Internships

Washington, D.C. Program

Internship Information

Upcoming Mandatory Workshops

Spring 2021 Students

September 16, 2020

Summer 2021 Students

December 11, 2020

Fall 2021 and Academic Year 2021-2022 Students

May 5, 2021

How to Find an Internship

The internship search can be daunting. The good news is that Washington, D.C. is the capital of internships!

To find a meaningful internship, you first need to dedicate yourself to having an open mind. You may have your eyes set on an internship in a top law firm, but that's not realistic. Think about your interests, types of work that inspire you, or industries that you want to learn more about. Be creative! You don't have to work for an immigration firm -- you can work for a non-profit who serves clients in immigration issues and learn just as much about the topic.

After you've brainstormed and made a list of types of companies and types of work that appeal to you, research, research, research. Check indeed.com, idealist.org, internships.com, and usajobs.gov. Sign up for email alerts from these websites. Don't just look at titles or company names. Pay attention to the internship position descriptions. Does that work sound interesting? Are those skills that you would like to gain?

Once you've found internship positions to apply to, it's time to hit the ground running.

How to Apply for an Internship

Before you even start the internship search, you should refine your resume and create a general cover letter. If you do this, you'll be ready to apply once you find that perfect internship position.

First, do your research. Make sure you really understand the position and the organization. Employers want to know that you want to be there and to be a part of what they're doing.

Second, complete the online application.

Then, you wait. It is common not to hear back for weeks or even months. In the meantime, you can reach out to a contact to inquire about the status of your application. And in this waiting, you keep applying to other positions. Don't stop once you find that "perfect position." There is no guarantee you will be offered the position, and you can't afford to bank on that.

Don't stop applying until you have accepted an offer. It's possible that this may be days before your program begins, or even during the first week of your program! Don't give up, and don't stop applying.

How to Prepare for the DC Program

Attend the mandatory workshops, which will dive further in depth into how to find an internship and how to apply for and secure an internship in D.C.
In addition to workshops, you can also prepare by building your LinkedIn network, participating in Mock Interview Workshops with the Career Center, and acquiring some business attire.

Helpful Materials

Career Center Resume Templates

DC Internship Application Tracker

Guide to Types of Internships in D.C.

Internship Application Guidelines