Samantha Nelson
The Pros and Cons of Working on the Hill
Samantha Nelson
Fall 2015
If you have ever had the chance of walking through the Congressional office buildings, especially in the summer, you may have noticed that the staff looks super young. That’s because they are – the average age of a Hill staffer is 26 – and if you look even closer, you will notice that a lot of those who are running around have orange IDs, the ultimate sign of an intern. Capitol Hill would not run half as efficiently (or perhaps at all) without intern labor. While Congress is a lot of things, it definitely provides an exciting work setting. However, this excitement does not come without its negatives. Here are some pros and cons of interning on the Hill:
Pro: You are in the middle of it all. If you love politics at all, I guarantee you will feel lightheaded after your first day working in-session. That’s because anywhere you go, you see Congressmen and Congresswomen– those people that are directly responsible for legislation, interstate commerce, declaring war. Additionally, you have the privilege of being “in the know.” Many times, policy bubbles up from the legislative staff before the Member finalizes it, and if you’re lucky enough you will be able to work on or at least hear about the policy before it even leaves the office. You are constantly aware of hearings, briefings, and the votes that occur on a daily basis. You are truly in the middle of the most important policy-making body in the United States.
The Capitol building is the most important part of the Washington DC skyline. Credit: New York Times.
Con: You are just an intern, and will be labeled by many as such. While you are in the middle of it all, you are in it with a bright orange ID dangling from your waistband. There is definitely a stigma on the Hill about interns, despite the fact that most staff is just a few years older. There’s even a website devoted solely to the horror and humiliation of interns: just a piece of advice, don’t make it on there. The hierarchy can be very strict, so it is important to realize and respect the spot you hold within your office: the bottom. You are there to aid anyone who needs it, not the other way around.
The Senate Office Buildings have so many shops and offices you never have to leave – for example, the Russell building has its own barbershop. Credit: New York Times
Con: It can get boring. Sometimes, interns just don’t get the bulk of the good work. They are stuck on the phones, recording voicemail messages, and sorting mail. It can get slow – especially when it’s recess, and no one is really doing much of anything.
Pro: But when you do have work, it is truly rewarding. You may be drafting a memo for a legislative assistant about EPA water regulations, attending a hearing that discusses American strategy against ISIS, or running to the cloakroom (and bumping into multiple Members on the way) to deliver legislation to your Member on the floor – when it gets busy, it gets exciting. It is this experience that you will remember and appreciate, when you were in the middle of it all.
The Hill is its own little world, with a different set of rules and customs that don’t apply to the outside world. Despite whatever negative qualities there may be, the experience you gain from a Hill internship is invaluable. You learn how to manage an office, perform constituent services, do legislative research, establish connections – the list goes on. And if you want to work on the Hill, an internship is the prerequisite. At the very least, for one semester you can say that you were in the middle of it all.
Samantha is a graduating senior studying International Relations and Political Science. She is interning in the US Senate for the Fall 2015 semester.
