OUT ON THE HILL is the official blog of the Victory Congressional Interns. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. Learn more about the internship at victoryinstitute.org/vci.
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Capitol tours, networking, making new friends, burnout, professional development, briefings, and many new memories encapsulate some of my experience as a Victory Congressional Intern.
When I applied to the Victory Congressional Internship (VCI), my goal was to learn more about the interworkings of the legislative process to be a better advocate for the causes I am passionate about. In my seventh week, I have a pretty solid picture of what it means to intern in Congress. However, when I was initially applying to VCI, I needed to fully understand what the day-to-day looked like for a Congressional intern. That is why, in my seventh week, I will lay out the three important lessons that would have been helpful to me when I started this internship.
1. An average day for an intern is different for everyone.
An intern’s experience may vary depending on different factors, such as the office, the area of work (Communication or Legislative), the semester, and what is happening in Congress. For instance, I am a legislative intern at Representative Adam Schiff’s Office. My typical day starts at 9 am, the standard work hour for most House offices. My day consists of sorting constituent emails and voicemails, answering phone calls, drafting constituent letters, welcoming visitors to the office, giving capitol tours, organizing mail, attending briefings, learning about different issue areas, and conducting research tasks assigned by the legislative team.
While most interns are expected to organize emails, voicemails, phone calls, and greet guests, the amount of communication or legislative work an intern does varies depending on the office’s needs. Also, an intern’s involvement with the staff assistant may depend on the intern program and the office’s culture. Fortunately, I am interning at Congressman Schiff’s Office, which has a structured intern program that provides a lot of guidance from both the staff assistant and the of staff within the office. Although most offices strive to create a conducive learning environment for their interns, it is essential to have conversations with your VCI coordinator (in my case, Leilani) if you find yourself in a situation where you are not receiving adequate support from your congressional office placement.
2. Burnout is common, so checking in with yourself regularly is important.
Victory has built-in Friday programming, so there’s a weekly check-in. You also submit a weekly check-in form, a great opportunity to express your past week’s emotions, successes, and anxieties. The weekly check-ins have helped me celebrate my accomplishments and share my frustrations. Also, it reminded me that taking time to reflect is crucial to success and getting the most out of my internship. So often, the assumed narrative on Capitol Hill is that people who stay the longest, work the fastest, and take on the most projects will be the most successful. At the beginning, I found myself aspiring to that impossible standard. However, I quickly learned that was not conducive to the best experience. It is important to understand that your success is only possible if you prioritize proper rest and be detailed and focused on the projects you are assigned. Checking in with the VCI supervisor and mentor is crucial to having a great internship experience. That is why the built-in Victory check-ins and Friday programming I have found have been conducive to my success.
3. Networking is an important part of the Hill, but it is a skill that takes time.
Networking is a crucial aspect of working on Capitol Hill and an essential career skill. During my internship, I learned about the culture of “Coffee chats,” which is an informal way of having informational conversations about a person’s career. At first, I felt nervous to initiate a coffee chat, but being paired with two mentors through Victory was extremely helpful. Victory pairs you with two mentors aligned with your interests, and your initial activity is to set up a “Coffee Chat.” Meeting with my mentor prepared me on how to send an initial reach-out email and what questions to ask. Within my congressional office, they encourage us to set up coffee chats with staff in the office and reach out to staffers in other offices. In some ways, the culture of these coffee chats may seem off-putting at first. However, it is a great way to ask the person career questions and allow them to learn more about working on or off Capitol Hill.
As a Victory Congressional Intern, these past seven weeks have been a journey that has presented both successes and challenges. From Capitol tours to networking events, I know that through VCI’s guidance, I can take on every new opportunity. I have learned that prioritizing self-care to avoid burnout and checking in with my mentors and the VCI supervisor are important to my success. Despite encountering obstacles, I am grateful for this experience, which enabled me to learn essential skills, contribute to the legislative process, forge connections, hone networking skills, and create lasting memories with a fantastic cohort. Reflecting on this transformative experience, I am confident that the lessons learned will continue to guide me as a passionate advocate and aspiring leader on and off Capitol Hill.
