|
Would the state department pay partial/full tuition for your child to go to a boarding school in the US? I could see how some FSOs might want to send their high school aged children to a boarding school in DC (or elsewhere) so that their academic/social lives are not disturbed by the constant moving.
|
#
¿
Apr 28, 2013 22:26
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 1, 2024 18:54 |
|
|
How much does fluency is Arabic help in the application process. I've noticed that you get a whopping + .50 to your score on the register but I was wondering how much is helps you to actually get on the register. This is assuming that you are a qualified candidate and make decent FSOT/FSOA scores but nothing exceptional. I'm currently in the Peace Corps and was looking at some Peace Corps Reponse/NGO positions in various parts of the Middle East for when I finish my service. A big draw to doing this would be the lingual and cultural fluency and all of the doors that would open in regards to the Foreign Service. Of course, I find the Middle East incredibly interesting as well as the type of work I would be doing. My other, safer career option would be to use my NCE to secure an interesting federal job and then work towards the federal service from there. I still have a while left in my current Peace Corps assignment but I like to plan for the future during my downtime.. Any advice would be appreciated!
|
|
#
¿
Jun 14, 2013 22:02
|
|
|
How easy for it a married couple to both serve as FSOs? My girlfriend and I are both in the peace corps right now and have our sights set on the FS a few years down the road. Is it possible to get the same country assignments throughout a career? What sort of professional opportunities are there for spouses with graduate degrees (MPP)? I read on the state department website that some posts have a program where qualified spouses can serve as a temporary FSO without going through the normal application process. I know it has been touched on earlier in this thread, wanted to see if there was any new insight or policy changes on this topic. The charge d' affaire for our country of service recently ordered some study books for us. Looks like a fun test/process!
|
|
#
¿
Jan 10, 2014 23:23
|
|
|
Nutrimentia posted:Success (or at least happiness) in the Foreign Service, at least based on my minimal experience after 1 tour in West Africa and a few months of training in DC, depends on one's ability to make yourself happy regardless of circumstances. People who depend on their environment entirely for their well-being are going to struggle in some if not many environments where we work. Others are able to made do; Lemons & lemonade, yadda yadda yadda and sometimes you just have to settle for lemon water, but at least its better than just water, right? (the really cool people, though, ferment the lemon juice and party!) Great! I think most peace corps volunteers that complete their service have this covered. Thanks for the great thread guys. Will continue to follow along and hopefully begin contributing when I start the application process in a year or two. My goal is to get a job as a refugee or asylum officer with the USCIS right out of peace corps. I plan to start the application process for the FS once I am well settled. I know it is a different agency, but does anyone have any insight into those two positions with USCIS? Particularly the refugee officer position.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 12, 2014 00:24
|
|
|
Would taking a contracting job within the intelligence community make it more difficult to get a job as a FSO later in a career?
grenada fucked around with this message at 14:11 on Jan 19, 2017 |
|
#
¿
Jan 19, 2017 00:19
|
|
|
Yea, CF seems like USAID's OFDA, but with much better benefits. It looks like your CF service is credible towards FERS, and you get matching TSP and other Fed benefits. The only difference with regular fed job seems to be that it is term limited and there is no career status. At the very least they should give 1 year of NCE like they do for Peace Corps volunteers. No reason to impede those who have served their country abroad from continuing a federal career.
grenada fucked around with this message at 17:37 on May 13, 2017 |
|
#
¿
May 13, 2017 17:31
|
|
|
Maybe 1of7 meant the clearance was revoked?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 6, 2017 16:17
|
|
|
TCD posted:I know several reserve officers who are full time FSOs. How do they do their monthly reserve duties? Do they get admin leave for their annual two week training?
|
|
#
¿
Nov 7, 2017 02:20
|
|
|
zzonkmiles posted:The FSOT is the easiest stage of the process. But a lot of people pass the multiple choice section, but fail the essay. Others take the test just to see what happens even though they know they didn't study. So maybe people who failed it before now have the benefit of experience or are more serious about their studying. It's impossible to know. Yea I took it in February for the first time without studying. Did decent on the multiple choice with a 173 but got a 5 on the essay. I was exhausted by the time the essay section came up and froze, only getting two paragraphs down. I'll take it again next year and practice timed essay response beforehand.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 16, 2019 23:17
|
|
|
zzonkmiles posted:If you got a 5 on the essay, I would recommend a rescore. A 5 means that one rater passed you (with a 3) while the other rater failed you (with a 2). With a rescore, if your score is revised to a 6, you can continue the hiring process with the next cohort at the PN/QEP stage instead of waiting a year for the FSOT again. Contact Pearson. There's no downside for you to do so. I thought about it, but my essay was only two paragraphs full paragraphs, with a one sentence conclusion paragraph. My argument was good, so I guess one of the graders took pity on me. I'll give them a call tomorrow. No reason not to give it a go - thanks! This year was a test run for the FS, but I was hoping to make it as far as possible so that I could get OA experience.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 17, 2019 12:47
|
|
|
It seems like they’ve revised the system for the February FSOT. PNs are now submitted as per of the registration process in Pearson VUE.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 1, 2020 13:28
|
|
|
It’s worth it to buy a $15 annual subscription to checkbook.org’a FEHB database to compare health plans. I get access for free through my domestic agency. State might also provide free access. Gives a really good breakdown of costs for each plan. Taking the FSOT this week. I did really well on the multiple choice but bombed the essay a few years ago. Gonna practice essays over these next few days.Hoping to make it into the FS within the next few years!
|
|
#
¿
Jun 5, 2021 16:05
|
|
|
TheLemonOfIchabod posted:Thanks! I didn’t even know diplomats in residence were a resource—I will contact mine for sure. Is there a track that is more suited to people with experience in academic writing? I wouldn’t say that maintaining the tone and style of academic writing is a high priority for me, but I guess I would be curious to know (truth be told, all the tracks are of some interest to me, but PD and POL are probably drawing me the most at this point). I can do coherent and short in addition to bloviating and verbose. https://www.plainlanguage.gov/ I'm not in the FS but I imagine it's the same within any agency once you start writing decision or policy memos that have to go through multiple levels of clearance. Your writing will get ripped apart if it is not direct, brief, and clear.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 25, 2021 14:00
|
|
|
I imagine people in that second group are continuing to apply as an FSO while working as a CF. So I bet a lot of them become FSOs before the end of the 5 years. They’ve already made the register so I imagine they only become more competitive as CFs.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 3, 2021 13:51
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 1, 2024 18:54 |
|
|
Leif. posted:So anyone here looking at doing the LEPP thing? I'm going to throw my hat in the ring. FSO was my dream when I first got out of the peace corps but I climbed the ranks very quickly in my current agency and felt like I got golden handcuffs. My current job is very high profile within my agency (liaison to OMB and appropriations staff for a portfolio of programs) so I'm hoping it translates well for this process.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 7, 2024 16:38
|
|