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Slaan posted:So I'm in the middle of my Peace Corps service and about to finish training. I asked the charge d'affaires when she spoke to us if they offer the FSOT at the embassy and she said they did once a year. Great! But it will be a bit hard to study for it from the middle of the African savannah. Did anyone take the FSOT (and pass it?) during Peace Corps service here? I'm interested in what you think. I'll certainly try it both years I'm here in West Africa, but if there are any tips, I'd love to hear. Passing the FSOT doesn't seem particularly hard. It's getting past the QEP personal narratives that's tripping up most goons, myself included.
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Jul 26, 2012 14:48
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I took it last minute after a friend talked me into doing it with him, so I didn't study at all. It's super easy if you paid attention in social studies/ gov't class in high school. Just make sure your writing doesn't suck.
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Jul 26, 2012 15:42
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Jacobobb posted:Just make sure your writing doesn't suck. ^^ probably the best practice for the FSOT.
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Jul 26, 2012 15:45
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TCD posted:^^ probably the best practice for the FSOT. If any potential test takers want advice on that check my post history in thread. A question for anyone actually serving, particularly the generalists: how much of your writing is more academic styled and how much of it is general business prose? Obviously your cone is a huge factor in this but just looking for back of envelope level numbers.
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Jul 26, 2012 16:02
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Dameius posted:If any potential test takers want advice on that check my post history in thread. A question for anyone actually serving, particularly the generalists: how much of your writing is more academic styled and how much of it is general business prose? Obviously your cone is a huge factor in this but just looking for back of envelope level numbers. 0% academic, if by that you mean footnotes and law review style writing. The actual style is a bit more akin to journalism, but it has its own quirks and even grammatical issues to it.
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Jul 26, 2012 16:25
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Diplomaticus posted:0% academic, if by that you mean footnotes and law review style writing. The actual style is a bit more akin to journalism, but it has its own quirks and even grammatical issues to it. Quirks and grammatical issues aside then sounds like it comes in closer to Foreign Policy rather than Foreign Affairs? I am coauthoring an in-house training book at my current job and the writing for it is really dry, dull business style prose and it just bores me to tears. I had the thought that if generalists get stuck doing much the same their whole career I'd think twice about retaking the FSOT.
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Jul 26, 2012 23:07
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Slaan posted:So I'm in the middle of my Peace Corps service and about to finish training. I asked the charge d'affaires when she spoke to us if they offer the FSOT at the embassy and she said they did once a year. Great! But it will be a bit hard to study for it from the middle of the African savannah. Did anyone take the FSOT (and pass it?) during Peace Corps service here? I'm interested in what you think. I'll certainly try it both years I'm here in West Africa, but if there are any tips, I'd love to hear. I passed the FSOT when I took it during my PC service. It's definitely not the GRE or GMAT - most of the material you already know. There's a million online resources available for studying, just try and make time when you can make it into town and have internet access. Again.. it doesn't need to be a huge undertaking, spending more than 10 hours studying seems pointless to me. My best advice (especially if your living far up country) is to give yourself a day or 2 before the test to get into town and relax. Ironically, all the PCVs I know who took the test passed and our PC country director failed (he froze on the essay). The bigger hurdle appears to be the PNs.. But don't worry about that yet. If you really just fancy the foreign service lifestyle, check out the specialist positions as well. I applied for an opening as an IMS around the same time I took the test late last year, and now am currently in the July class attending the specialist orientation.
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Jul 26, 2012 23:38
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Packout report!  Day Two: All done! Finished a day early! Now for a day of cleaning, etc., then the weekend, then Glorious Nippon! Also, I have this sinking feeling that in a week I've managed to forget all the Japanese I learned over the course of last year. 
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Jul 27, 2012 02:52
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Whelp been in DC for most of the day, saw a lot of the museums and monuments. OA for IMS tomorrow. *crosses fingers*
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Jul 27, 2012 03:12
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Business of Ferrets posted:Packout report! It'll come back. Oh, it will come back. You staying in Asakasa?
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Jul 27, 2012 03:48
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jayk posted:
Holy poo poo, another one. Vile, you and AKA are like the grand-dad's in the Goon IMS world.
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Jul 27, 2012 12:57
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Dameius posted:Quirks and grammatical issues aside then sounds like it comes in closer to Foreign Policy rather than Foreign Affairs? I am coauthoring an in-house training book at my current job and the writing for it is really dry, dull business style prose and it just bores me to tears. I had the thought that if generalists get stuck doing much the same their whole career I'd think twice about retaking the FSOT. I don't read either so I couldn't say. It doesn't have to be dry; I'm saying that it's NOT like academic writing. Good Econ cable writing, for instance, reads sort of like the Economist. Obviously some subject matter will be more dry than others.
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Jul 27, 2012 14:37
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The Electronaut posted:Whelp been in DC for most of the day, saw a lot of the museums and monuments. OA for IMS tomorrow. *crosses fingers* Felt like I was going to hurl after the interview. Didn't pass. C'est la vie.
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Jul 27, 2012 19:30
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Well now you know what to expect!
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Jul 27, 2012 20:17
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The Electronaut posted:Felt like I was going to hurl after the interview. Didn't pass. C'est la vie. Doh.
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Jul 27, 2012 21:06
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TCD posted:Holy poo poo, another one. What hath we wrought? The Electronaut posted:Felt like I was going to hurl after the interview. Didn't pass. C'est la vie. I only got on the waiting list my first time around. The second time was a million times easier.
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Jul 27, 2012 21:16
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Zoots posted:I'm open to staying overseas but given my current med clearance I will likely go domestic. Pipe dream postings include USUN press and Ops. If I go back to NEA I would like to try for Oman or Israel. Something a little more low key, y'know? Legit. You know Erin P from Riyadh is the spokesperson now at USUN, right? And I don't think Israel qualifies as low key... Joe T (also from Riyadh, now TDY in Tripoli) spent six months there after he left Saudi. He's got some interesting stories about PD work there, not all pleasant. A good friend of mine from Turkey is going to the R front office - I'll put you in touch with her if you'd like once bidding rolls around.
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Jul 28, 2012 00:00
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Diplomaticus posted:Well now you know what to expect! Definitely, did not know what to really expect even having read through the instruction sheet the send along with offer to do the OA and reading some feedback from people in this thread and other places. I felt bad for the generalists on the side of the waiting room knowing what they go through is just that much more rough. TCD posted:Doh. Thanks.  Got to do all the big Smithsonian museums and monuments for the first time yesterday and saw the Archives today, so wasn't a total wash.
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Jul 28, 2012 01:34
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TCD posted:Holy poo poo, another one. There is an as of yet unnamed goon who is actually very high up in the IRM world.
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Jul 28, 2012 21:43
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Also there's a certain meteorological center sending out flash traffic that deserves a punch in the loving nose.
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Jul 29, 2012 00:35
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Vilerat posted:Also there's a certain meteorological center sending out flash traffic that deserves a punch in the loving nose. ALERT! ALERT! THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ARE OVER////PARTIALLY CLDY DAYS AHEAD////
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Jul 29, 2012 02:00
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Vilerat posted:There is an as of yet unnamed goon who is actually very high up in the IRM world. yeah, he's a pretty nice guy! Thanks for the introductions, btw
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Jul 29, 2012 03:57
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the_chavi posted:Legit. You know Erin P from Riyadh is the spokesperson now at USUN, right? And I don't think Israel qualifies as low key... Joe T (also from Riyadh, now TDY in Tripoli) spent six months there after he left Saudi. He's got some interesting stories about PD work there, not all pleasant. Yeah, maybe Israel shouldn't be described as low key. I was thinking more Tel Aviv than Jerusalem though. But given the Arabic training Jerusalem would be an easier bid, yeah? Would much appreciate the contacts. Didn't know we had a common friend in USUN. Dunno if I have a high enough rank to get the job, but thought I'd try regardless. Currently sitting on the train from Milan heading to Venice. There is the world's stinkiest dude sitting next to me. Just my luck.
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Jul 29, 2012 07:01
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Business of Ferrets posted:ALERT! ALERT! THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ARE OVER////PARTIALLY CLDY DAYS AHEAD//// My favorites are the unclass (not even SBU) NIACTS. Pick up the phone and call if you must wake up a person, or just wait until daybreak! HOLY poo poo Y'ALL THE SECRETARY'S GONNA GIVE A SPEECH ON NET FREEDOM NEXT WEEK, Y'ALL TUNE IN NOW, Y'HEAR? I do not envy you those jobs.
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Jul 29, 2012 21:48
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I've yet to see a NIACT or higher.
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Jul 29, 2012 23:05
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Diplomaticus posted:I've yet to see a NIACT or higher. lol Lucky you. They always seem to come in at the worst times.
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Jul 29, 2012 23:46
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the_chavi posted:My favorites are the unclass (not even SBU) NIACTS. Pick up the phone and call if you must wake up a person, or just wait until daybreak! HOLY poo poo Y'ALL THE SECRETARY'S GONNA GIVE A SPEECH ON NET FREEDOM NEXT WEEK, Y'ALL TUNE IN NOW, Y'HEAR? My favorite was 2 (?) years ago when we got a niact on a Friday to make sure everybody knew to put their flags at half staff on Monday. Our building didn't have a flag.
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Jul 30, 2012 05:53
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Guys, would you say there are a lot of similarities between the skills needed to be a journalist and the skills needed to be a political officer?
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Jul 30, 2012 22:07
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DasNeonLicht posted:Guys, would you say there are a lot of similarities between the skills needed to be a journalist and the skills needed to be a political officer? Yes. Edit: part of the job, at least. Most journalists don't have representational or policy responsibilities. And they don't have to escort VIPs around town. But from the actual reporting angle, yes, it's a lot like being an investigative journalist. Business of Ferrets fucked around with this message at 22:17 on Jul 30, 2012 |
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Jul 30, 2012 22:14
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Vilerat posted:My favorite was 2 (?) years ago when we got a niact on a Friday to make sure everybody knew to put their flags at half staff on Monday. Our building didn't have a flag.  Edit: Vile, no word from the lady on the TDY
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Jul 30, 2012 22:31
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Business of Ferrets posted:Yes. Seconded, with the caveat that you either have way better sources (govt contacts) who don't trust you because of Wikileaks, or your have civil society contacts who beg you for funding for their programs. I learned how to say no very effectively while still getting info I needed...
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Jul 30, 2012 23:55
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Congrats to any Specialists who had Flag Day today.
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Aug 1, 2012 03:19
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Whew! Finally ready to go to bed after a trip that started at 1pm yesterday, D.C. Time. Good thing the kids slept on the plane and are wired! Also, we were able to watch fireworks tonight from our living room window.
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Aug 1, 2012 14:45
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it is a beautiful moon out today, if you're jet lagged :P
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Aug 1, 2012 19:36
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Tyro posted:Congrats to any Specialists who had Flag Day today. Post results!!!! I know we've got at least one person here, an OMS right? Where are you going?
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Aug 1, 2012 19:42
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Skandiaavity posted:it is a beautiful moon out today, if you're jet lagged :P We noticed that! And we are!
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Aug 1, 2012 19:53
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Miscreant Fromage posted:Post results!!!! I know we've got at least one person here, an OMS right? Where are you going? Oh, not me, a friend of mine. I'm still waiting on my clearance.
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Aug 1, 2012 20:09
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Miscreant Fromage posted:Post results!!!! I know we've got at least one person here, an OMS right? Where are you going? I went to the ceremony. As far as I know, we had 1 OMS & 1 IMS in this class. But, I'll leave posting their results up to them.
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Aug 1, 2012 22:32
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Never, ever be President of your Employee Association. DON'T DO IT.
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Aug 1, 2012 23:19
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1of7 posted:I went to the ceremony. As far as I know, we had 1 OMS & 1 IMS in this class. But, I'll leave posting their results up to them. Kathmandu, IMS !!
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Aug 2, 2012 01:26
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