An intern in a congressperson's office gains firsthand knowledge about the workings of the government. Therefore, internships on Capitol Hill are prized, even though they are unpaid. These highly competitive internships are offered to college students in the spring, summer and fall.
Maintain a high grade point average in college and include extra political science courses in your electives. Remember that the competition for these internships is fierce - your college transcript needs to stand out.
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Ask your guidance counselor for advice on becoming an intern.
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Contact individual senators or representatives about available internships in their Washington, D.C. offices.
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Consider also applying for internships in your congressperson's state office.
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Realize that an intern's duties can include mundane work, such as filing, photocopying and answering phones.
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Be prepared for other tasks, such as writing letters, attending meetings, doing research and running important errands. Each office has different expectations of its interns.
Tips & Warnings
Make certain your writing skills are highly polished. A large part of government work requires written communication.
If it's an election year, help out on the Rep/Senator's campaign. Get to know his/her staffers. A familiar name and face will get you first dibs on one of those coveted internships.
Jun 30, 2006
If it's an election year, help out on the Rep/Senator's campaign. Get to know his/her staffers. A familiar name and face will get you first dibs on one of those coveted internships.
Nov 22, 2005
Try to go for your Senators and Reps from your state first before choosing others, usually constituents have priority over candidates from other states.
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Jun 30, 2006
If it's an election year, help out on the Rep/Senator's campaign. Get to know his/her staffers. A familiar name and face will get you first dibs on one of those coveted internships.