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Washington, D.C., United States

Public service, private cost.

Washington's route into policy and public affairs still runs through internships that assume somebody else is paying the rent.

Session length
30 minutes
Cost to a mentee
Free
Local time zone
ET
Who books a session in Washington, D.C.

The people who arrive stuck.

Students and recent graduates

Applying into policy and government and law and regulation around Washington, D.C. against people who already had someone make the call for them.

Job seekers who keep reaching the last round

Strong applications, no useful feedback, and no one in Washington, D.C. who can say what the shortlist actually turns on.

People early in a job here

First or second role in Washington, D.C., working hard, with nobody explaining how progression or pay is decided.

Career changers

Moving out of non-profit and advocacy or into it, with a CV that still reads like the last job rather than the next one.

Mentors you can be matched with

The fields our mentors work in.

Mentors volunteer 30 minutes. Matching is cross-border, so a mentor outside the city is normal and often the point.

  • Policy and government

  • Law and regulation

  • Non-profit and advocacy

  • Consulting

  • Technology and data

  • International development

How a session works in Washington, D.C.

Four steps, one half hour.

  1. 01

    Tell us what you are stuck on

    A short sign-up: where you are, what you want next, and the one thing blocking it.

  2. 02

    We match you

    You are matched with a mentor who has done the job you are aiming at, wherever in the network they sit.

  3. 03

    Pick a time that suits you

    Times are shown in ET, so a mentor in another country never means an awkward hour for you.

  4. 04

    Thirty minutes on video

    Free to you, on the platform, with a written summary of what to do next.

What Washington, D.C. mentees ask about

The questions we hear most in Washington, D.C..

These come up again and again from people sitting in Washington, D.C., whatever stage they are at.

  • How do I get into policy and government here without knowing anyone in it?

  • Is law and regulation worth moving into, and what does the first year really look like?

  • What does a strong application for non-profit and advocacy look like from Washington, D.C.?

  • Should I stay in Washington, D.C., move, or work remotely for an employer somewhere else?

  • How do I explain my Washington, D.C. experience to an employer who has never heard of my last one?

Partners in Washington, D.C.

Who funds the sessions here.

  • Employers running Give as part of their people strategy, with people mentoring from Washington, D.C. and beyond

  • Universities and community colleges buying career access for students in and around Washington, D.C.

  • Non-profits and workforce programmes

  • Employers running Redirect for rejected candidates

Ready to start in Washington, D.C.?

Book a free 30-minute session, or tell us what you need and we will match you with a mentor who does the job you are aiming at.

Questions

The things people ask first.

Do I have to live in Washington, D.C. to book?

No. Matching is cross-border, so a mentor is chosen for the job they do rather than the city they sit in.

Is it really free?

Free to you. Sessions are funded by our employer, university and public-sector partners.

How soon can I get a session?

Sign up, tell us what you are stuck on, and pick a slot in ET once you are matched.

Can I be matched with someone in policy and government?

Yes. Policy and government is one of the areas Washington, D.C. mentees ask about most, and mentors in it volunteer across the network.

Will my mentor understand the Washington, D.C. job market?

Often, yes. Where the better match sits elsewhere, you still get someone who does the job you are aiming at, and the advice is set against what you are facing in Washington, D.C..

Get unstuck from Washington, D.C..

Thirty minutes with someone who has already done it. Free to you, wherever you are sitting.