Unlike students on most college campuses, GW freshmen have the opportunity to build their resumes from the start – by working at one of hundreds of revered organizations in the nation’s capital.

GW students intern and work for law firms, senators on Capitol Hill, magazines and newspapers and non-profit agencies, among other places of employment. Several students also have on-campus work-study or non work-study jobs, which range from working in a residence hall to the Marvin Center.

While officials involved with career planning said it can be more difficult for freshmen than upperclassmen to find an internship, many options and resources are available.

The GW Career Center, conveniently located two doors down from Thurston Hall, offers several services such as drop-in consulting with a career counselor, resume and cover letter workshops, books of sample resumes and resume critiques, which take 48 hours for completion.

“We place students at law firms doing legal research, a lot of trade and professional associations and doing non-profit lobbying and political campaigns,” said Career Information Coordinator Susanne Eymer.

Students can also find internship listings on Web sites including WetFeet.com and monster.com. Those interested in internships can also contact companies directly and talk to a human resources representative in charge of hiring interns.

Officials said opportunities for internships also exist on campus.

CNN’s political debate show “Crossfire,” which came to GW about a year and a half ago, offers students a unique opportunity to work on a professional television program on campus.

“Crossfire” Coordinating Producer Heather Clapp said while the show’s approximately five paid positions have been filled for the fall, about 20 to 30 volunteers are hired to greet audience members, usher guests and assist with tickets. The show also offers internships to GW students, allowing students to learn about broadcast news up-close. These unpaid internships can be filled by “students of all ages, including freshmen.”

“It’s a great chance to see behind the scenes at ‘Crossfire’ and to that first experience to get your foot in the door,” Clapp said.

Many students said they enjoy working at local businesses including restaurants, shops and bars. Several local employers said they like hiring GW students.

“I’m happy to hire GW students,” said Cone-E-Island Manager Jun Esmilla, noting that approximately 90 percent of his workers at the 2000 Penn ice-cream shop are GW students. “I like to hire those who are here for the summer and can work during the school year as well. I mostly hire people who are qualified and have experience working at a dessert place or restaurant.”

Students who qualify for work-study can have their choice of working on or off campus, but the majority stay on campus. Jennifer Seile, job development coordinator for the Career Center, said two-thirds of last year’s 1,500 work-study students remained on campus.

“We try to provide facilities for what students want to do, from clerical work, to working at the Smith Center, to solid internships,” Seile said. “Students have a lot of choices.”

Seile said there are no specific time requirements for work-study jobs, and hours are “based on the needs of the student and the employer and on the work-study awards.”

Students said they enjoy relaxed atmospheres in on-campus work study jobs.

“They’re very flexible with scheduling,” said sophomore Michael Cahn, who worked as a residential management assistant for Fix-It. “During office hours I had to do real work, following up on requests from Fix-It, but there were also days when I would sit in a residence hall and wait for people to come ask me questions. It was very easy to get some homework done during hall hours.”

However, officials said students should not always plan to do homework while working.

“Homework is a popular misconception,” Seile said. “Students shouldn’t go into it thinking they can just do their homework. While some jobs may be like that, it’s still a job.”

Off-campus, many students work for D.C. Reads, a program where employees tutor local elementary and middle school students.

“Tutoring placements tend to be fewer hours a week,” Seile said.

While a student does not need to receive a work-study award to have a job that hires- work-study students, officials said many times a work study student will be hired over a non work-study student. Wages for work-study students are subsidized by the federal government, and therefore are more financially beneficial to employers, officials said.

Officials said incoming freshman should not worry about finding a job immediately over the summer.

“The first week of classes we hold a work study job fair,” Seile said. “We also post jobs online starting in late August. (Incoming freshmen) shouldn’t worry about having to start anything until the fall. Everyone is on even footing. We spend all summer lining up and pre-approving employers before we turn our attention to the students.”

-Julie Gordon contributed to this report