Environmental Protection Agency

Earlier in the week I attended a hearing on Capitol Hill about the recent problems in the EPA. According to a GAO report, the EPA has been injecting politics into science. What does that mean? Well, it means that instead of passing legislation based on what scientists recommend, they are making policy based on advice from special interest groups.

That's the jest of the story, but please check it out at the Center for American Progress' Progress Report to learn more about what has been going on.

I really hate to think that some of these things are true. I would like to think that people are better than to let special interest groups tell them what I do. I would like to think that people who hold these jobs in government would think about the people of the United States and make decisions based on what is best for the country as a whole.

OUR Country, OUR Responsibility.

Summer is almost here!

This post is going to be short because I am spending this week visiting my parents in Pennsylvania and moving back to Washington, D.C. to start my summer internship in a Press Office on Capitol Hill. I am going to highlight a few things I have been doing to prepare for working.

• First off, I subscribed to my Member's eNewsletter. I have been reading the updates and trying to get familiar with his viewpoints and the people in his office.
  
• Since I secured the internship, I have been stopping by his office every time I am on The Hill to say hi to the other people working in the office. I have found this is a great way to get familiar with the office.
• Lots of Research. I have been researching my Member. I want to go in on my first day and impress my coworkers with my knowledge on the office. I think it is important to know what is going on.
• Lastly, I spent a good portion of a Sunday afternoon making a budget for the summer. Many internships in Public Service offer little or no pay. At first it looked like it was going to be impossible, given the rent prices in the Washington Metro Area. But, I found a second job to work on weekends and it IS only for 3 months. Hopefully the contacts I have made while living in the city, and my education and experience will be sufficient to find a job to start immediately after my internship is ending.
  

I am very excited for the beginning of my internship, and will keep you posted on all the exciting things I am doing on Capitol Hill this summer!

Preparing to Work in the Government

So I've done a lot of talking about how to look for jobs in government. I would like to take a little bit of time to talk about how to prepare yourself while in college for working for government.

I think the number one way to prepare yourself is by studying abroad. I spent a semester in Geneva, Switzerland through the Kent State Geneva Semester. It was perhaps the best thing that ever happened to me. While in Geneva we had briefings at important places with important people such as the UN. UNHCR, International Red Cross, ambassadors to the UN from countries such as Iran, Palestine, Russia, China and Israel. I also participated in a week-long trip to Berlin and Dresden where we studied the reunification of Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was stuff I would not have gotten to do, had I not studied in Switzerland. I could have read all the books about the reunification of Germany, but until I went and saw how Berlin was devastated and Dresden destroyed, I would not have fully understood.

If you're not sure about studying abroad (and it is a BIG decision) I would recommend at least spending a semester in Washington, D.C. interning for some branch of the government or an NGO. And if you're not really sure about leaving your home state, try for an internship with your state's Governor or a district office for youe Member of Congress. You might love it, or decide it's not for you. At least after trying it out you know!

Off peak season internships

I don't presume to be telling you anything you don't know when I say that getting a good internship in government (particularly the House and Senate) is not an easy task. There are a great deal of very competitive internships and there are no sure bets. However, the competition is at the highest during the Summer when colleges are out of session. These jobs still need interns when school is in session, but they have far fewer applicants. If there is a dream internship you really have your eye on, you might want to give some thought to applying for that internship during the Fall or Spring and taking a semester off if you get it. Not only is there far less competition, but since many of these offices are already understaffed, the workload is far more substantial than when they have a great deal of internships during the summer.
At my school, many students are ready to graduate a semester early, or they take a semester off and go abroad. If it fits your schedule, it might be a good idea to give some thought to applying for an internship. It would be a great way to take your semester off and it would be significantly less competitive.

Student Loan Forgiveness...

While looking at numerous government jobs, I have come to the conclusion that government jobs just don't pay a lot. But that's okay. One of the reasons is because of this new student loan forgiveness plan that was just signed into law. All the details have no been ironed out yet because the forgiveness doesn't start until 10 years after you graduate. And you have to have to have started paying on your loans after October 2007, so there won't be any forgiveness until 2017... But, anyway, Here is some information on it:

"On September 7, both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives
overwhelmingly approved a college tuition assistance bill that
establishes a student loan forgiveness program for public service employees,
including people who work at nonprofits for 10 years. The votes came two days
after a Congressional conference committee, which included Sen. Richard Burr and
Rep. Virginia Foxx of N.C., met to work out differences in the House and Senate
versions of a college tuition assistance bill. President Bush signed the
legislation into law on September 27.
This legislation is an important
victory for the nonprofit sector, because it will make nonprofit jobs a more
attractive option for talented young college graduates! It also may provide a
measure of loan forgiveness to some current nonprofit employees.

The N.C. Center for Nonprofits strongly supports the student loan
forgiveness program that the conference committee approved. This summer, the
Center sent letters to Sen. Burr, Rep. Foxx, and Massachusetts Sen. Edward
Kennedy, the sponsor of the Senate student aid bill, explaining how the loan
forgiveness program will benefit the nonprofit sector.

Effective Date

The loan forgiveness program is effective for student loan payments
made after October 1, 2007. Nonprofit employees will be eligible for loan
forgiveness after making 120 monthly payments after this date, while employed by
nonprofits or in other public sector jobs. This means that the nonprofit
employees will be eligible for loan forgiveness beginning in October 2017.

Eligible Student Loans

Eligible student loans include Federal Direct Stafford Loans,
Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and
Federal Direct Consolidation Loans. In addition to Section 501(c)(3) nonprofits,
public service jobs eligible for loan forgiveness including positions in
government, the military, public education, emergency management, law
enforcement, public health, social work, and public library service.

How Loan Forgiveness Works

Loan forgiveness means that the the federal government will cancel all
student loan debt that remains after 10 years of public service. Loan
forgiveness does not include reimbursement for any loan payments that have
already been made, including payments made during the 10 years of public
service. Borrowers eligible for loan forgiveness do not receive a check from the
federal government for the outstanding loan balance, but rather this debt is
cancelled.

Applicability to Existing Student Loans

Current nonprofit employees who are making student loan payments may be
eligible for forgiveness of their existing student loans. To be eligible, these
employees would need to make 120 payments on their students loans after October
1, 2007 while they are employed by a nonprofit or in another public service job.
Here's an example of how this can work:
Sally Student graduated from college
in 2002 with a 30-year federal student loan, meaning she is scheduled to make
360 monthly payments between 2002 and 2032.

Sally began working for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2002 and has continued
to work there for the last five years. Sally has been making monthly
payments on her student loan over the past five years and is not in default on
this loan. Beginning October 1, 2007, Sally's monthly student loan payments may
count toward the 120 payments needed as a prerequisite for loan forgiveness.
Consequently, if Sally continues working for a nonprofit – or in another
public service job – for the next 10 years, while continuing to make her monthly
student loan payments, her outstanding student loan balance would be cancelled
effective October 2017. "

Chugging along

This week was a pretty active week for me on the job application front. I've applied to a couple of jobs, doing lots of cover letter writing. It's a pretty uncertain process for me. I haven't even gotten any confirmation that they received my materials. But I'm sure they did. Campaigns are busy, and I wonder when they're going to get around to actually reviewing my resume and cover letter.
So now, I just wait. Basically, I've been just going to campaign websites and contacting them, asking them about how to apply to jobs. They eventually get back, and let me know where to send my information too. Hopefully I'll have more to tell next week!

Don't Give Up!

Hi again, everyone. Well, first of all, I had an interview yesterday for an interview on Capitol Hill. I am really excited about this job and I've heard from others in the office that it went well. So I will just have to wait and see. I am reminded again about the importance of networking.

This is how the process goes:
I applied for the job.
I told my internship supervisor that I applied.
He e-mailed the Cheif of Staff in the office.
I told my friend who works in the office.
He told others in his office I had applied.
I got called for an interview.
Someone from another office, e-mailed my interviewer to put in a good word.
My friend in the office e-mailed me and said he heard from my interviewer that it went well...
Now I am waiting.

The waiting part is the part that sucks. But, I'd say it was a good interview. It was with the Press Secretary AND with the Congressman himself. The congressman is so busy that he usually isn't brought in to the interview process until the final stages and even then it isn't unless the position is for a higher up position in the office.

About a week ago, I was ready to give up. I had applied to numerous different places and hadn't heard anything back. And so far this week, I have had a great interview and was asked for an interview someplace else next week! Never give up looking for a job!

Job Search Update

Well, my job search has been going pretty well. I've made contact with my two main contacts, which is always good. Of course, for one job I am trying to apply to, I need three references, and I am having the hardest time getting a reply from two of them! I want to submit my information to this job, and it is so frustrating to have to wait for my contacts to come back. One of them I know I'll be able to get a hold of just fine. But the other, all I have is her facebook profile, where she does not list ANYTHING. No e-mail, no phone number no nothing. My only hope has been to message her and post on her wall. Yet no reply. God, all I have left now is to poke her...
I suppose I learned my lesson though. In the future, I am going to make sure that for anybody I might want to list as a reference that I get their contact information! Anyway, I still have a month and a half left before graduation, and I've submitted a few applications. I suppose if I'm still at the same point in two weeks I'll officially enter panic mode. But right now, I feel just fine.

New City, New Job.... Don't go homeless!

Now that Spring Break 2008 is over, I am getting ready to post a new message. So I started thinking about which enthralling topic I was going to dazzle readers with this week and I started thinking about other aspects of getting a job in government and specifically Washington, D.C. So I decided that since I just spent the past month looking for a place to live after I graduate, I would touch on the topic of relocating to a new city for a job.

I just found a great place to live with three friends. I really lucked out because three of my friends were also looking for a job and place to live in the city. It is scary trying to find someplace that makes sense (close to a metro or your job)and that feels safe. So I'm just going to tell you what I did and why it worked to me.

I started looking at housing and apartment Web sites right away. But I soon found that it is impossible to find a four bedroom apartment, so that put me at a disadvantage right away. We moved on to looking at rowhouses in the city and houses outside of the District.

We looked at Craigslist.org every single day. It was wonderful. But you have to look every single day, early in the morning if you are going to have any success. If you get the postings as soon as they are put up, you have a better chance of finding somewhere that isn't already rented.

The main thing to be cautious about is location, location, location. Before even looking for a place I suggest going online and looking at crime reports to find out which neighborhoods are safe. And before you agree to anything make sure you go in the daytime and walk around the neighborhood to make sure you feel safe there. There were a few places I looked at last week that I felt unsafe in the neighborhood. You have to be willing to spend a few extra dollars to be comfortable in your surroundings.

I am very happy to say that after a month of searching, I now have a place that I will be moving into at the end of April in an amazing location. I also have a new understanding of how Washington, D.C. is set up geographically- thanks to the 200+ google maps I looked at. Not bad at all.

The Unpredictability of Politics

Hey everybody! So I took a little Spring Break from updating this blog, so I'm going to do a few extra posts this week to make up for it. Anyway, last time I updated, I was pretty sure that Barack Obama would be the next Democratic nominee. Three Clinton primary victories later, and its up in the air again! But it does provide a lesson in the unpredictable nature of political work. You never know what is going to happen, and there is rarely stability.
In politics, things can change in a blink of an eye (ask Eliot Spitzer) and those changes don't just affect individual politicians, but their entire staff. Especially in Congress, with elections every two years for House members and six years for Senate members, you might find yourself out of a job! One funny story I heard was when I was an intern for a Republican (I was an office intern, so it was largely non-partisan work). One of the staff members there used to work for former Virginia Senator George Allen. She said she left that office because she wanted a stable job and she was worried that she'd lose her job when he ran for President. Well, she was right about losing her job. But unlike what she predicted, she would've lost it because he lost his re-election bid for Senate in a stunning upset!
My point is, if you're getting into politics, you have to be prepared to live a relatively transient lifestyle. You may be moving from job to job, depending on the conditions. If you want stability, I suggest you work in a non-partisan job. There are plenty of career bureaucrats who don't have to worry about which way the political wind is blowing.

Perfect Image

In light of the recent sex scandal involving New York Governor, Eliot Spitzer, I am reminded just how careful people working in politics need to be. Today, Spitzer resigned of his position as governor.

Earlier in the week, Spitzer apologized to the State of New York and his family. "I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself, must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family," he said.

At that point he had not announced his resignation from office, but it was certain it was going to happen. Now, I don't think Spitzer paying large sums of money for a few hours with a call-girl really makes him any less qualified to be a governor. He still has the same experience and the same qualifications. So what's the big deal, anyway? Well, it's all about character. What does it say for the people of New York if they have someone representing them who keeps company with prostitutes? Hmm, probably not a good thing.

Civil Service Officers

So I talked in my last post about becoming a Foreign Service Officer at the Department of State. But if you don't want to go overseas to work, you can still work as a Civil Service Officer. And the best part? You work right here in Washington, D.C.

According to the Web site of the US Department of State,"To meet the challenges of the 21st century — and beyond — we need intelligent, creative, strategic-thinking, adventurous individuals who can bring their academic knowledge, professional and personal experiences, cultural awareness and appreciation, and dedication to improving the world in which we live."

So who qualifies?

Pretty much anyone, they need a lot of different people with a multitude of different skills. Check it out, I bet there is something that is just right for you.

I say, if you have a few minutes and are at all interested, check it out. I know I will- looking for a job is hard work, every little tip helps!


This is some more info from the State Department's Web site about the civil service officer's evaluation process:

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your experience,
education, and training relevant to the duties of this position. The evaluation
will be based on information you provide in your on-line resume, your answers to
the vacancy specific questions for the announcement, and a review of the
documents that are requested as part of the announcement.

Interview for the Job
The names and applications of the highest-ranking candidates are referred to the supervisor or selecting official. Selection procedures are subject to Federal Civil Service laws, which ensure that all applicants receive fair and equal treatment in the hiring process.

Undergo a Background Investigation
All Civil Service positions in the U.S. Department of State require at least a secret security clearance. The clearance process considers such factors as registration for the Selective Service; failure to repay a U.S. government-guaranteed student loan; past problems with credit or bankruptcy; failure to meet tax obligations;
unsatisfactory employment records; violations of the law, drug or alcohol abuse;
or less-than-honorable discharge from the armed forces. Investigations, which
usually take two to four months, include interviews with current and previous
neighbors, supervisors and coworkers. Depending on the nature of the job, you
may begin work on a provisional basis, pending completion of the clearance
process.

Taking a year off

OK, so I bet a lot of people who are interested in a political career or government career may also plan on going to law school in the future. I say this because, well, I'm following that path! Up until my senior year, I was always just planning on going straight to law school after college. But I went to this program my school offered for upcoming seniors about what we are doing after college, and it was highly recommended that future law students take the year off. In fact, one of my friends applied to a law school where it actually works to your detriment if you haven't taken a year off and had real employment experience.
So, anybody who is thinking about going to law school should definitely consider taking a year off. For me, I am planning to take this year off to pursue jobs in politics because obviously that is my passion. Plus, it is a good chance for you to really make some political experience and make some connections that can come in handy later in your life when you decide to pursue your political career.
Also, for me, this semester especially I have been suffering from a great deal of malaise. Even as I write this, I have a test that I should be studying for. But I'm just soooo sick and tired of studying. I feel like if I went right to law school after this without taking some time off, my studies would definitely suffer. I'm feeling a little burnt out on academics and I'm looking forward to having some time off so that when I do go to law school I am refreshed and ready.

Foreign Service Exam

So there is more than one way to work in the government. It doesn't always mean working in Washington, D.C. and sitting in an office doing mysterious government things. There are thousands of Americans working overseas right now as diplomats.

I know many Americans are angry about the current foreign relations of the United States and are upset about the way Americans are viewed by other cultures. Well, don't just sit there! do something about it. The first step to becoming a government employee overseas is by taking the Foreign Service Exam.

Registering for the Foreign Service Exam is the first step of the process. The registration process is relatively simple. You can do it online and it takes about two hours to complete. The hardest part is choosing which track is right for you. Your choices are Consular Affairs, Economic Affairs, Management Affairs, Political Affairs or Public Diplomacy. Make sure you fully understand what each of these do, because once you choose one you can't switch to another track.

After you register and pass the exam, (don't freak out if you fail the first time or two- most people do!) The last step of the testing process is an oral assessment to make sure you have teh knowledge, skills and ability to perform well in the Foreign Service.

After you get through the oral assessment and are accepted into the Foreign Service, you get medical clearences and security clearences and you're ready to serve the United States overseas.

If you decide foreign service isn't for you, there's always civil service. But more about that later.

Some Advice

Hello all, currently there's been no new updates in my job search. I've been trying to make contact with my connections, but busy people with jobs are always so hard to contact. Of course, as my mom never forgets to tell me "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." She has a point (I hope she never reads this post or I won't hear the end of it). You got to keep calling and e-mailing to show your determination. I always struggle with this aspect, because I always feel like I'm being a bother. But in the end, you might be a pain in that person's rear, but you're showing them how determined you are, and that usually reflects pretty well on yourself. However, always remember to be TACTFUL and RESPECTFUL. Recently, I have had trouble with various people not getting back to my first e-mail so I'll just keep sending the same e-mail over and over again until I finally get a response. Be persistent and don't give up.
Another word of advice for my readers who aren't quite ready to search for full time employment but may potentially be interested in politics or government. I would strongly recommend, especially for would-be politicians, to get some kind of internship in it before hand. Get exposure. Politics especially can be a rough and tumble world, and sometimes things get ugly. You should do some sort of internship or volunteer work to get acquainted with it before you dedicate your life to it. I have seen some interns I have worked with who are just completely alienated by the whole process. Its better to learn that before you decide to dedicate your entire college career to it. No matter what you think as a third person observer, you might find that after you actually have participated in the process and seen it up close that you hate it. Find out as soon as possible. It would be awful to graduate, work in politics and/or government and discover that you are miserable.
Of course, you might be a real sicko like me and find it absolutely amazing and thrilling. I have loved every minute of my experiences in the wonderful world of politics. I've seen the glamorous side of politics and I've seen the hidden, deceptive, manipulative side up close and I love it for both of them. But you may not. Find out!

The Democratic Primary Muddle

To my dismay, I'm starting to think that this Democratic race may not be settled until the convention. I discussed this in my last post and how it is really screwing up my plans after I graduate. I've decided that the momentum is with Senator Barack Obama, and I think he has the better chance of being the nominee, so I've decided I'm going to start looking for jobs with his campaign. It is a risk, because certainly Senator Hillary Clinton cannot be counted out yet. However, things certainly are not looking good for her.
So as I begin my job search, this first thing I've done is to reconnect with my contacts and look for new ones. I am not too picky about where I end up, I just want to end up somewhere where I am getting paid, preferably close to an urban area because I am definitely a city person. What is nice for me is that the Obama campaign website has a lot of easily accessible information about jobs right there. When I looked at the Clinton website, I could not for the life of me find any information for those looking for employment. Its really nice that the Obama campaign puts all of that information right up front, and they even give me an e-mail address where I can send my resume to.
Anyway, I'll be back next week to talk more about my job search. I've just gone through a real tough spot as far as school work goes. I had so many papers and things due, so now I've got some time to really buckle down and focus on my job search.

Looking for a Job in Government

President George W. Bush released the budget earlier this month. And although it isn't the perfect budget, it calls for the creation of more than 2,000 new jobs in government. Now, this is pretty exciting for me. I will be graduating in May and I will be looking for a job, actually I already am looking. I would like that job to be in the government, but more specifically on Capitol Hill.

I help in my quest to find a job, I have joined many job search mailing lists and Web sites. Here are a few that I find especially helpful.

JobFox- This Web site allows you to create a personal profile and be matched to jobs that best fit you.

DCjobs- This Web site is very similar to JobFox.

The number one way to look for a job in government (or anywhere else) is through networking. If your employer can connect you to someone he or she knows, then you are more likely to land an interview, and possibly a job. Moral of the story, never miss an opportunity to network in Washington, D.C. I know I don't!

Living in the city...

And so the semester begins. This is my last semeter at Kent State University, but I am spending it interning in the city. Yes, Washington, D.C. Let me just say, I love this city. It is amazing.

Last Tuesday was "Fat Tuesday," but it was also "Super Tuesday." Super Tuesday is the most important day of the presidential primary season. This year 22 states cast votes. Usually after Super Tuesday, a front-runner emerges. Many states want to be part of super Tuesday because they feel that their voice gets heard more with an early voting date. Well, not this year. The democratic vote is split almost 50/50 between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton. It looks like those states voting later are going to be the ones that matter most. It makes me pretty excited to cast my vote in Ohio on March 4.

Back again

Hello all, I'm back for my final semester blogging for Experience. I'm a Senior in my last semester and while I plan to go to Law School, I made the decision to take some time off before going to law school. Therefore, I am going to be looking for a job after I graduate. Since this blog is about working in government, I thought a great theme for my final semester is to blog about my job search and how its going. So each week, I'll be writing about my experiences on the government/political job market.
Its kind of terrifying not having a job yet as graduation inches closer. I know a few friends who have already landed big time jobs after their graduation. However, I comfort myself with the fact that I know an even greater number of friends who haven't got the slightest idea what they're doing after graduation. I am luckily in that I know exactly what I want to do. My problem is that I don't WHO to apply to!
Let me explain. What I want to do after graduation is to work for the Democratic nominee for the President. I feel like I will be a fantastic candidate. I have internship experience with two campaigns, one Presidential campaign and one U.S. Senate campaign. Plus, I have a few connections who I think could definitely help me land a paying job on the campaign. So, I've pretty much put all my eggs in that basket. The problem is, and if you've been following the race for the nomination you already know this, I don't know who the hell to apply for! The race for the Democratic nomination is nearly deadlocked! It could happen that there will be no clear winner and the nominee will have to be decided at the Democratic National Convention. When is this convention? AUGUST! I graduate in May! So if there is no nominee, who do I apply to? I love both of them, and I have trouble on settling on a favorite. So if this scenario comes to fruition, then I suppose I will just have to pick one and hope that they win the nomination. Of course, once there is a nominee, there is no reason to suspect that he or she won't snatch up all the employees of the other contender. However, it would just be nice if I knew exactly who I was applying for.
As it is now, I am just waiting and hoping that this situation will resolve itself soon, so I can get to work finding a job! Not only would such a deadlock hurt my job situation, but more importantly I would not be good for the Democratic Party at all. So, I'll be waiting, and hopefully I'll have some readers following my journey on this blog. If you're a Republican, hopefully you can still enjoy this blog. This blog will be more about my job search, and it won't get too partisan so hopefully you can enjoy this blog whether you're a Democrat, Republican, Independent or Third Party.

The Erratic Hours of Working in Government

One thing I've observed in my various political and government related internships is that the hours are very erratic. Sure, for me as an intern I worked a pretty standard nine to five days, but I'm not talking about interns. They get off easy. No, I'm talking about paid staff. They are worked like dogs and often times they're still hard at work long after the interns have packed up and gone home for the night. Depending on where you're working, a government job can be grueling and demanding. Some nights you may stay at work until after midnight! One night when I was interning with the Biden for President campaign, we had to stuff envelopes and send them out by the next morning. All the interns and the staff stayed stuffing and sealing those envelopes several hours after quitting time! So, if you don't think you can handle the demanding schedule of that kind of job, make sure you know the office procedure before making a commitment.
So then, if you as a staffer work a lot and get paid a little (and you do), then why the hell would anyone want that kind of job? Well, if you're someone who is just thrilled by the prospect of working in government, then while you might not be crazy about the hours, you truly appreciate the opportunity. But that's the thing about government jobs. They're demanding, make sure you really have a passion for what the job is, because if you don't, you could very well be miserable.

Great Website to Find Jobs

Hill Zoo

I can't believe it took so long for me to post this link. I learned about it while I was interning this past summer, but I guess it just slipped my mind as to share here. I know, big oversight right? Well better late than never. It's dubbed as the "Home Page of Capitol Hill" and I know a lot people who are interested in working on Capitol Hill have relied heavily on this site. It's pretty terrific, it keeps an up to date listing of offices in the Capitol who are looking for employees, so you can be aware of all the latest job openings that you're interested in. You can find info here about internships, paid careers, etc. I highly recommend using it as a major source in your search for a political job!

Non-partisan Government Jobs

I feel as if up until this point, I've talked primarily about political jobs which contain a partisan element. Senate, House, White House, campaign (especially) internships all are inherently partisan. Even Senate and House internships are ostensibly constituent services, but many offices will disqualify you if they find out you are no a member of their Party. But what if you want to serve your country but hate the shrill and petty nature of partisan politics. Well have no fear, there still is a place for you.
The best place to start looking for a non-partisan internship is with people/offices which do not have a (D) or (R) after their names. Depending on the state, it could be with your mayor, or with a local judge. With these internships there is much more focus on the real issues that matter to you rather than political posturing. You can feel like you're helping your community without feeling like you're also helping a particular political Party.
However if you want to be involved in the federal government, there are still plenty of non-partisan jobs available to you. It might surprise you to learn that many offices within the Executive Branch do not require any particular partisan affiliation. Remember, the Executive is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the entire Country. These jobs really get down to the nuts and bolts of how the government works, and thus are not (or perhaps I should say should not in light of recent scandals) partisan. Thus, even if you are a Democrat, you could still obtain a job in any of the Executive Departments. Certainly, there are some posts that are partisan, but the vast majority of positions are filled with career bureaucrats and do not require any political work. These are great opportunities to learn about GOVERNMENT rather than politics.

Government and the Environment

If you are someone who is environmentally conscious, then hopefully you're aware that the government is the most powerful force in saving the earth. Individually we can, and must do our own part in saving the earth by recycling, saving energy, water, driving a hybrid, etc. However, you can affect greater change as an environmental activist by getting involved in our government. It is the government who sets environmental standards, and can coerce businesses and individuals into being more environmentally friendly. On the other hand, there are powerful forces in the government who are ardently opposed to any environmental policy that has a negative impact on their interests.
Currently, serving in all kinds of offices in the United States government are men and women work to thwart any environmental gain the government hopes to achieve. Did you know that until the Democrats took back Congress in 2006, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works was a strident opponent of global warning? In his position of great power, he made sure that advances in limiting the effects of global warning never went anywhere.
The best way to assure that our country becomes more and more environmentally friendly is getting involved yourself. As more and more environmentally conscious people become involved in government, the easier it will be to make sure that the United States is a good steward of our environment. So if you care about the environment, GET INVOLVED!

Dealing With a Bad Boss

Over the course of any internship or job you might encounter, you're bound to encounter a boss who is just horrible. I know when I was an intern in Congress, the intern coordinator was one of the most insufferable women I have ever met. You're best bet if you've got a boss from hell is to just take it on the chin. Don't give them attitude or lose your temper, cause that's not going to do you one bit of good.
One of my horror stories with that intern coordinator was when she told me to go clean the office kitchen. I was absolutely furious. I didn't sign up to be a maid, I signed up to be an intern. I expected to stuff envelopes, run errands, all sorts of mundane stuff, but when I'm wearing an expensive suit, I'm not going to be doing the dishes and cleaning up. So what I did in this case is I just said OK. I went to the kitchen and did a half assed job. What was she going to do? Fire me, I was there for free, plus the Chief of Staff liked me, so I wasn't going anywhere.
The point is, find away to keep your cool because if you lash out you're going to regret it.

Campaign Internships

I noticed a comment (I'm not used to receiving them!) so I figured I would take some time to answer it.
"Hey Sean, I'm curious--where did you intern? whose campaign? when gaining experience in politics/government, is it ever okay to intern on a campaign for someone whose politics you DON'T fully agree with?"
For the record, I interned in Washington DC for Senator Joe Biden's Presidential Campaign. But the more important question is the last one. I for one interned for Senator Biden because I admire the man and his politics. I felt and still feel very strongly that he is the right man to be our next President. When it comes to agreeing with their politics, I think the concept of NOT agreeing with them has to be more fully elaborated. In general, I would say that if you're a Democrat, you should campaign for Democratic candidates, and if you're a Republican, Republican candidates. This is a matter of putting someone into public office, so volunteering your time (as most internships are unpaid) for someone of the opposite party could be suicide for your career within your own party.
However, if your political differences are confined within the party, i.e. you're a moderate Democrat thinking of interning for a Liberal Democrat, then you should be OK. What's most important is BELIEVING in who you are working for. You'll do much better work if you're committed to your candidate. Either way, your doing campaign work is a terrific learning experience. However, all that learning would be for naught if your goals are within the Democratic Party and you're working on a Republican campaign.
On the other hand, if it's government work your after, then political differences are less of a factor. It actually is a terrific learning experience to work for someone you DON'T agree with after he's already there. It makes you more well-rounded to hear different points of view. That being said, most of the paid employees WILL be of like mind, and as I experienced myself, being a liberal in a conservative office can often times be an uncomfortable situation. Moreover, if you do decide to go this route, I wouldn't advertise it when you're applying to an openly partisan job. At the very least you should be vague on your resume so that you can explain it away in a later interview.

Resume Writing

If you think resume writing that does not warrant me blogging about, take a look at some of the resumes I saw this past summer and you'll think differently. I was helping out the intern coordinator at the office where I was working sort through some resumes of perspective interns for the Fall and I saw some resumes which were truly appalling. Clearly these individuals never took the time to even do a simple Google search on "How to write a resume." A standard resume that any organization or company will look at is concise in all ways. You want to convey the most information about yourself in just a very few words. First off, resumes should not be longer than one page. If you go over by a few lines, it's probably just fine. However, I saw resumes which took up 2, 3, even 4+ pages. NO!
Again, think concise. That means, you don't want to explain yourself in full paragraphs. Use bullets. For each listing on your resume you should include "Job Title" and then 3-5 bullet points containing one sentence descriptions of what you did at that job. Under no circumstances should you list your job and then write a paragraph explaining your duties. Whoever is looking at your resume probably has 20+ other resumes to look at, and they will not read an essay. Instead they will throw away your resume without even taking a second glance.
Going off that theme, make your resume easy to read. Whoever is reading it should be able to easily see your past experiences (therefore bold your job titles). I like a basic list form. Don't get too fancy with it, but you do want your resume to catch the eye. What you must remember about your resume is that whoever is reading it should be able to get a good idea about you in less than 30 seconds (maybe even 15).
Hopefully this advice has proved helpful. I know writing a resume sounds like a simple concept, but there is a specific form and style a winning resume should have. If you write an essay or a novel in place of a resume, you will be jobless. Guaranteed!

Back Again!

Sorry for the delay, but I am once again picking up my blogging responsibilities. I'll be updating only once a week these days and I will try to be keeping it more relevant to careers, internships, etc.
So with that, my first blog entry will be a piece of advice I can give based on my experiences this past summer. So I did manage to get one internship with a Presidential campaign, and it was a great experience. However, I made the mistake of being overconfident when I was applying. I had expected to be a shoe in for 2 internships I applied for and a quality candidate for 1 other. Yet my summer plans were shaken up when it turns out I only got one of the three internships I applied for.
The lesson here, you may have a great resume, but don't be overconfident! You never know what criteria these places are applying for. I was actually turned down for one internship in the Senate because I had previously worked there! There are no sure-fire bets when you're applying for internships, so make sure you cast a wide net. In retrospect, I should have applied for at least 2 more internships this past summer.

Ames Straw Poll Results

Romney Wins Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, Huckabee Comes in Second

So, if you're unfamiliar with the Ames straw poll, it is a vote taken amongst Republicans in Iowa which has absolutely no official effect on who becomes the Republican nominee. Yet at the same time, the poll gives the winners momentum that they can maybe turn into some money. Mike Huckabee is keeping his fingers crossed on that one. However, this year, three of the top contenders for the Republican nomination (McCain, Thompson and Giuliani) did not compete. That does not mean their names were not on the ballot, just that they did not take part in bribing, errrr, campaigning for votes in this straw poll.
So the winner for total votes was Mitt Romney. At the same time, he only received around 31% of the votes. Given that his main competition was not even competing, I feel like he seriously underperformed. Mike Huckabee, on the other hand, spent very little, but still managed to come in second place. I touted Huckabee in an earlier article as the perfect candidate for Republicans given their dissatisfaction with their current front-runners. It looks like at least the Ames voters took notice. However, Huckabee has done pathetic in the fundraising race, so he has to be able to turn this little poll into money.
However, I do have to brag given that I called the order perfectly. Well, up to the top six, and then I stopped caring. The biggest loser was of course Tommy Thompson, who dropped out of the running for the GOP nod after his sixth place finish. For some reason, he really thought he could do well at this straw poll, and staked his entire campaign on it. The thing about Thompson was that he had great credentials, a lot of experience, but not much in the way of charisma, or anything to generate excitement amongst the voters. He just was never able to distinguish himself during this race. I actually kind of feel bad for him, but then again, he is a former four-term governor and Cabinet member, so it's not like his entire career has been a bust. Far from it.
Anyway, there's been lots of news coming out of DC lately, so I'll be sure to keep updating for the rest of the week. After that, my summer blogging session comes to a close.

Rudy Giuliani's Daughter Supports... Barack!

Rudy Giuliani's Daughter Supports Barack Obama, not Her Father

I must admit, when I first saw the headline this morning I had to laugh. But after giving it some thought, Rudy Giuliani's familial troubles are more tragic than they are humorous. At the same time, it really is quite extraordinary for a candidate to not have the support of one of his or her own siblings. It also probably reflects very poorly upon Giuliani amongst the "family values" voters which comprise a large portion of the GOP base. Although it was a well-known fact that Giuliani's relations with his siblings was strained, and that his children would not actively campaign for them, it probably comes as a shock that they are not even planning on voting for their own father.
I've always kind of wondered what it would be like if one of my parents were running for office as my ideological opposite. Granted this is only hypothetical since my own parents political views mirror my own. But in any case, would I be able to support and campaign for that parent even if I disagreed with him/her on all the positions? I honestly could not tell you which way I would go. On one hand, they're my parents, and I love them. On the other hand, my politics are very important to me, and would I want to help someone get elected whose own politics were completely opposite of mine? One Congressman who I interned for actually had a brother who was a former Congressman from the other party, and I asked him the same question. Which was more important, blood, or party? He said while he disagreed with his brother heavily on most issues, in the end blood won out. I thought that was very interesting.
Of course, in this case, the disagreements are more than just politics. While I generally think that a candidate's family matters should stay private, he is running for the Republican nomination after all. A sizable portion of the base does want to know if their candidate is a family man or woman before voting for them. I would say that this would make Giuliani a tougher sell, but his power as the hero of 9/11 seems to, for the moment, come out over his shortcomings on the "family and moral values" the GOP holds so dear.

Short Update

Waitress Confronts Mitt Romney on Health Care

I enjoyed this video, so I thought I'd share. It's always nice to see candidates get surprised a little bit and be forced to go off the script. Maybe that's why Romney is avoiding the YouTube debate. He gave a decent answer, but he really showed no sympathy or empathy with this woman and seemed out of touch about how health care problems affect the common people's lives.