<p>My school has the Washington Center at my school, and you have to apply to get into it. When applying for the "Competitive government programs" I can select the IRS (my dream job).</p>
<p>1)Is the Washington Center worth it? </p>
<p>2)Do they increase your chances at getting an internship at a government entity? </p>
<p>3) Wouldn't it be easier to just directly apply to government internships I want, then to apply to the Washington Center and let them do it for me?</p>
<p>3) Anyone ever been in the program? Please share: Worth it? What was your application like that got you accepted?</p>
<p>It is my understanding that getting a job as a Internal Revenue Agent at the IRS is very competitive. The job security, combined with the 40 hour work week is perfect for raising a family. I am not after big bucks, which you can get with the IRS as you move up the ladder as an executive. </p>
<p>I can’t understand why someone would choose a big 4 firm (50+ hours work a week) to make a couple extra bucks. The declining marginal utility of money makes it a smarter move to work less hours for less pay since the extra hours (at least for me) would be gruesome.</p>
<p>I don’t see the oxymoron. The washington center is the name of the organization, and they place students in federal internships, and their application (which they send to the IRS) to apply for an IRS job is (for their purposes) “competitive”. </p>
<p>Go for it. There are many government jobs that are highly competitive. IRS is not my speed, but you should follow your dream and vision for the future. I’m not as risk averse so the 70+ hours I work as a self employed investment adviser is right for me. Most of the time the extra hours happen because I like what I’m doing. Correction - I love my job.</p>
<p>Really it’s not that I’m risk averse. I’m not really risking the extra hours for a payday that may not happen. I work the extra hours because I like the work. It is my business so I have 100% equity. I have no boss. My goals and deadlines are my own, So is my time.
I have my own retirement account and health and benefit plan. I vacation when I want.<br>
If I did have a family I could work fewer hours and my income would reflect that but I suppose the value I would get from family would be worth it. So I understand what you’re getting at. My goals lie with my company as my legacy right now.</p>
<p>I guess you could say, it is my life experiences that have made me care much less about personal belongings, and money. As beaten out as this saying has been theres more to life then just money. The things that truly matter in life are free. </p>
<p>I beleive in intelectual stimulation, but mostly for the sake of learning. But you did have to make a living, I mean money is needed to survive! And I absolutely beleive in reaching your potential - self-actualization. But not economically.</p>
While I was looking for additional information about TWC for my daughter, I found this discussion and fell the urge to comment. Back in 1999, I was lucky enough to obtain a scholarship for TWC. At that time, my daughter was 4 yrs old and stayed with my husband in Puerto Rico while I temporarily relocated to DC for a semester to accomplish one of my dreams: study abroad. I cannot say enough good things about my experience at TWC. At that time, we were 20 students from Puerto Rico, and most of us were placed at the House of Representative and Senate. The program was well organized, we worked during the day, and one or twice a week we took classes. I did not only gain first hand experience in politics, lived in one of the most extraordinary cities in the World, but also gain lifelong friends! As a matter of fact, 17 years later, we are all successful professionals, several of the involved in politics, to include the highest ranking hispanic employee at the Obama’s Administration. The program was excellent.
I hope my daughter is selected to participate in spring 2017 internship program.
Note: if you are looking for an internship at the federal government, you may go to www.usajobs.gov. GOOD LUCK!