How hard is it to become a foreign service officer

How to study for the FSOT? It’s not easy but it’s doable. You have to have been a strong student, have a clean security and criminal recor be in good health, and be persistent. When I first wrote this draft, it started much differently.

Foreign Service is still to a large extent determined by your knowledge.

The original intent was to break down the pros and cons of joining the Service into separate posts. But as I was typing away and considering the options, it didn’t feel right to divide the information. So instea I’ve combined them below. As you rea determine if the area discussed is a pro, con, or TBD.

This is your decision to make. See full list on pathtoforeignservice. Furthermore, you agree with Uncle Sam to go wherever he tells you. You need to be able to adapt to both.

Just two examples of what that could mean: 1. In smaller missions, you may be asked to fill the role that in a larger embassy may have been filled by 3-people. Much more than “skimming the surface”, as the typical tourist would do, you have the chance (if you want to, and you should) to immerse yourself in the people, culture, environment, politics, and nuances of a post. Time is on your side to both go to remote areas and to treat your new relocation as a regional hub (e.g., if you live in Europe, it’s much easier to visit other countries in Europe). You get to see new places, meet new people, and more. But to others, the constant movement can be hard.

You might not ever feel “settled”: 1. Almost as soon as you arrive at a location (depending on your length of stay), you have to start thinking about the nex. Pay is brought up consistently as both a benefit and a deterrent for joining the Service. Whether you are a solo Officer, with a partner, or have dependents, the salary question affects you differently.

Thus, you are reliant on the Officer’s income only. A part of worldwide availability and consistently moving is that you will most likely be stationed at a mission categorized as hardship or dangerous. Considering these two together, you have a spectrum of possibility. To help, here are the following definitions: A post is designated dangerous, or more specifically that danger pay allowance is allocated to your salary: A post is designated hardship, or more specifically that hardship pay allowance is allocated to your salary, Sure, you get a salary bump when you live in places that are designated as hardship or dangerous, but you have to determine if this is worthwhile to you. Additionally, if a location is deemed very dangerous and difficult, only the Officer may be allowed to go.

If you have a family, they are located elsewhere. Recall, this is not just a career.

Your actions outside of the embassy, as you interact with the people of the country, are just as, if not, more important. In some regards, there are higher expectations for you and the behavior you must uphold. I recall many times being pulled into political conversations when I was trying to eat in public or walking down the street. Sometimes, I was in an open mood to talk, other times I did not want to.

For both, you need to learn that there are things that can and cannot be sai and more importantly, that there are ways to say things, and then there are the correct ways of saying it. Professionally, you are a representative of the government of the U. Some of these are “front page news”, but most of the time they are not. Language You receive training for the language required for your next station. Away from Extended Family and Friends Time zones add up.

For some, this is easy, for others this is not. The farther you are from the U. Luckily, the Internet is making it much easier to interact with family far away, but there is still the physical distance. Red Tape You are working for the government, and if you have not worked for a state or federal agency before, there are additional, and sometime redundant, protocols and rules you have to follow.

With added layers of security and communication protocol, what you think should take minutes might take several hours. May be Limited Where you live may not have potable water, reliable electrici. There are MANY more considerations that you have to review for yourself and your family. But the above is an excellent place to start, and a helpful way to determine what your pros and cons are.

If you’re passionate about public service and want to represent the U. These strategic thinkers and natural leaders are required to handle any number of diverse challenges, ranging from overseas child custody disputes to arrests, emergencies,. At least years old and no older than years old on the day the registration is submitted 3. Department of State requires candidates to be: 1. Screening for the foreign service is a multi-stage process that can take many months. To apply, one must first register online with the U. The written exam is a computer-based test on everything. From questions about the origin of bee-bop to the specifics of East Asian labor laws, the exam is designed to test general knowledge.

You’ll also be asked about your work experience, responding to challenges, and communication styles in a short biographical section. Once you pass the written exam, you’ll be asked to submit a personal narrative to the Qualifications Evaluations Panel (QEP). The test is given during eight-day windows, three ti. Here, you’ll highlight what you’ve done, who you are, and what you’ve learned from your experiences in essay format.

The scoring is not concrete, but is instead reflects whether the QEP feels you would make a promising and qualified candidate. If the QEP is sufficiently impressed by your qualifications, you’ll be invited to participate in an oral assessment, a day-long exam where you’ll be evaluated on the “dimensions” essential for work in the foreign service. Once you’ve come this far, the rest is a piece of cake, relatively speaking. You’ll be investigated for a high-level security and medical clearance—lots of paperwork, but not an exam—and your file will be submitted to the panel for final review. A last word of advice: Don’t get discouraged if you don’t make it all the way through on your first try.

As your experience and education becomes more extensive, your chances of. The competitive process to join the ranks of U. Be sure to check out usajobs. However, many run into the reality that there are risks that every move can lead to disastrous , from violence to scrutiny by the host nation. Unlike the Civil Service , where staff members can work forever (and at least one I know is and still going strong), FSOs have to hang up their tailcoats and top hats when they reach their mid-60s. Embassy Additional Links.

FSOT - foreign service officer test CIA DI - The analyst directorate at CIA.