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Policy internship skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Damon Cann,
Michael Doonan Ph.D.
Policy internship example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical policy internship skills. We ranked the top skills for policy interns based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 6.8% of policy internship resumes contained policy research as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a policy internship needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 policy internship skills for your resume and career

1. Policy Research

Policy research can be defined as the process of conducting research or analysing a fundamental social problem to provide policymakers with rational, action-oriented recommendations to resolve the problem. Largely, there are two categories of policy research: Policy Evaluation - determines the impact of specific policies, programs, or procedures. Assessment is also introduced after implementing the policies to evaluate success or course correct, if necessary. Policy Analysis - It incorporates a 'best alternative of comparison' of various procedures, policies, and strategies.

Here's how policy interns use policy research:
  • Collected information and data from various government websites and policy research institutes and responded to legislative or stakeholder queries.
  • Conducted policy research, qualitative and quantitative data analysis on both State and National levels.

2. Public Policy

Public Policy is refers to a public course of action created and seen-through by a government or government organization in response to a public issue, such homelessness, discrimination, poverty, other forms of bigotry, and public health issues like pandemics. The process of coming up with, and designing a public policy can alone often take quite a while, especially as governments may take quite a lot of time to notice public issues in the first place.

Here's how policy interns use public policy:
  • Assisted in analyzing public policy issues in Missouri and created proposals to increase economic well-being.
  • Conducted research into critical public policy problems and prepared investigative reports.

3. Policy Issues

Policy issues are key issues that influence the economic, social, and political life of a place where conflicts arise over the direction of government policy. Often the policy issues are general, dealing with broad approaches to problems, such as whether the federal government should increase spending on national defense or whether social security should be privatized in some fashion.

Here's how policy interns use policy issues:
  • Monitored policy issues specific to Internet privacy and security via various news sources, including general media and industry trade organizations.
  • Researched contemporary health policy issues, including cost of specialty pharmaceuticals and Medicaid expansion.

4. Climate

Climate refers to the climatic conditions that generally prevail in a particular region, such as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sun, cloud cover, and winds, throughout the year for a longer period.

Here's how policy interns use climate:
  • Conducted analysis of international climate change implications and participated in the selection of tools for government agencies to monitor climate change.
  • Researched policy areas including education, business regulation, and business climate in order to develop new informed initiatives.

5. PowerPoint

Here's how policy interns use powerpoint:
  • Provided Legislative research and statistical analysis support in preparing reports, editing documents, designing spreadsheets, and developing PowerPoint presentations.
  • Prepared presentations using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

6. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how policy interns use data collection:
  • Provided top level statistical analysis of existing data collections and wrote reports as requested.
  • Assist senior policy analyst in data collection, research and reporting for policy recommendations

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7. Policy Intern

Policy interns are internship roles in public policy departments. They have the responsibility of helping in administrative and office tasks, as well as to conduct research on public policy topics such as immigration and public health

Here's how policy interns use policy intern:
  • Served as the Columbia River Economic Development Council's Legislative Policy Intern.
  • Fire Policy Intern that updated older policies and inserted new ones

8. Policy Analysis

Policy analysis is a method of identifying or determining a possible policy basis or conclusion that can solve a particular issue or problem. It includes monitoring, assessing, and evaluating policies intended to improve the quality and development of a project. After analyzing the data collected, such as the cause of the problem, they need to choose is the most effective and efficient solution.

Here's how policy interns use policy analysis:
  • Conducted policy analysis on independent living programs for children exiting foster care for a child welfare advocacy firm.
  • Contributed to Foster Care policy initiatives through research, data evaluation, policy analysis, and legislation drafting

9. Policy Briefs

Here's how policy interns use policy briefs:
  • Supported policy work and wrote policy briefs related to provisions in transportation legislation and related Congressional hearings
  • Developed policy briefs for state health officials specifically for reducing preventable hospitalizations for patients with dementia.

10. Data Analysis

Here's how policy interns use data analysis:
  • Used data analysis to identify effective international and local waste management programs.
  • Develop memorandums to recommend action on given bills based on data analysis.

11. Congressional Hearings

Congressional hearings refer to a meeting or session of a Senate, House, a joint, or a select committee of Congress, usually open to the public to get information and opinions on proposed legislation. It involves an investigation conducted to evaluate the activities of a government or an implementation of Federal law.

Here's how policy interns use congressional hearings:
  • Supported legislative staff attorneys by attending coalition meetings with allied Latino and civil rights partners as well as attended congressional hearings.
  • Prepared materials for congressional meetings and reports of conferences and congressional hearings related to preventing teen and unplanned pregnancy.

12. Fact Sheets

A fact sheet is a short, typed or handwritten one-page document that contains the most important information about a specific topic, product, substance, or service in the least amount of space. The aim is to convey key facts and points on a topic in a clear, concise, and easily understandable way and to communicate the most relevant information effectively.

Here's how policy interns use fact sheets:
  • Compiled quantitative and qualitative research to design informational fact sheets on homelessness and prostitution.
  • Performed substantive policy/regulation research and developed organized policy fact sheets for staff.

13. Administrative Tasks

Here's how policy interns use administrative tasks:
  • Assisted the Center's staff with a variety of research, media relations, and administrative tasks.
  • Assisted Governor and office staff with administrative tasks regarding organization, coordination, etc.

14. Stata

STATA is a statistical software package used for data visualization, manipulation, statistics, and automated reporting. Individuals with experience in using other types of statistical software or a background in data science may find it easier to absorb the concepts of STATA quickly.

Here's how policy interns use stata:
  • Conduct quantitative analysis using software programs including STATA and Python to evaluate the impact of policies.
  • Analyzed U.S. Census Current Population and American Community Survey data using SAS, STATA and Excel.

15. Blog Posts

Blog post refers to information that you write on a blog. It can include content in the form of text, photos, infographics, or videos.

Here's how policy interns use blog posts:
  • Collaborated with Foundation staff to determine editorial content - wrote opinion pieces/blog posts.
  • Write blog posts about education, labor, poverty, technology, and other policies that impact family strength and stability.
top-skills

What skills help Policy Interns find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What policy internship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Damon Cann

Utah State University

First up for students working in Political Science is to talk to everyone they can. Getting to know as many people possible working in related areas to what they'd like to do is probably the single most important thing to do. Second, remember in searching for jobs that Political Science equips students with a wide range of marketable skills that have application both in and out of politics. There are many jobs in government, especially at the state and local level. But Political Science majors often market their strong critical thinking, writing, and analysis skills to find jobs in a broader range of sectors beyond politics.

What type of skills will young policy internships need?

Michael Doonan Ph.D.Michael Doonan Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor and MPP Program Director, Brandeis University

Important in this market to be flexible. Policy experience is now in an area of interest, that might not be your first choice is more critical waiting for the perfect position. Writing, analytical, and listening skills are most essential. My advice is to listen to what an organization needs and give them feedback that you understand their needs, and let them know with confidence and humility that you will help solve their problems.

What technical skills for a policy internship stand out to employers?

Jeremy Backstrom Ph.D.Jeremy Backstrom Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, Widener University

With international relations, there are certain skillsets that should be highlighted. First, a proficiency in a foreign language remains a key skill that is always in demand. While the pandemic confined most of the world's population to their homes or to small groups, this has not halted international interactions and it seems that we are now even more interconnected through technology. Therefore, communication is key and the language tools to communicate are ever important. This provides a good segue into the second skillset...

Second, the ability to communicate in an effective written prose will always be in demand; however, many students often overlook this essential skillset in their toolbox. No matter what the future academic or professional goals and endeavors, the ability to write and even more the ability to write effectively is absolutely essential.

Third, critical thinking and analytical skills are a significant feature and asset with any degree in social sciences including international relations. The ability to demonstrate analytical reasoning, communication skills, research and data analysis are attributes that have always been and will continue to be sought after despite the pandemic. Moreover, these are technical skillsets that can be showcased during the pandemic with much of the work conducted remotely.

What soft skills should all policy internships possess?

Elaine Venter Ph.D.Elaine Venter Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Mass Communication, Colorado Mesa University

Writing skills are still one of the most sought after skills. Even as graduates are told to strengthen their skills in multimedia production whether a graduate in journalism or PR, written communication skills are still core to a lot of the work that happens. This even more now with remote work that requires the extensive use of email and other texting apps beyond Zoom for efficient and quick communication between teams. Graduates should also possess good verbal communication skills and especially be comfortable in both in-person and virtual communication situations - learn to be comfortable and capable speaking to people in person and over a mic and camera. Flexibility is another key skill graduates should possess. This was already a skill prior to the pandemic, but even more so now. Graduates should learn how to deal with situations when they don't go there way, especially with technology situations, and be flexible and adaptable on the fly rather than getting lost in frustration that can lead to situations getting worse.

What hard/technical skills are most important for policy internships?

Tomoko Steen Ph.D.

Director & Professor, Georgetown University

Know how to write a policy brief. Internship at either government or private sector STM policy offices.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about policy internship

List of policy internship skills to add to your resume

Policy internship skills

The most important skills for a policy internship resume and required skills for a policy internship to have include:

  • Policy Research
  • Public Policy
  • Policy Issues
  • Climate
  • PowerPoint
  • Data Collection
  • Policy Intern
  • Policy Analysis
  • Policy Briefs
  • Data Analysis
  • Congressional Hearings
  • Fact Sheets
  • Administrative Tasks
  • Stata
  • Blog Posts
  • Press Releases
  • Public Health
  • Event Planning
  • Mental Health
  • Research Projects
  • Salesforce
  • Background Research
  • Literature Reviews
  • Research Support
  • Medicare
  • Environmental Issues
  • Think Tanks
  • Foreign Policy
  • Policy Recommendations
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Committee Hearings
  • Forum
  • State Legislators
  • Legislative Research
  • Legislative Process
  • GIS
  • Policy Proposals
  • Policy Memos
  • Federal Legislation
  • NGOs
  • Legislative Session
  • Congressional Briefings
  • ArcGIS
  • Legislative Issues
  • EPA
  • Legal Research
  • Government Officials
  • Policy Papers
  • Government Agencies
  • Research Findings

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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