Pros
The opportunity to advise some of the world’s most influential policymakers at such an early stage of your career can only happen in one place. I love the ability to help people on issues that I care about every day and it’s fantastic experience for an early career professional to live history every day.
Cons
Given the amount of work and the emotional toll that comes with the stakes of our work, the pay on the Hill is nothing short of shocking. As a result, Congress is disproportionately filled with staff that come from privileged backgrounds that can afford to suffer through the meager salary for a few years. While it has never been an issue in my office and I have nothing but great things to say about my supervisors and senior staff, there are also many reports of abusive work environments in other offices as well.