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Need advice for MP internship

Hi all!

I was hoping to get an internship with an MP this summer. I don't have a local MP which is of the party I want to work for. I have a few questions that hopefully someone can answer for me:

btw this is for an MP based in Westminster not their constituency.

1. How did you apply?
2. When did you apply?
3. How long was it for?
4. I have seen w4mp but apparently it is hard to get a job through that so am I best ringing up the party HQ or emailing?

Thanks,

Will
Want advice? **** about with taxpayer's money as much as possible. Apparently it's not stealing if you're an MP ****.
Reply 2
Original post by Snagprophet
Want advice? **** about with taxpayer's money as much as possible. Apparently it's not stealing if you're an MP ****.


Man, its annoying neg rep has gone :frown:

Sorry OP, can't help. Personally I'd phone the constituency office and ask about the best process.
Reply 3
Original post by Will95206
Hi all!

I was hoping to get an internship with an MP this summer. I don't have a local MP which is of the party I want to work for. I have a few questions that hopefully someone can answer for me:

btw this is for an MP based in Westminster not their constituency.

1. How did you apply?
2. When did you apply?
3. How long was it for?
4. I have seen w4mp but apparently it is hard to get a job through that so am I best ringing up the party HQ or emailing?

Thanks,

Will

a) Basically without contacts you need to bombard W4MP with your CV until one pays off.
b) Mine was quite a while ago now. I did it straight after graduation.
c) Three months
d) See a

Depending on where the MPs constituency is you may not have a choice as to where you are based. I worked for a London MP and was in the constituency and in Portcullis House.

Some MPs do their casework in London and some in the constituency so you might need to be flexible.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by Will95206
Hi all!

I was hoping to get an internship with an MP this summer. I don't have a local MP which is of the party I want to work for. I have a few questions that hopefully someone can answer for me:

btw this is for an MP based in Westminster not their constituency.

1. How did you apply?
2. When did you apply?
3. How long was it for?
4. I have seen w4mp but apparently it is hard to get a job through that so am I best ringing up the party HQ or emailing?

Thanks,

Will


A few other points just to dispel any romantic notions you may have


1.

You are unlikely to have a parliamentary pass and without one it is difficult to make the most of what Parliament has to offer. I didn’t have one and on a few occasions it made actually getting into the building of a morning rather more difficult than it needed to be. One trip to the lavatory caused me problems as I was somewhere I shouldn’t have been with “just” a visitor pass.

2.

The joys of canvassing on a cold November night. Do you enjoy the idea of door knocking on wet winter nights for a PCC election nobody cares about? It is not like an episode of Yes Minister. Do you enjoy cold calling people about council by-elections? You might not be able to get a summer internship. Are you still at uni/school?

3.

You will be treated like a gopher. One day I did shredding as there was no real work to do. On one occasion making my MP a cup of tea was the most important task I did. You’ll basically be doing the stuff nobody else wants to do and feel like an overgrown work experience kid at times. Other times there is more work and you'll feel like you're contributing.



However....

If you want a job in this kind of area though you do need to grin and bear an internship. An internship allows you to apply for the researcher positions which although not paid brilliantly offer a decent grad salary for someone in their early 20s.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by tsruserrr
x


Thank you for all the advice there it is very helpful.

I a doing my A2's now and I want to get my 'foot on the rung' with a week to 3 weeks of work experience for an MP in London.

I though it was be menial work but that was a bit of an eye opener with the tea and door knocking thing (although I did expect a bit of it!)

Do you think it is worth using W4MP because apparently if you have never done any work exp they probs wont accept you. I was thinking since I have not been to uni like you have to call up then email the constituency office with the CV?

Also what time do you think it is worth applying/asking if I want some during the summer holidays?

Thanks
Reply 6
Original post by Will95206
Thank you for all the advice there it is very helpful.

I a doing my A2's now and I want to get my 'foot on the rung' with a week to 3 weeks of work experience for an MP in London.

I though it was be menial work but that was a bit of an eye opener with the tea and door knocking thing (although I did expect a bit of it!)

Do you think it is worth using W4MP because apparently if you have never done any work exp they probs wont accept you. I was thinking since I have not been to uni like you have to call up then email the constituency office with the CV?

Also what time do you think it is worth applying/asking if I want some during the summer holidays?

Thanks

The problem with speculative CVs is they are easy to bat away with “No vacancies. When we have one it will be on w4mp”. I sent scores of form letters saying this.

Your best bet is getting on w4mp around May and applying to everything. You stand a much better chance of being taken seriously if you get involved in your local constituency party between then and now just to prove your commitment to everything Labour/Tory/Lib Dem.

Competition is crazy. I beat off 50 people for my internship. It is just a numbers game and my CV became increasingly economical with the truth after each rejection. A great qualification for working for an MP.

Having beat off the competition I did feel slightly miffed that I a bit of a gopher, unable to access the training for mps staff/ buy a coffee unaided. A visitor pass around your neck does not lend itself to getting you taken very seriously...

For a three week work experience placement they are unlikely to trust you with very much but as you said everyone needs a foot in the door.

If you are serious about this line of work then Hull University do a very good placements scheme. I certainly realised after uni that work experience trumps everything including your degree/uni. (http://www2.hull.ac.uk/fass/politics-and-international-stu/undergraduate-study/internships/what-our-interns-say.aspx)

One final point there isn’t much job security Think of David Miliband’s staff. It is often a stepping stone to other stuff in public affairs.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by tsruserrr
The problem with speculative CVs is they are easy to bat away with “No vacancies. When we have one it will be on w4mp”. I sent scores of form letters saying this.

Your best bet is getting on w4mp around May and applying to everything. You stand a much better chance of being taken seriously if you get involved in your local constituency party between then and now just to prove your commitment to everything Labour/Tory/Lib Dem.

Competition is crazy. I beat off 50 people for my internship. It is just a numbers game and my CV became increasingly economical with the truth after each rejection. A great qualification for working for an MP.

For a three week work experience placement they are unlikely to trust you with very much. I had three months of menial tasks but as you say everyone needs a “foot in the door”.

If you are serious about this line of work then Hull University do a very good placements scheme. I certainly realised after uni that work experience trumps everything including your degree/uni. (http://www2.hull.ac.uk/fass/politics-and-international-stu/undergraduate-study/internships/what-our-interns-say.aspx)

One final point there isn’t much job security Think of David Miliband’s staff. It is often a stepping stone to other stuff in public affairs.


Thanks again for the advice! Will do the W4mp application this summer then. While im at uni I will probs do the inter scheme they offer during the summer.

Also do I need to join the party that I will be working for MP wise or not? Also lets say I waned to change party after 3 weeks with one work exp and then next summer change party would that be acceptable?
Reply 8
Original post by Will95206
Thanks again for the advice! Will do the W4mp application this summer then. While im at uni I will probs do the inter scheme they offer during the summer.

Also do I need to join the party that I will be working for MP wise or not? Also lets say I waned to change party after 3 weeks with one work exp and then next summer change party would that be acceptable?


Yeah join the party of your choosing now. When they interviewed for my replacement it went to the party member rather than the non-party member.

Switching parties is a big no. It is an incredibly tribal place something I underestimated. I once made the mistake of praising an opposition policy. I might as well have told a black joke…

I think I realised I'm not quite tribal enough for party politics. I found the party line could often get in the way of actually helping constituents. I probably would have enjoyed working for some maverick backbencher far more.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 9
Original post by tsruserrr
Yeah join the party of your choosing now. When they interviewed for my replacement it went to the party member rather than the non-party member.

Switching parties is a big no. It is an incredibly tribal place something I underestimated. I once made the mistake of praising an opposition policy. I might as well have told a black joke…

I think I realised I'm not quite tribal enough for party politics. I found the party line could often get in the way of actually helping constituents. I probably would have enjoyed working for some maverick backbencher far more.



Cheers for all the help!
Original post by Snagprophet
Want advice? **** about with taxpayer's money as much as possible. Apparently it's not stealing if you're an MP ****.


Brilliant.
Reply 11
Original post by Will95206
Thanks again for the advice! Will do the W4mp application this summer then. While im at uni I will probs do the inter scheme they offer during the summer.

Also do I need to join the party that I will be working for MP wise or not? Also lets say I waned to change party after 3 weeks with one work exp and then next summer change party would that be acceptable?


Hi,

Came across your thread and was just wondering want the "inter scheme" that they offer during the summer was?

Also, did you take part in it by any chance and was it any good? And how long did it last for if so?

Any info much appreciated :smile:

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