Congratulations! You've made it to the interview. Wearing your best business casual attire, nervously seated at your desk, the Zoom chime sounds, and it's time to join the call. You've already made it farther than most. Now here's how to confidently tackle the next step: the interview.

Can you tell me a little more about yourself?

This is the quintessential interview question, the one that you will certainly come across in every single interview of your career. While it may seem like an invitation to tell the interviewer about your entire life story, the secret is to keep it short and sweet. They have already read your entire resume! 

Start by discussing your education: your school, major, and GPA (only if it's 3.5+). Then, working chronologically backward, mention the experiences that best align with the position you're applying to. If you’re seeking an internship on a campaign, tell them about the time you canvassed for your local congressman. For communications, tell them about the time you designed Instagram graphics for a club. Finally, mention a hobby or interest that you have (especially if the interviewer has a similar interest – do your research!), something unique about you that they won’t know from reading your resume. 

Do you have any past experience in [campaign/communications/policy …]?

Another question that will almost certainly come up in your interview is about your past experience. You might have already covered some of these when answering the “tell me about yourself” question, so this is the perfect opportunity to go more in-depth with specific examples. 

You can talk about a specific policy brief that you wrote and how you conducted your research. If you're applying for a communications or campaign position, you might share a time when you managed social media for an advocacy effort, helped craft messaging for a voter outreach campaign, or wrote a press release under a tight deadline.

You can also bring in your educational background to show how your academic work has prepared you for this role. Mention specific classes, papers, or group projects that helped you build relevant skills, such as writing, critical thinking, collaboration, or issue analysis. This is the time to show not only what you've done, but also how those experiences have shaped your understanding of the work you're applying for.

Why do you want to work with Congressman ________ specifically?

In every interview, there are always a few questions trying to figure out how much research you did beforehand. This is one of them. 

There are many ways you can answer this question. You could mention some of the congressman’s key policy positions, initiatives they championed, or committees they serve on. For example, you can mention Senator Duckworth’s focus on veteran affairs or AOC’s advocacy for universal healthcare. Additionally, you should also stress that you're a constituent of the congressman (if applicable). Not only will you get a leg up when final decisions are made, but you can also talk about serving your local community.  

What bill/policy of the congressman do you like?

This is another question testing how much research you did, however, it's quite easy to answer! Simply do a quick Google search on the congressman you're interviewing with (their website is usually your best bet), and find a bill they introduced/co-sponsored/voted for that you relate with. For example, if you’re interested in transportation policy, mention an Amtrak expansion bill they voted for. While this question is quite simple, not doing your research will make answering this question super awkward, and will most likely kill your chances of getting the position. Do your research!

What is your biggest strength and weakness?

This is a very common interview question, however, many people struggle with choosing the best answer. For strengths, think about all the characteristics that will make you successful for the internship you are applying for, and choose the one you think you're the best at. For congressional internships specifically, effective communication skills, being good at writing, and having the ability to multitask are always safe options. 

Choosing a weakness is always more difficult because while you want to be truthful, you also don’t want to choose a weakness that might make you seem like a bad candidate. This is where all the cliche answers come from, such as being a perfectionist or being bad at public speaking. I personally recommend being a little more creative and finding an answer relating specifically to government and politics. For example, my go-to answer is that I get super flustered when talking to high-level elected officials. Additionally, don’t forget to mention the steps you took to improve your weakness. 

How do you deal with frustrated/angry people?

One of the major responsibilities of every congressional intern is to man the office phones, 

helping constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy (casework), and listen to their policy concerns. As a former congressional intern, I can personally attest that some of these constituents will be less than pleasant, and sometimes even downright hostile. However, whether they are a crazy conspiracy theorist or a person frustrated that their immigration status is held in limbo, it is still your responsibility to help them the best you can. This is why many congressional offices ask this in their internship interviews, to see how you might react in this situation. 

To best optimize your chances of getting the position, you should stress that you can handle these hostile situations with patience, grace, and professionalism. Especially that you have thick skin, and understand that the majority of angry callers are simply frustrated, and not actually mad at you. If you are able to, you should follow this up with a real-life example of a similar situation that you found yourself in (especially if you worked a service job before). 

Say you're taking a phone call from a constituent, would you be able to articulate a certain policy position that you and congressmen have different opinions on? 

Chances are you and the congressman you're working for have different opinions on some policy issues. After all, no two people are exactly the same. This means that throughout your internship, you might have to, for example, write a policy brief advocating for a position you oppose. While you might be comfortable doing that for certain policies, other, more divisive topics (like Israel/Palestine), might give you some moral qualms. 

However, if you want a congressional internship, you must be able to put those feelings aside. You must always prioritize the congressman’s position over your own. After all, they were the ones voted into office by the people. If you are unable to do this, my best advice is that you apply to a different congressional office, one that more aligns with your political views. 

What are your long-term career goals?

This is another super common interview question that some people might have some trouble finding the best answer for. The solution is to not just talk about your dream job, but also about what skills you will learn during the internship that will help you in the future. For example, if you want to become the President’s Chief of Staff, talk about how a congressional internship will improve your communication skills, policy expertise, and adaptability.

Why do you want to work in politics?

This question is often asked to understand what motivates you beyond just wanting a job. The key is to tell a specific story from your personal life. Talk about what first sparked your interest in politics: maybe it was a class debate, a protest you attended, or even just growing up in a household where political discussions were common. Then, connect that moment to something tangible you’ve done since, anything from joining a youth advocacy group to interning for a local official or finding yourself constantly reading about policy news in your free time. Most importantly, tie it back to the role you’re applying for. Show that your passion is backed by action and that you’re ready to bring that same energy to their team.

Which politicians do you follow on social media?

In some interviews, you might get asked some personality questions, to potentially see if you would be a good fit for the office’s culture. One particular interviewer, who caught me off guard, asked me about which politicians I follow on social media. While it may seem like a simple question, they were actually trying to discern my political leanings. This was made under the assumption that more moderate people would reply with more moderate politicians, and more progressive people would reply with more progressive politicians. This reasoning would also apply to the question: where do you primarily get your news from?

Some other personality questions include:

“What's your favorite movie/book?”

“What was the last book you read?"

“Who is your favorite president?”

While these certainly won’t be the only questions, more likely than not, a few of them will show up at your next interview. Good luck! And as always, don’t forget to do your research!