IntermediateTECHNICAL
Describe a time when you had to synthesize complex government or political information—such as a bill, regulation, or policy proposal—into a concise memo, presentation, or report. How did you structure your analysis, what sources did you rely on, and what feedback did you receive on the final product?
Other
General

Sample Answer

While interning at a federal agency, I was asked to summarize a 180‑page proposed rule on broadband access into a 3‑page briefing memo for the Deputy Assistant Secretary. I organized it into four sections: a one‑paragraph executive summary, key policy changes, quantitative impact (costs/benefits), and risks/unknowns. I pulled from the Federal Register notice, prior rulemakings, Congressional Research Service reports, and FCC datasets, and I called one staff economist to sanity‑check my interpretation of the cost model. I used a simple table to compare current versus proposed requirements across three provider types and highlighted two changes likely to trigger pushback from small ISPs. The memo became the basis for our agency’s internal meeting, and my manager reused sections almost verbatim in our draft comment letter. The Deputy Assistant Secretary emailed afterward saying it was “the clearest summary on my desk” and asked me to handle two additional rules that quarter.

Keywords

Condensed a 180-page proposed rule into a 3-page structured memo with an exec summaryUsed multiple authoritative sources: Federal Register, CRS, prior rules, and FCC dataIncluded a comparative table and quantified impacts to make tradeoffs clearReceived direct positive feedback and was entrusted with additional high-impact assignments
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