How to hire a congressional internship

How to hire a congressional internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step congressional internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a congressional internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new congressional internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the congressional internship you need to hire. Certain congressional internship roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a congressional internship to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a congressional internship that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of congressional interns and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Congressional Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Congressional Internship	Public relations specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They design media releases to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals.	$11-34
   Public Relations	Public relations is a strategic way of developing and maintaining a client's or company's public image through media coverage, appearances, and press releases by designing and developing events to raise funds or to spread awareness to the public regarding products, brands, or individuals. It involves research and evaluation of programs including financial, marketing, employee, or government relations using topics of public interest and news items... Show more	$15-34
   Public Relations Coordinator	A public relations coordinator is responsible for developing brand awareness for the organization's brand image. Public relations coordinators work closely with the marketing department to manage marketing campaigns, mainly social media platforms and events, promoting the organization... Show more	$16-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Policy Issues
   • Constituent Correspondence
   • Congressional Hearings
   • Legislative Research
   • Press Releases
   • Committee Hearings
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Capitol Building
   • Constituent Services
   • Veterans
   • Social Security
   • Constituent Inquiries
   • Front Desk
   • Federal Agencies

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage legal concerns of constituents including social security benefits and veterans affairs.
   • Coordinate with government agencies and public organizations to procure benefits and honors for veterans.
   • Intern -Create PowerPoint presentations to educate others on assign topics.
   • Report on congressional, agency, and special issue caucus meetings to senior office staff.
   • Plan and staff district outreach events relating to Medicare, Medicaid, housing and nursing homes.
   • Read to students in library, check books in and out, CPR certify AED certify child abuse reporter medication certify

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your congressional internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A congressional internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, congressional interns' average salary in montana is 48% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level congressional interns earn 66% less than senior-level congressional interns.
   • Certifications. A congressional internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a congressional internship's salary.

   Average congressional internship salary

   $41,921yearly

   $20.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level congressional internship salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a congressional internship job description

   A congressional internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a congressional internship job description:

   Congressional internship job description example

   Summer 2023 Intern - Congressional Liaison - BDM - 23270 Primary Location : DC-Washington : Employee Status : Temporary Overtime Status : Non-exempt Job Type : Internship Travel : No Shift : Day Job Years of Experience Required: : 0 Education Required: : Some College Relocation Provided: : No Salary Grade Low: : 20 Salary Grade High: : 22 Minimum Salary: : 50,600 Maximum Salary: : 68,900 Posting Date : Sep 19, 2022 Position Description Provide support to Congressional Liaison Office staff on a wide variety of assignments, such as background memo preparation, hearing preparation, congressional correspondence, legislative tracking, and Senate and House floor proceedings; conduct research in support of various special projects; assist with compilation and distribution of reports, testimony, and other documents to Congress; and assist with general administrative tasks. May be called upon to assist on other special projects as time permits. Competencies and Learning Objectives : Communication; critical thinking; equity and inclusion; professionalism; leadership; and teamwork. Position Requirements Suggested Major/Minor: Political Science or Government, Public Policy, Economics, Finance, or a related field of study. Required Skills and Knowledge: Excellent oral and written communication skills Strong interpersonal skills, Proficient in Microsoft Office and SharePoint, Windows, and Internet research. Commitment to a high quality of work Positive attitude and sound judgement Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. An interest in and general understanding of the Federal Reserve System, financial markets, global and domestic current events, and economics, as well as an interest in the fields of political science and government relations. Preferred Skills : Demonstrated practice with summary-style writing Experience with research and tracking of legislative initiatives. Required Documents for Application: Candidates must submit the following documents with their application. Please note that any application received without these documents will not be considered. Resume Cover letter detailing interest in the position and qualifications Unofficial transcript Notes: Minimum 3.0 GPA Requirement This internship can be completed remotely. US Citizenship is required for all Board internships and applicants must be current students, graduating from their program Fall 2023 or later. Keywords: #congressional liaison intern; #legislative affairs intern. Full vaccination for COVID-19 is required as a condition of employment, unless a legally required exception applies. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or application, membership, or service in the uniformed services.

   Copy this example Post your job To find congressional interns for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies: Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees. Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any congressional interns they would recommend. Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level congressional interns with the right educational background. Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates. Post your job online: Post your congressional internship job on Zippia to find and recruit congressional internship candidates who meet your exact specifications. Use field-specific websites. Post a job on free websites. Interview candidates During your first interview to recruit congressional interns, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities. Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview. The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills. Send a job offer and onboard your new congressional internship Once you have selected a candidate for the congressional internship position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract. It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled. To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created. Go through the hiring process checklist Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.) Submit a job requisition form to the HR department Define job responsibilities and requirements Establish budget and timeline Determine hiring decision makers for the role Write job description Post job on job boards, company website, etc. Promote the job internally Process applications through applicant tracking system Review resumes and cover letters Shortlist candidates for screening Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.) Conduct background checks on top candidates Check references of top candidates Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics Extend offer to top candidate(s) Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract Inform other candidates that the position has been filled Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s) Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.) Sign up to download full list Sign up How much does it cost to hire a congressional internship? Recruiting congressional interns involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits. You can expect to pay around $41,921 per year for a congressional internship, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for congressional interns in the US typically range between $11 and $34 an hour. Find better congressional interns in less time Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers. Start posting for free Hiring congressional interns FAQs How much does a good congressional internship cost? What are the duties of a congressional internship? Should I hire a congressional internship with no experience? Search for congressional internship jobs Find jobs Ready to start hiring? Post a job Previous:Overview Next: Overview Zippia Careers Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry Congressional Internship How to hire a Congressional Internship Updated December 16, 2025 Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z