U.S. Department of State

USFSIP Intern

June 2021 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Rewarding Work Experience. Relevant to my field. Very helpful mentors. Flexibility to focus on what I wanted to.

What I wish was different

I wish it were in person.

Advice

Ask your supervisors to get you in contact with people you want to speak to and they will support you

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Fellow, U.S. Mission to the United Nations

June - September 2017 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I loved the access I was given to the inner workings of US foreign policy and the variety of the work I got to do--I worked on issues relating to every country and got to do a wide variety of work that simulated the type of responsibilities a Foreign Service Officer would take on.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more work to go around. I had to fight to get assignments and keep myself busy.

Advice

Be present, and be proactive. Go to staff meetings, ask to tag along to things, try to develop strong professional relationships with one or two people who will trust you with bigger, more significant work than standard intern fare.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

VSFS

September 2022 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I liked that they introduced us to the workfield and what everyone does beforehand, giving us an experience and an idea of what we could expect to do in that department

What I wish was different

I wish i would have done it in person

Advice

Ask questions, do your research and watch the videos they send you

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Student Foreign Service Intern with the Environment, Science, Technology and Health Office

July - September 2021 • Copenhagen, Capital RegionDenmark

What I liked

I loved all of the people I got to talk to and the topics I got to learn about. It was very interesting seeing government work in action. It was also amazing getting to work with dedicated people in public service.

What I wish was different

It got moved to a virtual format due to the pandemic. I really wanted to be able to go abroad during college, but the pandemic has changed those plans twice now. I wish that something had been set up so that I would have the opportunity to visit the embassy later, after the pandemic restrictions have been lifted.

Advice

This is a great opportunity for someone not sure what they want to do when they graduate. There are many great people to talk to and get advice from.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Executive Office and Public Affairs Summer Intern

June - August 2021 • Port Louis, Port Louis

What I liked

I liked how small the Embassy in Port Louis is (only around 16 FSOs). This allowed me to work with nearly all of the cones as well as some specialties, and learn a lot about the roles in each. I was also able to form good connections with the Charge d'Affairs and Deputy Chief of Mission, something that is uncommon for interns at a larger Embassy. In general, even though my workload was light, I felt productive and learned a lot.

What I wish was different

I wish it had taken place in person! This was obviously beyond the control of my supervisors, but it would have been cool to work in Port Louis. Beyond that, I wish that I was able to have been mandated a State Department laptop, that way I could access classified materials and help with projects I couldn't with only my own laptop.

Advice

I advise the next intern at Port Louis to take advantage of the small team and really get to know everyone! I got so much helpful advice from meeting with my colleagues. I also recommend you go in with an open mind about what cone you might like best; I did not think I would 'click' with the management cone as well as I did.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Intern

May - July 2021 • Charleston, SC

What I liked

Getting to learn more about international organizations

What I wish was different

I wish it was in person rather than virtual

Advice

Start the security clearance early

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Foreign Service Intern

June - August 2021 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Tons of networking opportunities and chances to learn from career government officials.

What I wish was different

The virtual format made it harder to be as involved.

Advice

Reach out to everyone! Even if they may seem intimidating, everyone has knowledge to share.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Consular Affairs Intern

May - August 2018 • Quito, Pichincha Province

What I liked

I had the opportunity to meet the US Ambassador to Ecuador, speak directly with Foreign Service Officers, work within the Consular Affairs Section (processed and printed 9,000 US Visas), visited with Embassy officials Americans imprisoned abroad concerning legal rights,and worked on the first US Vice Presidential Visit to Ecuador in 30 years.

What I wish was different

As an unpaid position, it is highly inaccessible for students who are from low-income backgrounds. As an international internship through the US Department of State, it required me to go through the several month long security clearance process, book plane fights, comprehensive international health insurance, summer housing, transportation, and integrate into a new city.

Advice

Apply for grants!!! I applied through an additional highly competitive grant program, US Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, and received a majority of my funding through them.

1 One person found this helpful

Management Intern

June - August 2018 • Milan, Province of Milan

What I liked

Experience working in a multicultural office setting Experience working in a government department

What I wish was different

Some of the day to day tasks were boring

Advice

Look in to what sections you're applying to so you can apply to a section that lines up with your interests the best

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Political and Economic Intern

June - August 2017 • Milan, Province of Milan

What I liked

Great work experience abroad, especially helpful if deciding to apply to the Foreign Service.

What I wish was different

Advice

The government specialist helped me build my online profile for the usajobs.com website, which really made a difference.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Unpaid Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I learned a lot about not only how my office was run but how State operates in general. There was always some interesting seminar where you could learn about, say, living in the Middle East as a female diplomat, or how technology advancements impact cybersecurity. There were also intern tours to learn about the facility, career-building workshops, and (my favorite part) interns got lending privileges at the Department library. I was doing interesting work that made a difference and I really enjoyed my office.

What I wish was different

Before you apply, you need to think about this: State is non-partisan, and when you work there, you have to be too. Goals are top-down and will come from a presidential administration you might disagree with, but whether or not you agree with their priorities or messaging, it's your job to further them. On the other hand, you might completely agree with the administration and think that the goals you're furthering are great. It all depends on what's going on with State when you, personally, apply.

Advice

DC housing is pricey and I had no luck finding a sublet. Look up DC intern housing options: universities like GW and Georgetown rent out their dorms for the summer, and some companies offer dedicated intern spaces. It's not cheap but it's better than your chances on the regular housing market. On the other hand, if you intern away from DC at an embassy or consulate, they don't guarantee housing but there's a chance it may be provided. Also, pack your lunches. The cafeteria is expensive for what you get.

2 ${count} people found this helpful

US Embassy Seoul Intern

June - August 2019 • Seoul, South Korea

What I liked

The Department of State's student internship offers students the option to work at locations in the US as well as embassies all over the world. My favorite part of the internship was learning to interact with Korean businesses and the Korean government in a professional setting.

What I wish was different

Summertime is when many Foreign Service Officers take leave for vacation, so some weeks the office was relatively empty. I wish the internship was available during fall and spring semesters as well.

Advice

Even if you are not directly interested in working for the Department of State, I would recommend applying for the student internship because it offers a unique experience and skills that can be transferred to any type of job.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Intern

June - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

Learned the interworkings of the State Department and now have a good understanding of how the Department runs and how offices work and communicate with each other and other agencies. I also got to learn a lot more about the subject I am passionate about and it exposed me to international collaboration.

What I wish was different

I wish there were professional development sessions. I also wish it was more of an internship program where I could have met other interns and gone to intern events.

Advice

Network as much as possible and reach out to people in your office and other offices/bureaus that you may be interested in because they will remember you and help connect you to people outside of state.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Intern

May - August 2019 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I liked how I was given very important tasks to complete. My supervisors were very helpful and always gave me projects that allowed me to accumulate very useful skills. It definitely helped me gain a deeper understanding of the State Department and of the government in general.

What I wish was different

My team travelled a lot, but unfortunately they are no longer able to travel interns. I was usually left in the office with a project while they travelled, which was still very interesting, but it would have been great if I could have travelled with my team. However, all bureaus and teams within the State Department are very different, so other departments may not travel as much as mine did.

Advice

Always have a positive attitude and be willing to help with all tasks. Although photocopying can be tedious, be enthusiastic about every task they give you and act professional. This is how they will evaluate if you can handle the more substantive projects. Meet as many people as you can and stay in contact after you leave. Networking is perhaps the most important aspect of your internship.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Intern

May - July 2019 • Lyon, Rhône

What I liked

The hands on public diplomacy experience of going out into the city and attending different cultural events in the area to represent the United States.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been a cultural affairs officer employed during my internship to work more on cultural-related tasks.

Advice

Try to apply for a smaller consulate rather than a big embassy, you’ll have closer relationships with the Consul General and staff, and have more opportunities to do work tailored to your interests!

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Political Affairs Intern

June - August 2019 • Madrid, Madrid

What I liked

The work was super interesting and multifaceted. I thought my supervisor gave me ample responsibility and treated me as if I were a diplomat.

What I wish was different

I hope that the State Department provides a stipend in the future.

Advice

If you are interested, make sure you know about the region and have a genuine interest in diplomacy/ representing American interests abroad!

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Political Affairs Intern

October 2020 • Kyiv, Kiev

What I liked

The team I worked with was absolutely amazing. They were always willing to answer my questions and they gave me actual work to do, not just data entry or filing tasks like you would find in some internships. I got to work on issues that I care about and that are directly connected to my studies. Overall it has been a really rewarding experience.

What I wish was different

The primary thing I wish had been different is having the opportunity to complete the Internship in person. However, due to COVID, we have all had to adapt and overcome in this moment of global upheaval.

Advice

I would say in some instances, and if you have the skills to, go a bit beyond what you were asked to do. For example, I was asked to research a topic that had a geographic component to it, so I threw together a couple of maps in Google Earth Pro to help the team actually see what I was talking about.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Seasonal Hire Intern

June - July 2020 • Seoul, South Korea

What I liked

It was a stellar position to be in, especially getting to work with many diplomats and engage with the ongoing COVID crisis in reporting to headquarters in DC on the status of COVID in Asia.

What I wish was different

COVID prevented getting an overall feel for the full capacity, but that was unavoidable.

Advice

Work hard and network while in this position, there are many successful people who you will be grateful to know later and who you can learn so much from!

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Front Office/ BILAT Summer Hire

August - September 2020 • Brussels, Brussels-Capital

What I liked

The State Department employees were spectacular. They taught me about diplomacy, protocol, and countless other aspects of assisting the Ambassador. For example, how to properly introduce an Ambassador to another person!

What I wish was different

I wish I could have worked there longer. Sadly, the summer hire program was cut short because of COVID-19.

Advice

Go in with an open ear and a notepad. I learned so much within the first couple of days at the State Department that I never would have remembered if not for a pen, paper, and lots of bullet points.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Office as

July 2017 - August 2018 • Nogales, AZ

What I liked

I got to do some fairly substantial stuff some of the time, got to help out with cool cases, et cetera.

What I wish was different

I had a lot of unstructured time which felt wasteful

Advice

Don't do the "dress to impress" thing. Dress like a normal human being and do well when asked to do well and be consistent. If that isn't enough in your workplace to do alright, unionize or something.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

1 2 3 4