|
Xandu posted:What do Foreign Affairs Officers do and how do they differ from FSOs, other than being stationed domestically? Foreign Affairs Officer is a job title for many DC-based positions. When on a domestic assignment, FSO commonly encumber these jobs, so they also take the job title. In this sense, there is no difference between FSOs and Foreign Affairs Officers. Lots of these positions, though, are permantly filled by Civil Service employees. These employees thus do the same kind of work that FSOs do in DC but are not in the Foreign Service personnel system, do not move on to other assignments every few tears (for Civil Service, changing jobs would involve a formal job search) and have a much lower chance of ever being assigned overseas. (In Statespeak, Civil Service is used to differentiate employees in the standard government personnel system (GS scale) from those in the Foreign Service. It does not suggest that FSOs or specialists are not civil servants in the traditional sense.)
|
#
?
Nov 5, 2009 00:30
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 10, 2024 22:09 |
|
|
Well, everything came together, and I will be off to Baghdad in the spring.
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2009 13:44
|
|
|
Business of Ferrets posted:Well, everything came together, and I will be off to Baghdad in the spring. I can answer all your questions about serving at US Embassy Baghdad 
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2009 15:05
|
|
|
If you ever get to go near the Turkish and Italian embassies (al-Mahgrib neighborhood, near the river), you'll be in the neighborhood I was stationed in during OIF I and II.
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2009 17:56
|
|
|
Vilerat, tell the whole class about serving there, please!
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2009 18:45
|
|
|
Barracuda Bang! posted:Vilerat, tell the whole class about serving there, please! It would be better off if people had specific questions. We lived in lovely trailers and ate some kick rear end food. The work week was Sunday through Thursday with us working half days on friday and saturday off (sometimes). Work days were 11 hours long minimum.
|
|
#
?
Nov 9, 2009 22:23
|
|
|
Got my score breakdown today, biographical section killed me. I was 6 points shy, and got only a 42 in biographical.
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2009 00:05
|
|
|
nesbit37 posted:Got my score breakdown today, biographical section killed me. I was 6 points shy, and got only a 42 in biographical. Ouch. That section is so incredibly unfair because you really don't know what the hell they are looking for exactly.
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2009 01:37
|
|
|
Vilerat posted:I can answer all your questions about serving at US Embassy Baghdad Sweet. Though I understand I will be living in an apartment, not a trailer. Sounds like some things are much better these days!
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2009 02:22
|
|
|
Business of Ferrets posted:Sweet. Though I understand I will be living in an apartment, not a trailer. Sounds like some things are much better these days! Yeah the new apartments are nice. They would have been real nice if they didn't cut them in half and give you a suite mate thoughwhich totally blows. There is one air conditioning unit per suite so hope your roomie has the same comfort level you do! Also hope they aren't disgusting slobs. One major bummer about that posting these days is they cut the IZ down to almost nothing and they restrict you to compound mostly. We used to be able to just grab a Gator and ride around to all the little shopping areas and restaurants, not really anymore though.
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2009 15:10
|
|
|
Ah, so that's why the housing questionnaire asks whether you "like your room cold." I'm considering asking for a "neat" and "quiet" suitemate, but part of me is worried I will get someone absolutely OCD beyond the pale.
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2009 16:02
|
|
|
Business of Ferrets posted:Ah, so that's why the housing questionnaire asks whether you "like your room cold." It's a college party atmosphere. If you're spending that much time in your apartment you'll be that weird shut in guy, don't be that guy (it's not healthy!).
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2009 17:34
|
|
|
I just submitted my Personal Narrative! So now I'm putting together a vocab list to cram before my proficiency test tomorrow. Are they going to be super pissed if I use a cellphone for that? I really just don't have access to a private landline!
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2009 22:04
|
|
|
CherryCola posted:I just submitted my Personal Narrative! So now I'm putting together a vocab list to cram before my proficiency test tomorrow. Are they going to be super pissed if I use a cellphone for that? I really just don't have access to a private landline! unless the signal quality is poo poo, or the call drops, they will not know or care.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 02:52
|
|
|
Dear Vilerat, This is in response to your request for a score breakdown for the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) you recently took. To advance to the next step of the Foreign Service Officer selection process, the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP) review, applicants must have achieved a score of 154 or above on the multiple choice components of the FSOT and an essay score of at least 6 on a 12- point scale. Essays were scored for those candidates who received at least a 154 or above on the multiple-choice section. There were three parts to the multiple-choice section. You scored as follows: Job knowledge: 55.06 Biographic Information: 44.32 English Expression: 53.96 Multiple choice total score: 153.34 I do not own enough middle fingers to express how I'm feeling right now.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:04
|
|
|
Oh now that's just lovely.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:07
|
|
|
Oh man. That sucks.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:12
|
|
|
CherryCola posted:I just submitted my Personal Narrative! So now I'm putting together a vocab list to cram before my proficiency test tomorrow. Are they going to be super pissed if I use a cellphone for that? I really just don't have access to a private landline! What language? And how do you think it went?
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:14
|
|
|
This next EER is my first shot at 2 so I think I'm probably too far along doing this job to start all over. This was likely my last worthwhile shot. Oh well!
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:20
|
|
|
Vilerat: Christ, isn't there some kind of appeals section there for you to request a re-evaluation? like .60th of a point, is that even for real? vvv- drat. Direct your rage to McKinsey, though. I can't even imagine how you felt reading that aside from "fffffffffffffffffffffffff*church bells, pigeons swarming, taxi cab horns honking on Constitution Ave*" Skandiaavity fucked around with this message at 18:29 on Nov 13, 2009 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:22
|
|
|
Skandiaavity posted:Vilerat: I'm pretty sure the answer is no. Best part is that section that they tanked me on? Completely subjective.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 18:26
|
|
|
Vilerat posted:I'm pretty sure the answer is no. Best part is that section that they tanked me on? Completely subjective. There is an appeal you can do, but from all accounts it has never been successful.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 19:10
|
|
|
SWATJester posted:There is an appeal you can do, but from all accounts it has never been successful. Do you got a link for the process?
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 19:22
|
|
|
Vilerat posted:Dear Vilerat, That blows, man.  Do you have a link to where I can get my QEP score breakdown, just so I know where to better apply my slobber on DoS' knob for next time?
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 20:04
|
|
|
Business of Ferrets posted:What language? And how do you think it went? Urdu and it's in an hour, I've been doing some last minute vocab cramming and I'm listening to an Urdu news broadcast to get myself in an Urdu-processing mindset. God I'm so nervous, and I have a cold so my nose is all stuffy.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 20:04
|
|
|
Good luck dude! Also, the standard isn't super-high, I hemmed and hawed for a minute or two and flat out said "I dunno, I just can't do this" on the current event section and got an Advanced Mid, which corresponds with a 2+ on the ILR scale. I found it helped to close my eyes and imagine I was talking to a native-speaker friend of mine, but I'm a pretty visual person.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 20:38
|
|
|
Vilerat posted:Dear Vilerat, Oh gently caress man, that sucks... You're still the coolest FS person in my bookthose transitions are on the way right???? I got my HHE today! (does not include my other HHE sent from DC which has my TV and sound system.)
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 21:25
|
|
|
Okay, well maybe I won't totally fail. I don't think I did super well. I'm kind of bad at hearing people over the phone anyway and this lady was on speakerphone so I had to ask her to repeat pretty much everything she said. One of the questions was whether I think Obama will be successful with the stuff he's doing in Asia. I somehow just had no idea what to say, I basically said that I hope he'll be successful, but it's a complex situation so I can't really guess myself. I think I did okay once we got into the more conversational stuff, but there were a couple I just blanked out on. Oh well, at least it won't negatively affect my application if I get a low score.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2009 21:28
|
|
|
ahhh the mysterious QEP: http://www.afsa.org/fsj/nov08/letters.pdf
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2009 03:57
|
|
|
Vilerat posted:Do you got a link for the process? From the FSOA mailing group: quote:I suspect an error may have occurred when my Foreign Service Officer Test was scored. Can I ask that my exam be scored again? I don't know if that's accurate, but for what it's worth.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2009 16:40
|
|
|
So I answered my 5 PNQs and I'm super nervous about turning it in. There's a "Next" on the bottom of the page....is there more than just the 5 questions?
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2009 16:41
|
|
|
SWATJester posted:From the FSOA mailing group: It would be worth 30 bucks just to see if it budges at all. I'm curious exactly how subjective that section is.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2009 17:29
|
|
|
SWATJester posted:So I answered my 5 PNQs and I'm super nervous about turning it in. There's a "Next" on the bottom of the page....is there more than just the 5 questions? I was afraid of that too, but no it's just a "I promise I'm not lying" thing.
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2009 17:40
|
|
|
what's $30? Just do it. You could get enough points easily from the bio re-grade
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2009 20:33
|
|
|
Happydayz posted:what's $30? Just do it. You could get enough points easily from the bio re-grade Yeah, doing it. Why not?
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2009 18:04
|
|
|
PNQ's submitted. I'm super nervous about this section, actually. I think I had good enough answers, but goddamn that 1200 character limitation is short. I hope that between the strength of my resume and the answers, it'll get me through. But now, I'm considering getting my scores for the FSOT to see how well I did.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2009 15:36
|
|
|
So, I submitted an application for the courier job about two and a half weeks ago - how long does it usually take for them to decide if you can take the exam, or whatever the next step is? It's been on "Eligible - referring to hiring official" or whatever for a while now.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2009 15:39
|
|
|
Barracuda Bang! posted:So, I submitted an application for the courier job about two and a half weeks ago - how long does it usually take for them to decide if you can take the exam, or whatever the next step is? It's been on "Eligible - referring to hiring official" or whatever for a while now. Eh, same here. Just switch it to giving you automated updates on your application status by e-mail (if you haven't already), sit back, and wait.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2009 16:01
|
|
|
Barracuda Bang! posted:So, I submitted an application for the courier job about two and a half weeks ago - how long does it usually take for them to decide if you can take the exam, or whatever the next step is? It's been on "Eligible - referring to hiring official" or whatever for a while now. For me it took a couple of months, my memory is pretty fuzzy though. It was the slowest part of the process in any event.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2009 16:57
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 10, 2024 22:09 |
|
|
AKA Pseudonym posted:For me it took a couple of months, my memory is pretty fuzzy though. It was the slowest part of the process in any event. 4-5 months for me to go from application submission to receiving invitation for oral exam. During that time, I had only a single instance of contact, and that was to clarify a point, and once I replied, it was back to the no contact phase. The hiring process is slow... TCD fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Nov 16, 2009 |
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2009 17:12
|
|