Exploring Careers

Often, students aren't sure which career path to follow. The Washington Internship Program provides a way for you to find out about a particular profession before it's too late. You can learn about new fields and compare experiences with other students whose choices differ from yours. Even if you have no idea what you'd like to do with your life, the Washington Internship director can suggest placements you never dreamed of based on your personality, past experience, hobbies, and preferences. Prestigious institutions prefer to accept interns who have been pre-selected by an internship program. Most agencies won't even consider students unless they are affiliated with an academic program like the Washington Internship Program. Because the Washington Internship provides each student with a professional editor to insure that all work will be of publishable quality, better placements can be made. In addition, the Washington Internship Program uses written contracts - detailing the intern's exact duties, hours, and dates of employment. Such documentation prevents internships from becoming entry-level appointments, clerical positions, or mindless "go-for" work. All jobs provided by the Washington Internship Program are substantive, challenging, and professional. The Washington Internship Program prepares a dossier for all students about the work they did on the job as well as written evaluations by supervisors. These materials can be sent to graduate schools or future employers to help you take the next step in your career. There's nothing like a summer working at the Justice Department to list on a law school application or research at the National Cancer Institute in preparation for medical school.