Congressional Quarterly Internships (Fall, Spring, & Summer)

Congressional Quarterly’s internship program is competitive. Interns generally come to CQ with a profound interest, and at least some experience, in journalism and/or government. Preference is given to juniors and seniors in college, as well as to graduate students.

Our interns may perform a number of tasks, from covering committee markups and hearings, to attending policy events around town, to conducting legislative research. Past interns have worked with CQ’s specialty publications, including CQ HealthBeat and CQ Homeland Security, as well as with CQPolitics.com. During certain times of the year, interns may work with the team that publishes the biennial Politics in America, which includes information on each member of Congress. CQ also accepts interns for our online and multimedia teams, our legislative tracking team, our copy desk, and other departments, based on the skills of the applicant.

Summer interns typically work full-time, while interns during the Spring and Fall semesters typically work two to three full days a week. Many of our interns receive credit from their colleges and universities, depending on the rules of their institution.

In addition to their duties, interns meet CQ staff members from various departments, including several “brown bag” lunches during the summer. Interns will also make at least one trip to Capitol Hill with one of CQ’s reporters, who will show them the ropes and help them navigate the Capitol complex.

Application Process

Applicants for internships should e-mail a cover letter, resume and at least two writing samples to jobs@cq.com. Please put “internship” in the subject line of your e-mail.

In your cover letter, please indicate the time of year (summer, spring, fall) in which you hope to intern, as well as dates that you would be available. Please explain what you hope to gain from an internship with CQ.

Before obtaining an internship, qualifying candidates will be given an interview and a writing test.

Applicants for summer internships must apply by January 31, and decisions will be made by mid-March. Spring applicants should apply by November 1 of the preceding year. Fall applicants should apply no later than July 31.

For more information on this internship program, go to http://corporate.cq.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=12.