The office space was great. My co-workers made it such a welcoming environment where I was always included in the day to day tasks. Being able to work directly with staff and constituants was a fantastic experience.
What I wish was different
Getting paid would have been nice, however only DC interns get paid. I wish I would have been able to gain legislative experience, but that would have required me to be in DC.
Advice
Come in with a positive attitude and a drive to work hard. Do not worry about asking questions, the staff appreciate that. If you work hard and manage to make a great impression, you WILL get noticed and the DC staff will remember you. That can lead to job offers when you graduate or an opportunity to come to DC the next semester.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional Intern
June - July 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I loved being at the core of all the decisions being made for our country. I had the opportunity to attend many important hearings on The Hill and connect with many important people. I also enjoyed my stay in Washington D.C., it is a great atmosphere for young professionals.
What I wish was different
I wish the internship was longer!
Advice
Go into this experience with an open mind, there is so much to learn!
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional Intern
May - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
The friendliness, the hardworking attitudes and most importantly the comfortability to ask questions until I can perform tasks correctly.
What I wish was different
I wish I knew how to make connections with staffers and other offices. They let me know but I never really knew how to get started.
Advice
they told me the first day, this job is like drinking from a fire hose. the best advice I could give.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional intern
May - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I experienced the real day to day innerworkings of government. I saw foreign relations, domestic relations, district projects, policies, debates, and lobbyists all the time. I was in the middle of the action and plugged into the fast life on the Hill.
What I wish was different
I wish I had gotten more time with my congressman. I was in the House majority leader office so it’s a very large, split wall office and the Leader was always busy. I rarely saw him.
Advice
Go above and beyond. If your employer/internship coordinator sets a standard, do more than standard and look to it as a guide. Be an asset to the team and have a group mentality.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Campaign Finance Intern
June - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I enjoyed the fast paced D.C Lifestyle and getting to get a behind the scenes of how the government really works. I also really looked up to the Congressman that I was able to work under, as he had a lot of great advice.
What I wish was different
I wish it had been longer!
Advice
Take advantage of all the people you will meet and connect. Also, be a very personable person!
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional Intern
January 2019 • Milwaukee, WI
What I liked
I enjoyed learning how to write letters to constituents in a professional setting and learning the daily ins and outs of working in a Congressional setting
What I wish was different
I wish i could have participated in more out-of-office events that the Member put on within Milwaukee.
Advice
Take an internship position in a government office if you can! It's an invaluable experience, especially for poly sci or history majors!
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Communications Intern
May - August 2019 • Glens Falls, NY
What I liked
Opportunity to work directly with constituents
What I wish was different
More time learning how to work technical skills and administrative time
Advice
Jump head-first into it, I learned a ton about my ability to communicate and write persuasively.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Intern
January - May 2019 • Modesto, CA
What I liked
I was able to attend special events in the community on behalf on the Congressman
What I wish was different
I wish I had monthly pay instead of a stipend
Advice
Ask questions and take advantage of extra opportunities to be involved in the community through your internship!
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Administrative Support Intern
June - July 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Meeting senators helping my students with learning Disabilities navigate through the different building and offices
What I wish was different
More hours and better pay
Advice
Where comfortable shoes but profesional clothes at All times
1
One person found this helpful
Press intern
May - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
It was amazing to get hands on experience at such a high level of the federal government. On the House Natural Resource Committee, I was involved in committee hearings, agenda setting and policy research.
What I wish was different
Since the office I was in just switched from the majority to the minority, there was less structure but it got better by the time I left.
Advice
Go in and do everything that is asked of you and talk to as many people as you can. Making connections on the hill is super valuable.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Policy and Communications Intern
May - August 2019 • Sterling, VA
What I liked
I loved learning about the policy aspect of politics! I was surrounded by a very welcoming staff who were always excited to help us and offer us multiple opportunities. I was able to help many constituents through researching casework as well as helping to write constituent letters with a staffer in the DC office!
What I wish was different
I wish I was able to work more one on one with my representative, but I recognize that I may get that opportunity if I work in the DC office rather than a district office.
Advice
One piece of advice would be to take advantage of all the opportunities that the staffers give you to go out to outreach events or attend special meetings for Congressional staffers!
Be the first to mark this as helpful
District Office Intern
June - August 2019 • Wilmington, OH
What I liked
Learning about the jobs of the House of Representatives
What I wish was different
I wish there had been more variety of tasks at the office
Advice
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional Intern
June - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Everything!
What I wish was different
I wish it had been a longer internship!
Advice
Always be open an accepting to new opportunities, and make sure to always make yourself available to staffers.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional Intern
May - August 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I liked getting to see firsthand how the legislative branch functions and pulling back the curtain on what really happens.
What I wish was different
I wish I had been given more research tasks or been able to sit in on lobbying meetings or go to committee meetings.
Advice
Being a Congressional Intern is going to be what you make it, network with other interns and staffers because you never know who else someone knows.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Intern
May - July 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I liked environment of being on the Hill and the exposure to the legislative process.
What I wish was different
Advice
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Intern
May - June 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
liked on-site experience
cool to see what behind the scenes for politicians is like
opportunity to try social media or other tasks if you ask
What I wish was different
didn't like the office atmosphere (no-talking rule)
Advice
definitely be your own self-starter, ask for things you want to learn to do (like daily press clips)
talk to whoever you find most similar to you, who is doing what you want to do
meet people at mixers
go to as much as you can, try to skirt the menial work
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Congressional Intern
May - August 2019 • Pasadena, CA
What I liked
For me, this internship was all about refining my interest in government and politics to determine my career path. This internship was an excellent opportunity to learn about and take part in a lot of the bureaucratic work behind the politics we see every day. Also, since part of my responsibilities included answering phone calls from constituents, it was an excellent way to practice patience and tolerance towards those whose views I might not have agreed with.
What I wish was different
Something that I wish had been different was having more work to do in the office, but also work that was not primarily answering phone calls and emails. I do not know what work this could entail, but I wish I could have done something more directly related to policies and lawmaking. Although, this is likely because I worked in my representative's district office and not in her Washington D.C. office.
Advice
A piece of advice I would share is try to attend any events you are invited to outside of your regular internship hours. It is a great way to see and learn about the community you are serving in addition to networking. Moreover, it is a great learning opportunity for yourself and you might even get some unique opportunities. I got a photo with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi!
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Intern
May - August 2019 • Scottsdale, AZ
What I liked
IT was an amazing experience to see the District side of a Congress person's work.
What I wish was different
The only thing I would change would be to have more tasks for interns
Advice
If you want an amazing experience put yourself out there. I was so fortunate to be able to learn more about my country and how the systems of government work.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Intern
May - August 2018 • Mesa, AZ
What I liked
I interviewed for this internship with the misconception that U.S. House of Representative district offices operated with partisanship, which would have posed as an issue with me considering I would be working in an environment with beliefs contradicting my personal ones. Fortunately, during the interview process, I was informed that I was incorrect. This appeased many of my fears. The staff at this office, who were aware of my personal beliefs, were by far some of the most welcoming people I have ever met. They exhibited a true passion for helping constituents willing to seek it, while balancing impeccable organization with fun and friendliness. While the work I was assigned was manageable and taught me more about the administrative processes of district offices, the people I worked with were by far my favorite.
What I wish was different
I did not want to leave-- everything went very well for me.
Advice
Details are important. I set myself above the rest of the interns by displaying my willingness to read directions more than once to ensure I missed nothing, asking questions when questions were warranted, and learning from any mistakes that were made. It is also admirable if, when a mistake is made, to immediately go back and correct it (if possible) instead of covering it up, or owning up to the mistake and discussing how similar mistakes can be avoided in the future.
Be the first to mark this as helpful
Financial Services Committee Intern
May - July 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Grrat city and excellent work environment. So many young people and phenomenal connections.
