Secret service internship

[esl550]

Hi all, question for any USSS out there. I've been in contact recently with the USSS office in my area and it looks like I'll be able to get an unpaid internship with them beginning in the fall. Since it'll be my senior year in college, I want this internship to be a really solid experience (and one that lasts more than a quarter, if possible). The secret service website says that unpaid interns (and even STEP ones) mostly just do clerical work, but I've heard that a USSS internship is actually quite engaging. Any previous interns/agents/others have thoughts on this? The office was very helpful and the recruiter I spoke with was great, but I want to make sure the experience will be worth it.

[MikeG]

I can't help with the your question but why would anyone take an unpaid internship? Where do I advertise my own personal unpaid internship positions that are available for immediate start date?

[esl550]

I can't help with the your question but why would anyone take an unpaid internship? Where do I advertise my own personal unpaid internship positions that are available for immediate start date?

Haha well in my case I just want to make some contacts. I'm sure enough that I want to be an 1811 that I can take the unpaid part of it.

[MikeG]

Haha well in my case I just want to make some contacts. I'm sure enough that I want to be an 1811 that I can take the unpaid part of it.

Secret Service contacts are easy to make. You don't even have to leave your house. But you probably don't want that kind of contact.

[Joeyd6]

I did one with the USSS in 97. Their internships are one full college semester, no more and no less. You will do 100% clerical support UNTIL you prove you are professionsal, responsible and able to produce quality work. One month in I was sittng in on interviews, polygraphs, working up funny money, and working other investigative stuff for the agents. Howvere teh other guy who was doing the intership with me showed up late every day (about 5 minutes) and when asked to dod something, did it half-@$$. I have firneds where it has gobe both ways. Really is all about how you end up showing them how mature you are.

[esl550]

I did one with the USSS in 97. Their internships are one full college semester, no more and no less. You will do 100% clerical support UNTIL you prove you are professionsal, responsible and able to produce quality work. One month in I was sittng in on interviews, polygraphs, working up funny money, and working other investigative stuff for the agents. Howvere teh other guy who was doing the intership with me showed up late every day (about 5 minutes) and when asked to dod something, did it half-@$$. I have firneds where it has gobe both ways. Really is all about how you end up showing them how mature you are.

Do you think that experience helped in later applications? Obviously I don't expect a full-time offer of any sort to come from this internship but I do hope it would make a resume stand out. Mostly I just want to get that "inside-look" of what working in FLE is like but at the same time shoring up my resume would be nice.

[USSSMatt]

I've never been an intern, but the interns I've seen do the following:

- shred paper from burn bags
- receive mail and x-ray parcels from FedEx/UPS/DHL
- answer the phone
- stamp counterfeit currency and input the identifiers into the database

That's about it.