U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Interview Questions
& Process

I applied for a Press Internship on Capitol Hill for a US senator. The interview was over the phone with the press assistant, who was a former intern themselves. They mentioned getting their current full-time job on Capitol Hill through luck and don't really want a career in politics. The role is in the mailroom, where interns get press clips about the senator, research and monitor media about them, and talk to reporters and officials about the senator. Interns need to work from home in the early morning, like 5-6 AM, sending emails. Then, they work at the Senate office from either 9 AM to 6 PM or 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. After that, it's back to working from home until bedtime. This schedule repeats daily. Many interns for this job are older than typical college students. It's a really demanding position that requires quick thinking and teamwork. The commitment is for a maximum of three months. Honestly, the tasks are pretty boring, repetitive, and mundane. The biggest downside is that it's an unpaid internship. The senator doesn't pay the interns. For applicants from out of state who have no connection to the senator's home state or don't attend a school there, they can't apply for a stipend because it's only for residents or students from that state. So, if you're an out-of-state intern looking for any kind of internship – press, communications, legislative, political, public policy, you name it – this internship, program, and senator are not the right fit because it's unpaid. This internship might or might not lead to other job or internship opportunities. It's definitely not for journalism students or graduates. This senator really should pay their interns what they're worth. Interns end up doing most of the work for the press and communications department, which is really busy. This senator has faced public criticism from organizations and other senators for not paying interns. It doesn't matter if they're running for president; this senator seems to genuinely not care about interns. It's better to find another senator or representative who actually pays their interns, regardless of where they're from or which university they attend. This internship is unpaid and truly not worth the effort. Look for paid internship opportunities elsewhere!

I applied for the caseworker job. After applying, I followed up with the recruiter and my contact person to check on the status and make sure my application was noticed. I was then invited for an interview. It was a formal interview with two employees. They used a list to ask me questions. Afterward, I got an email with the offer. They were flexible about my need for time off and worked with me on a schedule that fit.

The interview process wasn't too hard. It was scheduled just a day or two in advance, and I was told it would be 1-2 hours. It ended up being over 3.5 hours, meeting 6-7 people from the Midtown office. About half the questions were about my commitment to the office, which I thought was a bit strange since I felt one or two confirmations would be enough. They really needed to be sure. Their team seemed very interested in me and mentioned the position has been open for a while because they're looking for the right candidate. At the end, I gave my references and was told they wanted to move forward. The next day, I sent my references and got an email within an hour saying they'd call them early next week. Since then, it's been silent. My references blocked time for the calls, but they never happened. I emailed the office multiple times for updates, but got no response. I'm really disappointed with the lack of professionalism and respect from an office that's supposed to help New Yorkers. I get wanting to explore options, but employers should be courteous. It's unfair to leave candidates in the dark, especially in this competitive market. I urge this office to do better and show the professionalism and respect they claim.

The interview process was pretty chill and not stressful at all. It's pretty easy if you're already following politics and know Senator Gillibrand's stances on different bills. Obviously, the office is pretty progressive, so maybe keep that in mind if you're more conservative and just looking to get some experience. For me, since I lean left, it wasn't an issue, but it's something to think about.