Washington D.C. Internships

1. Answer these questions:
  ● What am I interested in?
  ● What types of work inspires me?
  ● What industries do I want to learn more about?
  ● What skills do I have that I want to hone?
  ● What career goals do I have?

2. Brainstorm:
  ● Make a list of companies & types of work that appeal to you
  ● Research, research, research
        ○ Be creative. For example: If you want to work for an immigration firm post-grad, find non-profit organizations that serve clients in immigration issues.

3. Stay up to date:
  ● Regularly check indeed.com, idealist.org, and linkedin.com for positions
        ○ Sign up for email alerts from these websites
  ● If interested in a position on Capitol Hill, make sure to sign up for the Vacancy Announcement Bulletin (House) and the Internship Opportunities Bulletin (Senate)

1. Make sure your resume is ready to go: 
  ● Your resume should match the template as provided on the Career Center webpage 
  ● Run your resume through VMock to further finetune it 
        ○ Many employers use AI to analyze resumes in the application process. Stay ahead of the curve by doing so yourself and fixing all mistakes beforehand 
  ● Pay attention to the details. Formatting is very important and should always match. 

2. Create a general cover letter: 
  ● Utilize the template on the Career Center webpage to draft up a sample cover letter 
  ● For each internship you apply to, you will edit your cover letter to match the job description 
  ● Your cover letter explains your skills and interests more thoroughly than a resume. Think: What is my resume not saying that is paramount for a company to know about me? 

3. Research the organization you are applying to:
  ● Understand the position by thoroughly reading the job description and the mission statement of the organization 
        ○ Employers want to know that you truly want to work there and be a part of what they’re doing 

4. Complete the online application 
  ● Pay attention to all the details and make sure you have provided everything the posting required 

5. Wait 
  ● It is common to not hear back for weeks or even months 
  ● While you wait, KEEP APPLYING 
        ○ Do not stop until you receive an offer letter 
        ○ You cannot afford to bank on waiting (internships are very competitive)

6. Apply, apply, apply again 
  ● You should be applying to multiple internships per week 
  ● The more internships you apply to, the more offer letters you receive 
  ● The students who apply to both a wide variety & a high amount of internships find greater and quicker success 

1. Attend the mandatory workshops set up by International Programs 

2. Acquire business attire 

3. Reach out to DC program staff during the application process for advice, tips, & tricks

4. Get excited! 
  ● This is a profoundly unique experience and will truly set you apart from other candidates post-grad. You are getting to intern in one of the most impactful cities in the world!