Mail Time

The thing I've definitely learned throughout all my Internships is to never think any task is too menial for you. I have been neck deep in a pile of unopened mail, calling every member of Congress looking for contact information, and looking at a scanner most of the day and even though you may not see these things as necessary for the office to run, they do help with the flow of communication and it shows your employer that you can be ready for the bigger stuff.

You can't be a Chief of Staff first day in. Then where would all the fun parts go? A lot of responsibility starts to spring up as you gain more experience and move up in the ranks, so you don't have as much time to make connections or enjoy free time that comes with being the classic intern ready to do everyone's bidding. Some of the best networking, socializing, and lessons can be had when at the bottom, running around with your friends who work in the same building, reconnecting with people that have similar interests, and happy hour hopping to see if you can spot the people that have gotten to the top. Also, you can gain a lot of knowledge from the professionals who just started out- a great staff has people that love to give you advice on things to know for the future and send you invites to the top events in the city. I have gotten lots of hints and funny stories about their LSAT experiences from the attorneys at my office, and I know that after I find out my score they will be able to guide me when I decide where to go for law school.

So even though filing or opening mail doesn't seem to be a factor that could break down your entire organization, just remember that what you're learning while doing it or during your experience is more important tenfold- and remember when you're at the top to give props to the Interns in your office!

Casual Fridays

TGIF! Fridays are great at work- not only because it's little slower than usual, everyone's talking about weekend plans, and the idea of sleeping late is so close you can already hear the afternoon traffic waking you up instead of the annoying clock, it's also dress-down day! Our office during the week is usually business casual, nothing too fancy, and on Fridays jeans and an appropriate top is acceptable. I definitely err on the side of caution and leave the sneakers and t-shirts behind. Although I wish we could throw in a pj day like in high school (or those dreaded 8:30s), there is always a positive for wearing appropriate clothing at work.

1. Don't stand out too much- Make sure the first few days or weeks to check out what everyone's wearing. There is a big difference between business casual like in my office where a khakis and a nice top is okay and a Hill Internship where a skirtsuit would probably be considered the right stuff.
2. Never wear anything too short or revealing-Reputation is major in the DC area and most likely anywhere else you're looking, so be careful.
3. Definitely ask about Fridays- One Internship my first Friday I came in a pantsuit and everyone else came in with jeans. Embarrassing.

Can't wait til next Friday!

Office Adventures

Over the summer we had between seven and ten law students intern with our Section, and along with the attorneys we went to a lot of fun events and places around DC that I would highly recommend, especially to socialize and getting to know your co-workers better.

- Nats games- This was great, because the new stadium is amazing! Set right on the river as a backdrop on one side and the US Capitol on the other, everywhere you sit has new sights. My favorite part is the new HD megascreen- even if you weren't there the quality could put you right in the middle of the action. There also is a variety of seats you can purchase, the cheapest ones only $5, and although they are high you could still see everything. Tip- During the week show your government ID and get a few dollars off too, hit the $10 ones! And what makes an office outing even better than Ben's Chili fries? That's right, couldn't think of anything either. While cheering, or more like pleading, for the Nats, we were able to joke and chat, meet new attorneys next to us, and learn where the law interns came from and how they liked DC.

- Happy Hours- Definitely a must, even if you have somewhere to be a little later. Chef Geoff's near us has specials, and there are lots of website people go to to check out what places around them have fun things going on. This is also great because you don't have to schedule it too far in advance or have a huge group attend, just send out an office e-mail to see if anyone's free and interested.

- Trivia Night- Yes, I work with lawyers, so clearly we came in as the frontrunners with this one :) Fado's in Chinatown has one every Monday night, with questions ranging from what movie did Britney get her debut to when was the first flight to Mars. We unfortunately just missed the top three, but it was still a lot of fun clustering around tables trying to beat everyone.

- Softball Games- Our team played on the National Mall against other Sections in the Department, and even though we lost there were a few close ones that would probably put us right above the Nats' standings.

- Fogo de Chao- As a last hurrah for the interns, we went out to this wonderful Brazilian steakhouse where the food just keeps on coming. Though expensive, you can eat as much salted meat as you want, and try all different types- I had filet mignon wrapped in bacon, garlic chicken and steak, everything you can imagine. Afterwards be prepared not to eat for awhile!

Definitely take advantage of the city's events and restaurants, because you can really bond with the people you work with and start lasting connections. And you can even find things you've never thought of trying before- I went with my roommate to a few Nats games afterwards and this past weekend we watched an opera that was simulcasted from the Kennedy Center to the stadium- I knew I loved that screen!

Ready for Your Close-Up?

Yes, interviews, the face-to-face time that probably concludes the days or weeks of informal e-mailing or phone calls with the possible boss. My interview here was actually after months, but hopefully that is a rarity (unless you're going for sensitive clearance, then get ready for a very, very long process with a minimum of maybe 6 months). After interviewing for the other positions, I learned a lot coming into the Justice Department, but every one is unique.

1) Dress! Obvious one, I went for nice pants and a blouse. Don't go to either extreme- full tux or jeans and sneakers leave at the door.

2) Prompt- I came about 15 minutes early, but in actuality I had to wait in front of the security gates while they called my boss, so it was right on time.

3) Comfort-While I was waiting the secretary asked me if I needed anything, and I went for water, which according to my Internship Professor was a good choice. A flat-out refusal is a little standoffish and off on the wrong foot.

4) Even if you've discussed some questions and answers already prior to the interview, this is the best chance to reiterate. Instead of saying things like "Well, like I said before" as if the interviewer had forgotten, I said things such as "My past experiences had taught me ...", etc.

5) I asked a few questions while we were walking visiting where I would work- I hope it showed I was definitely interested and wanted to learn more.


This week was a lot of fun- we started putting together a monthly report of all the cases that came through for our office. This is much more substantive since we have to discuss the case and what it means for appealing. And I found out in one of my classes all the cases we're going to be working on this semester are all cases attorneys in my office worked on, so I will definitely be asking them about their experiences!

How I searched for Internships

How I searched for and applied to all of my internships does not have a single, easy process. In fact, I went through many different contacts, avenues, and websites to find them and then apply. Here's a quick list for each of them, and you can comment to and say how you got yours too!

Congressman's Office- December my Freshman I decided to look around for an internship in the spring, and I immediately went to the website of my NJ Congressman. After learning a little about this biography and what committees and focuses he works with, I wrote up a cover letter that described my classes and wish to work on the Hill. Even though I didn't have any work experience yet, there were still political classes I had taken and speakers that I listened to that could contribute to my resume. I found the e-mail of the staffer, and sent them everything. Within twelve hours she got back to me and we had a weekly schedule set up for January.

Lesson: Don't let having no experience stop you from applying- employers know the Catch-22 that even though they want experience, you have to start somewhere, and everything you do could count as experience.

Tech firm- I checked the Career Center's website every day for a month and a half over the summer, constantly updating my resume and applying to places.

Lesson: I definitely waited too long for finding a summer job, something you should probably start looking for in March, I started in May after classes ended.

Summer law firm- The next year I learned from the above, and started looking for jobs at home a lot earlier. I went online and Googled lawyers in my area, then e-mailed my resume and cover letter to everyone that had their contact information online.

Lesson: You can find lots of companies just by searching online without subscribing to monster.com. Also, even though your home isn't in DC, definitely talk with your Career Center advisor because they may have AU alumni or can lend a hand searching.

DOJ- I applied while I was studying abroad in Rome in the Fall, and had found a listing online of the sections and their Intern contacts. After a few got back to me, my employer scheduled a phone interview in November with plans to start in January.

Lesson: You don't have to wait if you're abroad to send some interest e-mails out. They will understand the limits to communication and your start date.

Internship Overview

Hello! Welcome to my blog, where I muse about the daily things that go on at my internship, as well as tips and ideas I can share for when you begin your internship. First, I guess I'll start with just a little of my background- I am a Senior at AU majoring in Communications, Law, Economics, and Government. I will be looking forward to graduating in December, and then have to listen to my own tips and advice as I search for a new job. Since Freshman year I have interned somewhere within this great city, because there is always someone looking to hire, especially when so many are willing to work for nothing- economics and supply & demand at its best, right? I loved and learned a lot from each of my internships, and for me it was interesting to apply what I learned in class at work, and certainly vice-versa.
I began interning for my Congressman from the state of New Jersey, where I answered phones, led tours, and was able to attend hearings and have the behind-stage pass to explore the places on the Hill I've always dreamed about. For political enthusiasts, this is akin to having not only front row passes to Bon Jovi, but being picked out of the crowd and taken backstage to have a chat with the band. Amazing.
Next I worked for a technology firm in their Communications Department, where I put together press packets and materials for upcoming press conferences and kept the firm up-to-date on all the news about our member companies.
I worked for a Presidential campaign, and over the summer last year I worked for a local law firm at home, cataloging clients' information and open new cases, similar to what I do now.

Now, I work at the Department of Justice, where I do case management work, such as

• Creating a list of and searching the Opinions from the thirteen appellate courts from around the country and see if our attorneys worked on the case, determine whether or not we won, and forward the papers and information on to them
• Set up new cases in our system database
• Communicate to the Division our wins/ losses
• Cite check opinions from the attorneys

I enjoy it because it directly relates to what I am interested in when I graduate. Last night in fact during my law class we discussed exactly what I do every day, discussing how many federal courts there are, how cases can be sent to the circuit courts, etc. The attorneys and staff are wonderful people, we socialize and try and get together around once a month for events, and over the summer we had softball games and even a trivia night.

Now, enough about me- what about what you're looking for? It's still the very beginning of the semester, and you are looking online or thinking about what you want to do. My advice first is definitely keep your options broad and open, even if you absolutely, 100% know you want to work somewhere. Don't pigeonhole yourself into one area! For example, if you're into politics, remember there are hundreds of agencies, organizations, Congressmen, and other places you can look. I started on the government side first, then I wanted to see the other side of things, where I saw the private firms and how they worked. Also, internships for me now are also about discovering what I like and don't like about what it entails. Even though you're not getting paid, you still are a high commodity in the area and can search and look until you find one that you thinks suit you. Like my Internship professor said, there's a reason to take an internship people don't normally think of, and that is to see what you don't like. This is the time to figure out what things annoy you or you want to do everyday on a weekly basis at work. Do you want to sit and answer phones all day? How about never picking up one? Enjoy talking to people your age, or are you comfortable being the only intern there? Every internship gives you more perspective about what you want to do, and, such as substitute coffee-maker or errand runner, what you want to avoid and ask about at your next interview.