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Czolgosz posted:So I'm hoping someone could give me a little advice. If you're working/living abroad, take it now because you'll quite possibly not be on the register by August 2013 due to security clearance checks, test dates, etc.
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Jan 27, 2012 04:56
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Am I wrong, or did someone post earlier about language proficiency not mattering until OA? I was thinking of polishing up my Arabic (the phone test thingy is pretty intimidating), but if it isn't going to help me in QEP then FORGET IT. :crossedarmgif:
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Jan 27, 2012 05:14
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My understanding is that they test Arabic and other critical needs languages right after you pass the FSWT - but test other languages after you pass the OA.
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Jan 27, 2012 06:08
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PrezCamachoo posted:My understanding is that they test Arabic and other critical needs languages right after you pass the FSWT - but test other languages after you pass the OA. Nope, they changed policies. They test languages after you pass the OA.
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Jan 27, 2012 10:51
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My new goal in life is to get someone in TTM fired.
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Jan 27, 2012 11:33
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Czolgosz posted:So I'm hoping someone could give me a little advice. Even if you pass every stage and make it to the register with the highest score possible, the hiring process will take you past August 2013. The chance of even getting to the orals seems pretty minuscule though so I wouldn't worry too much about it; I certainly wouldn't consider becoming a FSO to be a Plan A.
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Jan 27, 2012 17:44
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Diplomaticus posted:My new goal in life is to get someone in TTM fired. What was TTM again? I don't have my acronym dictionary handy.
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Jan 27, 2012 18:19
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HeroOfTheRevolution posted:Even if you pass every stage and make it to the register with the highest score possible, the hiring process will take you past August 2013. The chance of even getting to the orals seems pretty minuscule though so I wouldn't worry too much about it; I certainly wouldn't consider becoming a FSO to be a Plan A. If you pass the February test you will do the OA anywhere between July and November of 2012. Background checks plus register calls (assume you got the top score) takes more than 9-14 months?
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Jan 27, 2012 23:54
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PrezCamachoo posted:If you pass the February test you will do the OA anywhere between July and November of 2012. Background checks plus register calls (assume you got the top score) takes more than 9-14 months? Background checks for a clearance can take 6-9 months quite easily, and then you're at the mercy of whenever they hold a class. Which, given the current budget climate, probably won't be very often for the next few years.
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Jan 28, 2012 00:37
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Zoots posted:What was TTM again? I don't have my acronym dictionary handy. Travel and transportation.
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Jan 28, 2012 02:18
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Diplomaticus posted:Travel and transportation. Carlson and/or e2 troubles?
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Jan 28, 2012 03:11
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mtreecorner, Business of Ferrets, Diplomaticus, and HeroOfTheRevolution posted:Yes Thanks for the advice, scheduled a seating last night... half way across the country. Mini-vacation! HeroOfTheRevolution posted:I certainly wouldn't consider becoming a FSO to be a Plan A.
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Jan 28, 2012 03:51
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HeroOfTheRevolution posted:Background checks for a clearance can take 6-9 months quite easily, and then you're at the mercy of whenever they hold a class. Which, given the current budget climate, probably won't be very often for the next few years. Yea but everyone I ever talked to who entered the FSO had the whole process take no more than 14-15 months - from the written test all the way to their first a100 class. So basically what you are saying is that, based on the current hiring situation, the whole process is getting pushed out to nearly two years?
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Jan 28, 2012 04:02
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Not e2 or Carlson actually. Travel techs and packout company.PrezCamachoo posted:Yea but everyone I ever talked to who entered the FSO had the whole process take no more than 14-15 months - from the written test all the way to their first a100 class. I had about as smooth as possible path through the application process. I started in what, July 2009 (the OP was written in its prior form when I was applying for the written test). I started A-100 in March 2011. My security clearance only took a month or two, WAY faster than usual. Especially if you're overseas it can take 6+ months easily. And I only waited I think 3 months for an A-100 class, when they were in a much better budget climate than we are now, with classes being cancelled/postponed. 18 months is realistically the minimum, and probably closer to 24 the way classes are being scheduled (Between march 2011 and march 2012 there have been 6 scheduled A-100 classes, a much slower rate than it used to be).
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Jan 28, 2012 04:17
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When I came in it took me 27 months from FSWE to A-100. The process is better since then, but there have been dark days before.
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Jan 28, 2012 05:06
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PrezCamachoo posted:Yea but everyone I ever talked to who entered the FSO had the whole process take no more than 14-15 months - from the written test all the way to their first a100 class. Yes, and I bet you'll see the register fill up and more people expiring on the register with no offer. Edit: Uhg apartments. The piano player above us now has an accompanying vocalist. On the plus side my boss said he'd lone me two outdoor 1500 watt speakers and amp. TCD fucked around with this message at 20:27 on Jan 28, 2012 |
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Jan 28, 2012 15:03
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Looks like I'm an alternate for an internship for European and European Affairs in Moscow! If I am selected / take the internship, I really really really hope I won't have to pay for housing for an entire summer in Moscow. It'd cost nothing less than a fortune to live in Moscow for that long.
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Jan 28, 2012 23:51
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vegaji posted:Looks like I'm an alternate for an internship for European and European Affairs in Moscow! If I am selected / take the internship, I really really really hope I won't have to pay for housing for an entire summer in Moscow. It'd cost nothing less than a fortune to live in Moscow for that long. Yeah, I'm an alternate in China (Guangzhou) for this summer. I'm glad they provide housing there (if I ever get called up). You can check with them directly, they should be able to tell you. I know someone who interned in the Ukraine that was allowed to stay with a FSO (who volunteered). So it depends...
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Jan 29, 2012 03:51
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vegaji posted:Looks like I'm an alternate for an internship for European and European Affairs in Moscow! If I am selected / take the internship, I really really really hope I won't have to pay for housing for an entire summer in Moscow. It'd cost nothing less than a fortune to live in Moscow for that long. If you end up getting it, let me know. I have friends who work for USAID in Moscow. Hopefully the Embassy will be able to set you up, but if not, I'd be happy to try to help. I know people who've been in each of the three possible situations (living with an FSO, having housing provided, and being on their own) during State internships; the latter two were at the same Embassy, so I have no clue how they decide who gets what. Hopefully Moscow provides housing, though, because as you say it would be $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. TCD posted:Edit: Uhg apartments. pamchenko fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Jan 30, 2012 |
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Jan 30, 2012 21:27
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pamchenko posted:
Yeah, it's probably a good thing we aren't allowed to bring firearms here...
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Jan 30, 2012 23:54
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 Houses own.I intend to blast the hell out of some dubstep tonight on my speakers just to bother the hyenas.
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Jan 31, 2012 11:47
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UNCLAS STATE 008588 SUBJECT: VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT - FOREIGN SERVICE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST 1. This is to alert posts that a vacancy announcement for Foreign Service Information Management Specialists will open on February 01, 2012. It will close on March 01, 2012. The announcement is available on https://www.careers.state.gov. 2. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. CLINTON
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Jan 31, 2012 12:28
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Vilerat posted:UNCLAS STATE 008588 It's a TRAP!!! I read something like this from Vile in 2007/early 08. Since then, I've been to Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt, UK, Belgium, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. While I have mixed opinions on the job, the lifestyle is amazing. TCD fucked around with this message at 13:57 on Jan 31, 2012 |
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Jan 31, 2012 13:51
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Please enlighten us on the mixed opinion on the job. I'm up for the OA in IMS. Am I committing career suicide? The low salary is a sticky point, especially compared to the other categories of specialists.
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Feb 1, 2012 00:34
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Though not limited to the IMS side, a Foreign Service job is still a government job, with all the good and bad that entails. But yeah, the lifestyle is hard to beat, and I've only ever felt "poor" when living in DC.
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Feb 1, 2012 01:39
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coconutcrab posted:Please enlighten us on the mixed opinion on the job. I'm up for the OA in IMS. Am I committing career suicide? The low salary is a sticky point, especially compared to the other categories of specialists. Eh? Pay is one of the areas where IMS are not penalized compared to other specialists. You are eligible for extra bonus pay for IT certs plus overtime. Probably only DS agents make more at the same grade. You're still admin promoted to 4 after a year and half in and if you're at a differential post, I'd say the money is quite good. I'd consider IMS as sort of an IT generalist so to speak. If that's cool with you, then this is a great gig. If you're highly specialized in certain areas of IT, then maybe I'd reconsider*. *You still get overseas experience and a TS clearance plus great managerial opportunities. You also will meet contractors and other government people which if you're not satisfied doing what you're doing, there are doors opened which might stay closed. Edit: to expand upon what BoF is saying, remember, you're posted to some pretty crazy areas. The airfare for me to go on safari in the Serengeti was like, 200 bucks. All the money that otherwise would have been spent traveling from the US to Serengeti I was able to use on pretty sweet hotel rooms. I also had a cheetah jump on the back of the safari suv with an open top. I looked behind me and saw orange fur. No other entry levelish IT job gives you that flexibility to even consider doing that. For 200 bucks, 1 hour plane flight and you can do it without taking a single day of vacation. I still took a few days of comp time because I went and chilled out at an all inclusive 5 star resort on Zanzibar. Indian Ocean was warmer than the air due to the shallow water. It was even warmer than the Red Sea off of Sharm el-Sheikh. TCD fucked around with this message at 04:12 on Feb 1, 2012 |
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Feb 1, 2012 03:41
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Good to know. I was referring to the starting range. IMS's start 42k - 63k, other specialties start 53k - 77k. This goes up for higher educational requirement specialties.
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Feb 1, 2012 05:18
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http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-addisababa/dining/verres gently caress yes. This owns, the hotel just opened and we didn't have a good French restaurant in town (we don't really have much international dining at all in town, actually).
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Feb 1, 2012 11:35
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Diplomaticus posted:http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-addisababa/dining/verres I love this hotel chain. Stayed at the one in Istanbul on the cheap thanks to low season and the government rate. Their Turkish hammam grinded my bones into jelly, though. I love this life partly because I will never need to stay in a hostel ever. I have friends in pretty much any city to stay with, and barring that I can actually afford to stay somewhere decent. For a dude in his late twenties, you can't beat it.
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Feb 1, 2012 13:45
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coconutcrab posted:Good to know. I was referring to the starting range. IMS's start 42k - 63k, other specialties start 53k - 77k. This goes up for higher educational requirement specialties. Yeah, we start at FP-5 but the admin promotion to 4 after 18 months puts us on range with nearly all the other specialists except medical. Once you add the optional skills pay, we're pretty decently compensated.
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Feb 1, 2012 14:11
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For the two IMS guys (hi Vile Rat), what is expected knowledge for an applicant? I read the description for the position and it is fairly vague. Will a degree in Computer Science, plus 2 years in support and a year in industry as a programmer (I graduate in May) prepare me adequately, or rather is there a wide-enough range of duties that I would be useful? My concern is that too much of my knowledge is computer science theory and not enough IT.
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Feb 2, 2012 00:56
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AgentSythe posted:For the two IMS guys (hi Vile Rat), what is expected knowledge for an applicant? I read the description for the position and it is fairly vague. Will a degree in Computer Science, plus 2 years in support and a year in industry as a programmer (I graduate in May) prepare me adequately, or rather is there a wide-enough range of duties that I would be useful? My concern is that too much of my knowledge is computer science theory and not enough IT. I think you'd be okay. Review IT things like disaster recovery/contingency type stuff and basic admin stuff.
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Feb 2, 2012 01:11
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Do you know Active Directory? Does installing a network printer give you a woody? do you help mom with setting up her outlook? You're qualified!
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Feb 2, 2012 10:08
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Vilerat posted:do you help mom with setting up her outlook? I think anyone under the age of 30 automatically becomes their parent's IT help line.
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Feb 2, 2012 15:40
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We are pleased to inform you that we are accepting applications for the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service Security Protective Specialist positions. Click here (http://careers.state.gov/specialist/vacancy-announcements/sps) for more information, and to start the Gateway to State online application process via USAJobs. Please note that the deadline to submit completed applications is February 20, 2012. Potential applicants are strongly urged to read the entire vacancy announcement to ensure they meet all of the requirements for this position, and fully understand the special circumstances involving a career in the Foreign Service before applying. All applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 20 years old to apply and at least 21 years of age to be appointed. Please visit our forums if you have any questions, or to search for answers regarding the Foreign Service Specialist selection process. The forums can be found under Engage on the careers.state.gov website. We appreciate your interest in a career with the U.S. Department of State. U.S. citizenship is required. An equal opportunity employer.
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Feb 2, 2012 16:56
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Diplomaticus posted:http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-addisababa/dining/verres Cool. I've been in the Sheraton a few times, but it never seemed like a good place to get a meal. I used to head over to this Lebanese place nearby (I think) that used to knock my socks off.
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Feb 2, 2012 17:44
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Network printers get me semi-hard, but get me around dcpromo and I'm knocking things off of shelves. I'm applying today, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
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Feb 2, 2012 18:36
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AgentSythe posted:Network printers get me semi-hard, but get me around dcpromo and I'm knocking things off of shelves. I'm applying today, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Put those fisticuffs away, you won't be doing much dcpromo.
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Feb 2, 2012 19:24
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Shageletic posted:Cool. I've been in the Sheraton a few times, but it never seemed like a good place to get a meal. I used to head over to this Lebanese place nearby (I think) that used to knock my socks off. Sheraton has a couple good places: the Italian and Indian places are quite good, even by US standards.
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Feb 2, 2012 19:25
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Finally decided to register for the FSOT today, not realizing the deadline was yesterday I think. Oh well, more time to study for the one later this year. I've seen people mention that it's very easy. Can anyone elaborate? If I read through AP world history/us history/economics books will I be good to go for those sections?
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Feb 2, 2012 23:49
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