I don't feel bad about blowing the opportunity of a lifetime

[btownbuck2012]

...but damn it sucks.

I was offered to intern for a congressman from my home state of Indiana this past summer. The internship would have ran through the fall. However, it was 100% unpaid. I was out in DC already interning for no money, but at least that place paid for my metro card. At the age of 23 I refused to have my parents loan me money so that I could work for free for four months, but damn it really sucks I couldn't have made it happen somehow.

Now I'm back in Indiana. ****.

 

[btownbuck2012]

why do you even feel bad about this don't worry there will be PLENTY more opportunities to work for free.. you need to focus on getting a good job/placement that helps you make money.

I worked for free a whole summer when I interned at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands thinking it would be such a great door opener. Sadly, while it's a great talking point during job interviews, it hasn't opened nearly as many doors as some of my more practical experience.

Thanks for the response. I guess I feel the way I do because the idea of working on capitol hill is incredible to me. I've always been deeply interested in politics and american history. I had these feelings while I as in DC, but I guess I took it for granted and figured something would open up out there. I did have some pretty cool interviews, for example the CEQ across the street from the White House, but again it was unpaid. It's sad that the government can't see the point in paying some of these really ambitious, eager, recent college graduates who are ready to do the work.

 

[Atom Smasher]

If you couldn't have made it happen, then it wasn't a real opportunity. I had an opportunity to drive a Bugatti yesterday but it would have involved stealing keys.