How to land an internship in the US House of Representatives
So you want to be a House intern?
Maybe you were a class president, a local campaign volunteer, or a C-SPAN junky; no matter your background, what matters is that you’ve set your sights on a job in the US House of Representatives, and this internship is your chance to get a foot in Congress’ proverbial door!
But where to start? With 435 representatives and countless committees and sub-committees, it can be hard to know where to even send your resume. Before you panic, however, we’ve broken down the internship application process into five straightforward steps to get you from junior politico to a lanyard-sporting intern in no time!
Looking for help with your Senate internship application? Check out our post on “Five steps to landing a US Senate Internship”
Step 1 - Get your resume, cover letter & recommendations together
First things first, a bit of housekeeping (pun intended). You’ll need to cobble together an updated resume, cover letter and at least two letters of recommendation. Remember to keep your resume to one page or less, and make sure your top achievements stand out above the rest. Think of your resume as a highlight reel or director’s cut; short, sweet and showing off your best accomplishments.
Your cover letter, meanwhile, should be a bit more tailored to each position you’re applying for. Feel free to templatize, but make sure you add a small personal touch to each letter, whether it is a personal connection to the congressperson’s state or a specific bill of theirs that you agree with.
Finally, the letters of recommendation. Everyone dreads reaching out to an old professor or supervisor to ask for a favor, but the sooner you bite the bullet and send the ask, the better! Remember that they’re busy people too, so make sure to give them at least two weeks of advance notice before the letter is due.
Step 2 - Pick a side (Republican or Democrat?)
For some aspiring staffers, picking a side was never a question in the first place. For others, however, applying to a Democrat or Republican office can be a career-defining moment before they’ve even landed the job! When in doubt, take the time to weigh each party’s stance on a few policy issues that are important to you. If you’re still not sure, try an online quiz like this one from Pew Research to see where you stand compared to the party line.
Step 3 - Keep it local
Whenever possible, start your internship job search with local representatives, especially if you agree with their stance on policies and stated values. Congressional offices are always looking for interns & staffers with local experience, who know the representative’s district and state and can connect with local constituents.
Not sure who your representative is? Check out this link from the official website of the US Congress. Once you’ve found your representative, be sure to reach out directly to their office to see if they have any internship openings!
Step 4 - Check online job boards
After you’ve exhausted your local connections, congressional job boards are the next best thing. Chock-full of updated internship job listings, each of the following job boards can be a great resource for identifying and applying for internships:
The House Resume Bank - While a great starting point on your internship application journey, the House Resume Bank is just that: a starting point. In theory, the resume bank is accessible by every House office, giving your resume as much exposure to as many offices as possible. In practice, however, you’ll be submitting a general resume and competing for attention with hundreds or thousands of other internship applications.
The House Employment Bulletin - Subscribing to the House Employment Bulletin will feed specific job opportunities directly to your inbox every week. Sure, you’ll have to sift through non-internship job listings, but you will also be able to apply directly for internships in specific offices or sub-committees, allowing you to tailor your application & resume to the internship in question.
For Republicans: House GOP Jobs - Looking specifically for a job with a Republican member? Submit your resume directly to the House GOP Resume Bank run by the Republican Leader’s office.
For Democrats: Jobs Announcement Board - Donkeys over elephants? Check out the Democrat-specific jobs board hosted by the Democratic Leader’s Office. Use “Ctrl-F” to search for “intern” or “internship” opportunities, and be sure to tailor your resume to the office in question!
Step 5 - Find intern housing!
Too many times, we’ve heard of prospective interns landing their dream internship in Washington, just to turn it down at the last minute because they can’t find affordable housing in DC. Our advice: do not leave intern housing to the last minute! Intern housing can be snapped up fast, so once you’ve hit “send” on that final application or resume, start your housing search right away.
Most House internships follow the fall, spring and summer semester schedule, and typically last about two to three months at a time. This means you’ll want to find fully-furnished, flexible / monthly housing in and around Capitol Hill, where your internship will be located.
Cortado makes it easy to book flexible, fully-furnished housing in beautiful locations just blocks from the US Capitol and House office buildings, and provides access to an exclusive network of verified interns & young professionals living in the District.
As former interns ourselves, we know just how important it is to book your stay with a safe, trustworthy housing provider, avoiding potential scams and giving you the landing pad you need for an unforgettable internship in Washington, DC.
