Most congressional staff are former interns, as are many Members of Congress. This article explains what congressional internships involve and how to decide where to apply.

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Outline:

(00:14) About this guide

(01:49) How do congressional internships work, and why should I apply for one?

(02:23) How do congressional internships work?

(04:26) What do congressional interns do?

(05:20) What are alternatives to congressional internships?

(06:42) Why apply for a congressional internship?

(07:08) How to decide where to apply?

(07:52) Should I intern in a personal office or with a congressional committee?

(08:41) Should I intern in the Senate or House?

(09:41) How can I learn whether the office has a good environment?

(12:05) How important are personal ties to an office's constituency?

(13:12) Should I only apply to offices of my political affiliation?

(14:03) How much should a Member's issue areas or committee matter?

(15:47) Should I apply for a summer or semester internship?

(17:11) Does the internship pay its interns?

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The original text contained 5 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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