Some of the most powerful people in Washington have never run for office, yet they command as much power as many of Members of Congress. And many of them began their careers answering phones or writing letters as interns on Capitol Hill.

Traditionally seen as the starting point to a career in government and politics, Capitol Hill offices are flooded with resumes every year from undergraduates eager to gain experience and contacts to begin their ascent to Washington power broker. Internships are available in the personal offices of Members of Congress -- both Senators and Representatives. Additionally, Committees on both the House and Senate side offer internships.

"Interning is the best way to get your foot in the door," said one former intern who used the experience to find a full time position. "The minute I walked in on the first day of my internship, I knew that I wanted to work on Capitol Hill. The office was buzzing with activity, the televisions were tuned to the House floor, and everyone in the office was young and dedicated. Interning allows you to experience the excitement of Capitol Hill and build the skills and contacts you will need to start a career."

There are two important considerations to make in applying for internships on Capitol Hill: where do you want to work and what do you want to do. Most of the internships offered by Congress will be with Members' personal offices. The Congressional committees and House and Senate leadership offices all offer internship opportunities as well. The following descriptions provide some of the differences and advantages of each type of internship. Please read the subsequent sections on Capitol Hill to gain more in-depth understanding of Congressional offices and the range of activities employees do in each on a day-to-day basis.

Personal Offices -- Personal offices of both Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives reflect the individual personality and management style of the Members. Representatives' Washington, DC offices usually employ 8-10 employees. Senators' Washington offices are much larger in terms of employees and the staff sizes are based on the population of the state each Senator represents. (Please see the next section for information on typical DC offices).

In general, House offices will feel more intimate (some might say cramped) than the Senate offices. In the House, interns generally work on a variety of topics, depending where the staff feels their skills can be best utilized. Due to their larger staffs, Senate offices may be able to provide a greater degree of specialization in an area of interest to the intern, such as the legislative process or media relations. Despite these differences, much of the experience will be the same regardless whether one chooses the House or Senate; answering the phone, responding to constituent inquiries, processing requests for flags flown over the U.S. Capitol, and helping visitors are all part and parcel of the intern experience.

In applying for internships, students should definitely consider the Members of Congress that represent their home towns and their college's or university's location. To find information on a Member of Congress, including an internship application, visit the Member's personal web site. Websites for House Members can be accessed at www.house.gov and Senators sites can be found at www.senate.gov.

Committees -- the Committees of the U.S. Congress offer internships. The Committees are where much of the legislative process takes place. Internships with a committee provide the opportunity to learn about specific areas of legislation (e.g. tax policy or the annual appropriations process) and to dig deeper into the legislative process than a similar internship in a Member's personal office. Since Committee staffs do not answer to constituents as Members' staffs do, interns will spend much less time writing letters. However, they most likely will not get the same level of interaction with a Member of Congress and the senior staff as interns do in a personal office.

Leadership offices -- The Republican and Democrat members of the House and Senate elect leaders to organize their parties, set their agendas, count votes, and communicate their messages. The top elected leaders in each party are given separate offices and staffs to carry out their responsibilities. These leadership offices are another source of Capitol Hill internships for students. Since there are fewer leadership offices and staff members, and since members of the leadership enjoy high profile positions, internships with these offices will be very competitive.

Outside the Washington Beltway -- While most students focus on internships inside the Beltway, there are opportunities where they live and study to build experience and make contacts. One of the best ways to become involved in the process is to volunteer for a political campaign. Closely contested Senate and House races require an army of unpaid labor to help achieve a victory on Election Day. Volunteers will often have the opportunity to work closely with the candidate and his or her top campaign staff. Moreover, a victory by their candidate provides a ready-made path to an internship or position on Capitol Hill. Contacting the appropriate local or national party committees can help turn up races that need assistance.

Additionally, many Members of Congress offer internships in their district offices. While the work focuses more on constituent aid than on the legislative process, the schedule may be more flexible to accommodate school hours and the experience could provide entry into the Washington, DC office after graduation.

This article is excerpted from the Vault Guide to Capitol Hill Careers.
Read more excerpts or purchase the guide
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