This post was written by Peer Advisor Bridger, a junior in SMPA studying political communication. View his full profile here.
When summer rolls around, thousands of students, attending colleges all across the world, descend upon D.C. to pursue one of the many great internships that are available. In this environment, it can be extremely difficult to get a “dream internship.” But, as GW students we actually have a better chance at landing some of the most sought after and prestigious internships anywhere in the world. The reason: we can work at these places during the school year. Companies, charities, government agencies, etc. still like to have interns year round. Thus, if you’re willing to intern part time during the year, you can turn the supply-demand relationship between employer and prospective employee in your favor.
Since coming to The George Washington University, I have held three internships that have allowed me to pursue interests in legislative politics, 24 hour news, and political campaigns. I pursued two of these three internships during the school year., and I can definitely say that this was a great decision for me personally. It allowed me to balance family, professional experience, and academic studies in a way that allowed for the best of both worlds. I made friends and professional connections, and because I was the only intern, I was able to do a little bit of everything for everyone.
Before you go any further thinking about interning during the year, however, it will be important to take stock of the amount of time you have during a given week. The absolute low end of workable hours for an internship in D.C. is usually somewhere between 10 and 15 hours per week, so seriously consider whether you have the time to spare before you get further into the process. Alright, now that that disclaimer is out of the way, I can provide my pointers on how to intern during the year, while keeping everything else in (relative) order. Here we go!
- Make the decision regarding interning before you make your class schedule
One of the most important aspects of interning during the school year is simply having the time during the week to do so. If at all possible, do your best to schedule at least two days during the week that are mostly dedicated to your internship. Otherwise, many places won’t be able to accommodate your schedule. It seems obvious, however for a lot of people the thing that prevents them from holding a Spring or Fall internship really is 11:10 AM classes Monday through Friday.
- Be honest with your potential employer about how much time you have
Adding 20 hours to your weekly schedule could get overwhelming fast, especially if you don’t have the time to undertake such an arduous time commitment. Whether it’s during the interview, in a cover letter, or after an offer is made, be sure to make clear how long, and when, you’re free to be at the office. These places understand that you’re in school, and they’re generally quite accommodating of your schedule. However, if you’re not up front about how much time you can dedicate to their workload, it could lead to greater problems down the road.
- Try to make a weekly routine, and stick to it!
During the Fall of 2015, I interned on a Sunday morning political talk show that required me to be at the studio by 5:00 AM. This meant waking up around 3:30 AM, and thus, made getting any other work done all of Sunday a near impossibility. However, I was able to weather this situation by getting in the habit of doing more work during the week, and by never letting anything due on Monday linger past Saturday. While your internship may not have such odd hours, it will be important to make weekly habits and to stick to them as best as you can, including your non-academic commitments.
So, there you have it: my three top tips for how to successfully intern during the year. While it may not be the best thing for everyone to do, holding a Spring or Fall internship can be an effective way to take advantage of some of the best opportunities available in the district. I hope this mini-guide to undertaking such a commitment has helped you in some way, and that whether it is during the Fall, Spring, or Summer, you’re able to pursue your professional interests during your time at GW.
