Launching Your Career in the Legislative Branch: Finding Vacancies in the House and the Senate
For those looking to launch their careers in the legislative branch, there are various avenues, including work in Congress member’s Washington, D.C., or home state office, congressional caucuses, Sergeant at Arms (internal support offices in the House and the Senate), nonpartisan legislative agencies such as the Government Accountability Office and Library of Congress and Congressional Committees–view a full list of here. Given the breadth of options, a job seeker interested in a legislative position may have a hard time starting their search or miss identifying opportunities that would be a great fit. Thankfully, both the House of Representatives and the Senate acknowledge this difficulty and have developed public-facing tools to alert those interested in employment in the legislative branch to open positions. The House of Representatives established the House Vacancy Announcement and Placement Service to help fill positions for the approximately 10,000 employees needed to fulfill the branch’s various functions. Similarly, the Senate Employment Office fulfills the same function and is the official resource administered by the U.S. Senate Office of the Sergeant at Arms to assist applicants seeking employment in the Senate. Learn more below.
Resume Banks
House offices and committees identify talent through a resume bank in which students or any professionals can submit their materials to one or more of the general postings of 14 common job titles. Among these positions, there is a designated space for internships and Staff Assistant positions, which would be the most relevant to students and individuals in the early stages of their careers. You can find a full list of positions and submit your resume(s) below. Offices and committees will reach out to candidates directly.
House Employment Bulletin
This weekly email subscription service directly alerts subscribers to active job postings throughout House offices and committees. Applicants should pay attention to specific instructions because the application process will vary from position to position even though it is on the same bulletin.
Resume Bank
The resume bank in the Senate operates differently than its counterpart in the House. Instead of submitting multiple resumes, a candidate submits one resume and is prompted to fill out a questionnaire to determine your job preference and goals. Any professional submitting their resume for a position must be prepared to start their role within one month of their submission. Internships can also be obtained through the resume bank, the students can indicate this preference on the questionnaire; however, the Senate Employment office recommends students to seek personal or committee office’s websites and apply directly.
Senate Employment Bulletin
Staff vacancies are advertised directly on the bulletin and are added and removed frequently as needed using the link below. This is not a comprehensive list and is limited to Senate offices choosing to advertise their position through this platform. Applicants are encouraged to check individual sites for opportunities, as well.
Senate Internship Opportunities Bulletin
Senate internship opportunities are published, advertised, and updated similarly on the below bulletin. Similar to the Senate Employment Bulletin, this is not a comprehensive list and students are encouraged to visit individual websites for offices that interest them but may not choose to advertise directly on this bulletin.
Social Media Updates
Job seekers can follow live updates on social media:
