yet rewarding experience. Regardless of your skill level, age, or professional development, working directly on policy which effects not only the United States but the entire world can be daunting and overwhelming. It's important to keep an open-mind, and to bring a dedicated commitment to learning and adapting to the environment that you are placed into. While you should always be of service to your employing office, take some time to network and explore future professional development opportunities outside of your office. Have the courage to conduct outreach while you have access to the extensive House network.
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Legislative Intern
September - December 2020 • Washington, DC
What I liked
The writing experience, House resources, and connections / networking
What I wish was different
I wish there was more interaction with the staff members
Advice
Contact staff for virutal meetings to make connections and hear about their career experience
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Intern
August - December 2020 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Independence and autonomy
What I wish was different
Being able to have more social interactions on the Hill
Advice
Definitely network, network, network! Especially since Hill offices generally have Bloomberg Government at their disposal -- you can filter by university attended to find UVA grads and can even filter by specific school within UVA for a few of the upper colleges.
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Legal Intern
May - August 2019 • Pittsburgh, PA
What I liked
I liked the experience of working in an official office and meeting the team. I enjoyed working with the Congressman’s schedule as well.
What I wish was different
I wish they would have given me more work, as I often felt underwhelmed with my tasks.
Advice
Be extremely organized and methodical in your work.
