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LimburgLimbo posted:Are there people that start out in the FS at 30? Also how much does what's on your resume count? I read in the OP about how various universities were represented, so does backgound not count for much? I'm pretty sure background counts considerably. You can't be just knowledgeable, you actually have to do things in your life that demonstrates you got what it takes to be a FSO.
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Jan 24, 2014 18:44
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SCRwM posted:A little over a month at post and I'm finding myself wearing more shirts and ties than I have my entire professional career. I thought you IMS folks had more latitude in the dress department -- is Tblisi that formal?
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Jan 25, 2014 00:04
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LimburgLimbo posted:Sorry if this question gets asked a lot/has been answered before/was in the OP and I missed it, but what kind of ages are there in the Foreign Service? Is there an age limit? I started at 39 this past July, and I've encountered ELOs in their late 40s / early 50s. As far as background goes, My BA was from New Mexico State, and my law degree was was from Baylor (good Texas law school, but not ivy league). I think my professional background is what got me through the process, and my common education did not seem to hurt at all.
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Jan 25, 2014 00:14
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d1rtbag posted:I thought you IMS folks had more latitude in the dress department -- is Tblisi that formal? It's not super formal, but I've found I feel more comfortable wearing a shirt and tie, especially if I know I have some work to do with/for the Exec. office. It's also cold here so it's keeping me warm. Probably by the summer I'll be back to khaki pants and polo shirts. How's language class going?
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Jan 25, 2014 04:32
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LimburgLimbo posted:Sorry if this question gets asked a lot/has been answered before/was in the OP and I missed it, but what kind of ages are there in the Foreign Service? Is there an age limit? I started just shy of my 40th birthday. I got my BA in Political Science, but I'm an IMS (Information Management Specialist). I had close to 13 years of IT experience in the private and public sector prior to joining. If I were to guess I'd say the average starting age of people joining the FS is somewhere in their 30's.
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Jan 25, 2014 04:36
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So for all the fsogoons that play Wargame: Airland Battle and are looking forward to Red Dragon, how many of you plan on creating a Taiwan deck called "One China Policy"?
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Jan 25, 2014 04:44
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LimburgLimbo posted:Sorry if this question gets asked a lot/has been answered before/was in the OP and I missed it, but what kind of ages are there in the Foreign Service? Is there an age limit? Your pedigree doesn't count for anything in the sense that having a Harvard degree will count more during the selection process. That being said, the process is based on you: your personality, your outlook, your skills, your approach to work/life, your knowledge, your ability to express and display all of that stuff. So in that sense, your background is huge. If you come from a well educated globe-trotting background with years of professional experience, you've got advantages over those who don't have all of that. But the decisions aren't based on a resume, they are based on two written tests and an oral assessment. I haven't met anyone who hasn't gone to college but the FS claims it isn't a requirement and I believe them. I know people who haven't gone to college but who would have great chances of getting in if they were inclined. This is an amazing job and I recommend starting the process and trying to get in. The process takes so long and success rates are so low, it's never a good idea to bank on getting into the FS. The best situation to be in is to have a job or reliable career path that you are happy with (and not contractually obligated to stay in) because statistically, if you apply to the FS, odds are good that you'll still be doing whatever it is you are doing now at the same time next year. If you make it through and get a job offer, bounce on whatever you're doing and take it. This isn't easy and many people feel bad for leaving their employer, but you'll get over it (and probably pretty quickly). Good luck!
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Jan 25, 2014 13:37
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Which embassy employees typically don't have to pay local sales taxes? FSOs only? Some specialists? Depends on country?
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Jan 25, 2014 16:31
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Anything tax related is going to differ from country to country depending on treaty status. In practice this will often come down to whether or not you are eligible for a VAT refund in that country. I'd assume specialists and generalists are treated equally in this regard and that whatever rule governs it is written to cover "U.S. direct hire employees" or something like that. Often, however, taxes can be impossible to avoid if they're built into the price (for instance surtax, excise tax on fuel or liquor, etc.)
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Jan 25, 2014 17:29
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SCRwM posted:It's not super formal, but I've found I feel more comfortable wearing a shirt and tie, especially if I know I have some work to do with/for the Exec. office. It's also cold here so it's keeping me warm. Probably by the summer I'll be back to khaki pants and polo shirts. It's sometimes fun, sometimes brutal, but with Japanese it's usually a little bit of both. Fortunately, we don't don't have to learn much Keigo (humble form) for the 2/0. Last month, we had assessments, and I was on track, and I still have 3 months to go. By the time I get to post, I will have forgotten that I have job functions beyond learning a language 
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Jan 25, 2014 20:37
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Leif. posted:Anything tax related is going to differ from country to country depending on treaty status. In practice this will often come down to whether or not you are eligible for a VAT refund in that country. I'd assume specialists and generalists are treated equally in this regard and that whatever rule governs it is written to cover "U.S. direct hire employees" or something like that. Yeah, in all three posts, we've paid VAT. That was either because we couldn't get it back (2 of them) or the process was such a pain in the rear end that it wasn't worth it. So really, the whole tax thing "depends".
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Jan 25, 2014 22:11
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joe123456 posted:Which embassy employees typically don't have to pay local sales taxes? FSOs only? Some specialists? Depends on country? Here we got ID cards that entitles us to not have to pay VAT. Of course, that is at "big" stores. Small mom and pop shops, farmers markets etc we still have to pay VAT.
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Jan 26, 2014 04:38
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d1rtbag posted:It's sometimes fun, sometimes brutal, but with Japanese it's usually a little bit of both. Fortunately, we don't don't have to learn much Keigo (humble form) for the 2/0. Last month, we had assessments, and I was on track, and I still have 3 months to go. By the time I get to post, I will have forgotten that I have job functions beyond learning a language It is/was a bit of an adjustment in going from FSI "learn" mode to "work" mode.
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Jan 26, 2014 05:47
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d1rtbag posted:It's sometimes fun, sometimes brutal, but with Japanese it's usually a little bit of both. Fortunately, we don't don't have to learn much Keigo (humble form) for the 2/0. Last month, we had assessments, and I was on track, and I still have 3 months to go. By the time I get to post, I will have forgotten that I have job functions beyond learning a language I must know you then, even though I don't know you. I carry a big leather bag and have been wearing my blue ski jacket in this weather. Often have over the ear headphones perched on my head.
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Jan 26, 2014 20:02
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Nutrimentia posted:I must know you then, even though I don't know you. I carry a big leather bag and have been wearing my blue ski jacket in this weather. Often have over the ear headphones perched on my head. Okay, I'm a Rosslyn guy -- I've usually got a black jacket and black wool cap, and a scraggly beard coming in. I'm on the late shift, but get to the cafeteria around 8:30.
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Jan 27, 2014 00:22
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d1rtbag posted:Okay, I'm a Rosslyn guy -- I've usually got a black jacket and black wool cap, and a scraggly beard coming in. I'm on the late shift, but get to the cafeteria around 8:30. This could describe about half of the riders on the FSI shuttle.
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Jan 27, 2014 01:43
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psydude posted:This could describe about half of the riders on the FSI shuttle. Haha -- since I'm hefty, I tend to look like a middle-aged longshoreman.
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Jan 27, 2014 02:06
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SCRwM posted:Here we got ID cards that entitles us to not have to pay VAT. Of course, that is at "big" stores. Small mom and pop shops, farmers markets etc we still have to pay VAT. We pay VAT up front here but you can get it back. You have to save your receipts and take them back to the store. Then they add it all up (different rates for essential vs. luxury items) and you take the form the store prints and get your refund. Well that is the basic explanation. I am still waiting of course for the refund and have not determined exactly how long it takes to actually get it. People that are buying big ticket items, like phones or TVs usually get the form from the store at the time of purchase. You have to spend at least $120 or so before you can qualify for the refund so for the mom and pops-- I don't even worry about it.
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Jan 27, 2014 13:14
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Anyone have firearms that they take with them when posted overseas? I assume that the ability to do so is country specific. What about concealed weapons permit? I assume that for most countries this isn't allowed. Any State Dept regulation out there that prohibits carrying weapon while posted abroad?
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Jan 27, 2014 15:48
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I don't think there's a general policy, it seems like it's dependent on the laws of the country. If you're already working for the Department, I think there's often info on local laws in Post Reports. I do not have first-hand experience with this, though.
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Jan 27, 2014 15:53
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joe123456 posted:Anyone have firearms that they take with them when posted overseas? I assume that the ability to do so is country specific. What about concealed weapons permit? I assume that for most countries this isn't allowed. Any State Dept regulation out there that prohibits carrying weapon while posted abroad? All this very much "depends".
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Jan 27, 2014 17:25
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joe123456 posted:Anyone have firearms that they take with them when posted overseas? I assume that the ability to do so is country specific. What about concealed weapons permit? I assume that for most countries this isn't allowed. Any State Dept regulation out there that prohibits carrying weapon while posted abroad? 
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Jan 27, 2014 21:38
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joe123456 posted:Anyone have firearms that they take with them when posted overseas? I assume that the ability to do so is country specific. What about concealed weapons permit? I assume that for most countries this isn't allowed. Any State Dept regulation out there that prohibits carrying weapon while posted abroad? Country-specific. In most (all?) cases you'll need Chief of Mission approval to bring it with you to post. (In my last post, on paper it was theoretically possible to bring one, but that permission would never be given to non-LEO personnel.) In any case, you'd never carry it, it'd be more for competition shooting or hunting/recreational shooting. Again, subject to local laws on that sort of thing, as well. In practice, forget shooting for a while.
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Jan 27, 2014 22:04
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Hahaha
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Jan 27, 2014 23:28
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Leif. posted:Country-specific. In most (all?) cases you'll need Chief of Mission approval to bring it with you to post. (In my last post, on paper it was theoretically possible to bring one, but that permission would never be given to non-LEO personnel.) In any case, you'd never carry it, it'd be more for competition shooting or hunting/recreational shooting. Again, subject to local laws on that sort of thing, as well. Thanks for the info.
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Jan 28, 2014 01:46
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SCRwM posted:A little over a month at post and I'm finding myself wearing more shirts and ties than I have my entire professional career. It depends, really. Really. In Singapore I was told to dress down, because everyone else wanted jeans & polos. Manila it's suits/slacks and Tokyo was suits. joe123456 posted:Anyone have firearms that they take with them when posted overseas? I assume that the ability to do so is country specific. What about concealed weapons permit? I assume that for most countries this isn't allowed. Any State Dept regulation out there that prohibits carrying weapon while posted abroad? If you're not a RSO or LEO-in-capacity I would say "forget it" since I believe you need Chief of Mission authority. And no, you don't get a diplomatic pouch exemption for it. (Yes, people have tried) edit: the department does offer controlled storage, and that allows firearms iirc so they can be safe while you are overseas. LimburgLimbo posted:Sorry if this question gets asked a lot/has been answered before/was in the OP and I missed it, but what kind of ages are there in the Foreign Service? Is there an age limit? the only 'hard' caps are 21 and 50 (or 54). If you're younger than 21 or older than 54, you don't have much of a shot. If you're around your 30s, I would say that is the average starting age bracket. While wants on your resume 'counts' it is not strictly emphasized on, unlike other jobs. Like Nutrimenta said it's more about you, your personality, and how well you play with others. Recommended reading: 2007 OIG Report on Luxembourg http://oig.state.gov/documents/organization/156129.pdf as you can see, you can get a nice assignment, but when it comes down to it, if morale gets low nobody cares about resumes.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:12
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d1rtbag posted:Okay, I'm a Rosslyn guy -- I've usually got a black jacket and black wool cap, and a scraggly beard coming in. I'm on the late shift, but get to the cafeteria around 8:30. I'm on the late shift for this week as well, in Korean. I figure we must be crossing paths in the Korean/Japanese/Chinese hallways. If we don't bump into each other this week, though, I'm on the early shift. I see that the Japanese teaching staff has had some turnover lately.
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Jan 28, 2014 07:01
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The maximum age to enter the Foreign Service (non-RSO) is 59 1/2. This is to allow sufficient time for one's pension to vest before mandatory retirement at 65.
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Jan 28, 2014 11:48
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There's a post on the department of state website. The group exercise portion of the oral assessment has a new component, the debriefing. An assessor plays the part of the ambassador and asks you follow up questions in a one on one session (with another assessor present) For you guys past the OA, what do you think?
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Jan 28, 2014 18:21
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Anyone have any experience using a virtual mailbox for your regular mail? Essentially a company you pay gives you a mailing address and as your mail is delivered to this address digitizes it for you to view on the web. I assume that if I am in a country with crappy internet, State would allow me to use the govts internet to view my mail. The company I am thinking about using is virtualpost. Apparently, they will also forward packages to APO/DPO addresses.
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Jan 28, 2014 19:42
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Finally got through. Start the internship program in a couple of weeks.  Quick question, Business formal for interns, do they expect us in Polo shirts, or does it differ by department?
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Jan 28, 2014 20:12
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Gravel Gravy posted:Finally got through. Start the internship program in a couple of weeks. Woo hoo! Congrats.
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Jan 28, 2014 20:30
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Gravel Gravy posted:Finally got through. Start the internship program in a couple of weeks. Congrats! You should be in a suit on your first day to be safe. See how the rest of your office dresses from there. You won't go wrong with shirt/tie/slacks every day, and keep a jacket on hand in case you have to meet with someone important. The State Department is pretty formal compared to most offices.
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Jan 28, 2014 21:57
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Yeah, go suit and tie. You can take the jacket off the first day if it's too formal.
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Jan 28, 2014 22:36
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I just signed up for the FSOT exam after some encouragement from a friend of mine who works for the State Department. I kind of wish I started this process two years ago when I first bumped into this thread, but oh well. Here's hoping for a February invitation!
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Jan 28, 2014 22:40
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I spent last week assisting the Secretary's communication team in Davos. I spent one night watching over the equipment in a penthouse apartment overlooking the slopes with a jacuzzi and some beer cooling in the snow. This can be a pretty good gig. I didn't actually use the jacuzzi. But the beer was nice, and the view was unbelievable
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Jan 28, 2014 22:48
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Gravel Gravy posted:Finally got through. Start the internship program in a couple of weeks. Congrats on the internship. I'm applying again for the fall, I have a couple of questions, would you mind if I emailed you about them?
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Jan 28, 2014 22:59
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Ramms+ein posted:Congrats on the internship. I'm applying again for the fall, I have a couple of questions, would you mind if I emailed you about them? I suppose so. Halemtw at gmail dot com
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Jan 29, 2014 02:55
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AKA Pseudonym posted:I spent last week assisting the Secretary's communication team in Davos. I spent one night watching over the equipment in a penthouse apartment overlooking the slopes with a jacuzzi and some beer cooling in the snow. This can be a pretty good gig. This is awesome.
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Jan 29, 2014 09:59
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lushka16 posted:I just signed up for the FSOT exam after some encouragement from a friend of mine who works for the State Department. Woohoo, got an invitation! Time to study study study.
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Jan 29, 2014 18:51
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