http://vennstrategies.com

Venn Strategies

Public policy intern

May - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I got to work both on and off Capitol Hill.

What I wish was different

That they would have given me more responsibility

Advice

Always being willing to try different types of work because you never know what you make learn to like.
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Government Affairs Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I was given real responsibility, such as attending congressional hearings or researching policy issues to prepare memos for clients and principals. My superiors were wonderful to work for, and they offered great advice about pursuing a career in government affairs and lobbying.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Intern

May - August 2018 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Since it was a smaller lobbying firm, I got a lot of personal experience with clients and developed strong personal relationships with the other employees. The work was substantive and I was given individual feedback on writing assignments.

What I wish was different

The interns are split into teams which makes it efficient to build relationships and excel in one area, but the political climate dictates which teams very busy or very slow.

Advice

Put yourself out there and ask for work. Most of the time, employees assume interns are busy and if you email your team asking for more work, they will have no problem giving you more assignments. Make a point to schedule exit interviews or coffee talks with as many people as you can before leaving, they want to give useful advice and offer themselves as connections!
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