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A hearty gently caress you to all the posters here. I finally registered an account and hope to become a regular poster here. Actually, that all depends on how things go with my OA (which got postponed because of the snow in Washington). So yeah, this is my third time applying for the Foreign Service, but my first time making it to the OAs. Last year and the year before, I got gently caressed in the QEP stage. I REALLY don't want to go through this process again, so I hope things go well--whenever my OA is rescheduled. Right now I am stranded in my $250/night hotel room while the government is shut down. It has been snowing heavily ALL LOVING DAY. Hopefully the BEX assessors will take pity on us when we show up to the assessment (hopefully tomorrow) frazzled and visibly uncomfortable. Oh, and a big thanks to all of the posters here. It took several days, but I finally read through all 219 pages of this thread. This job sounds so exciting and unique. Anyway, I'm happy to be a goon! Now I just hope to become an FS goon!
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Mar 3, 2014 19:25
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Thanks for the welcome, Tyro. Looks like I can take the OA tomorrow as long as the government is not closed. I see a bunch of snowplows cleaning the roads, so hopefully tomorrow the government will be open or on a 2-hour delay. I am ready to get this over and done with. I am pretty optimistic about my chances. I have been participating in a weekly study group since early February and I have read a lot of blogs about what to expect. I attempted all my practice case exercises in 60 minutes as well. It's too bad that almost everyone else from my study group will be taking the OA on a different day because of today's cancellation, but oh well. I'll let you know how it goes. Also, I thought using "loving" and "gently caress" was the standard way of talking here. I thought it was pretty entertaining.
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Mar 4, 2014 00:37
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Leif. posted:Nope, it's an auto-filter for people without accounts, and people will sometimes jump on you for using it once you're registered. SA is a great community, just proceed slowly and you'll be fine. Thanks for the clarification, Leif, TCD and Tyro. But I guess it doesn't matter anymore. At my OA earlier this week, I passed the group exercise and structured interview, but I must have dropped a steaming turd on the case management exercise because I finished with an unspectacular 5.0. I am so disappointed, especially because I know how hard it is to make it to this point. Anyway, this was my first OA experience, but my third candidacy overall. I'll just have to try again next October and take that stupid FSOT again. I wish I could just skip that round. It's a loving timesink that I have passed all three times. I wish State would give candidates two attempts within a six-month period to pass the OA before forcing them to start over. Now I have to make it through the QEP round again, and that is not guaranteed--especially now. (I only passed that round once--my just failed candidacy.) I'll keep reading this board and contribute where I can. Sorry I couldn't join the party, but I'm not going to give up. Maybe the fourth time will be a charm!
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Mar 7, 2014 14:23
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In the wake of the (probable) crash of the Malaysian airliner, it got me thinking. Which airlines do FSOs typically use to hop from country to country? Could any FSOs have been on that doomed flight? News reports say 4 Americans (including an infant) were on the plane.
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Mar 8, 2014 17:38
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Today I got an email from State asking me to complete a survey regarding my recent OA. Ugh, that sucked. It's like a woman who broke up with me just sent me a survey asking what kind of girlfriend I thought she was. At the end of the survey, they asked if I had any feedback regarding how to improve the assessment process. I mentioned that it would be nice/reasonable/equitable for candidates who narrowly failed to be given a second chance to pass the OA on a space-available basis within a certain period (like 6 months or something). Treating a candidate who got a 5.2 the same as one who got a 3.8 just seems cruel, especially since all failed candidates have to make it past the frustrating QEPs one year later. I don't know if they'll ever consider such a change, but I think it sounds reasonable. Probably too late for me though! Anyway, I'll keep reading and posting here. I can experience the FS vicariously through you guys. And good luck to all of you who started A-100 this week!
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Mar 12, 2014 05:26
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Skandiaavity posted:i think he was referring to amazon prime (which does offer free shipping); not that it is always elgible. Just read that Amazon Prime will increase to $99/year starting later this year. Just FYI.
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Mar 14, 2014 02:44
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tismondo posted:The QEP is kind of a black box... They never give any feedback other than a final thumbs up or thumbs down, and the panel members rotate regularly so it's conceivable that individuals influence the process from year to year. No one except the people in the room really know what matters more. ^ What he said. State says that your FSOT scores (including the essay), your self-declared language proficiency and your resume are all taken into consideration. The BEX establishes a "cut-off score" which varies from cohort to cohort and from cone to cone. Candidates exceeding this score are invited to the OA; candidates who don't meet this score are relegated to taking the FSOT again one year later. In my three attempts, I was only invited to the OA on my last attempt and I had a 173/8 on the FSOT. My scores on my two previous attempts were also passing, but lower than this. When I took my (failed) OA earlier this month, the assessors said that the QEP for our cohort was very strict because the registers had too many candidates. So I'd imagine the QEP for the February 2014 cohort will also be really strict. Once the registers thin out a bit and once State hires at more than attrition again, the QEP may become a bit less severe.
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Mar 24, 2014 13:28
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Gravel Gravy posted:Maybe I am misunderstand your post, but when I took the FSOT there was a cutoff that you had to meet otherwise they wouldn't even look at the essay. The 154/6 cutoff still exists. I think what he means is that even though he passed the FSOT, his score was probably in the mid-150s to low-160s or so, rather than in the 180s. Kinda like saying a 5.4 is a meh OA score even though it's passing. Someone who got a 5.8 would say that's a good score.
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Mar 24, 2014 18:06
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d1rtbag posted:It seems very random. I reached out on a Friday and got the same response, then received notice that I was on the register the following Monday or Tuesday. For perspective I had a boring attorney background, with no close foreign friends, so it was about 2 weeks from interview to register. Others have different experiences, including one of my classmates who was the child of a foreign diplomat, and took 1.5-2 years. Thinking about this post, and trying to find some good in my own situation, if I pass the OA next year, my security clearance should take less time to adjudicate since the foreign addresses of me and my wife would be more than 7 years back in the past. So the investigators won't need to check on that stuff. Hopefully the register will be a little less congested as well!
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Apr 7, 2014 15:42
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Business of Ferrets posted:If I remember correctly, the forms say seven years but the investigators have you go back ten. Ugh, that sucks. I remember filling out the SF-86 forms and they only wanted 7 years of addresses and jobs. I hope that's changed, but I guess it hasn't. Either way, I'll be prepared if (or rather, when) I make it back to that stage. It's probably okay though simply because I've been hearing that only about half or 1/3 of the people on the register (these days) are actually getting called to the A-100 before timing off the register. But I appreciate the heads up anyway. Also, ChronoGamer, I'm guessing you like Chrono Trigger for the SNES? Excellent game. Much to the consternation of my wife, I'm a pretty hardcore gamer myself. ("But the future refused to change.") What games are you into? Do you even have time for gaming?
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Apr 7, 2014 18:07
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Captain Bravo posted:I hope you guys won't mind me posting here despite not having read much more than the first page, but I've been considering applying as an FSO. I took the practice FSOT, and got a 57 and a 54, so I think I'd have the skills to pass the test at least. I was hoping you guys wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me. Hey dude. Welcome. I can tell you that your educational background and work experience only really matter for the 2nd round of the process--the "personal narratives/qualifications evaluation panel" stage. This is the stage where the QEP (which consists of actual FSOs) looks at your resume and overall application and decide whether to refer you to the third round (the Oral Assessment). Not having any foreign language skills is not an automatic disqualifier, but I would be lying if I told you that being able to speak Chinese or Hindi or Arabic wouldn't be a nice feather in your cap. Honestly, I'd imagine the biggest benefit of knowing a foreign language is being able to take a proficiency test in that language. If you pass it, you will be guaranteed to serve in a country that speaks that language at least once. Your experience in media would make you an obvious fit for the public diplomacy track. I have a journalism/mass communication background also and applied for PD twice, but never was invited to the Oral Assessment. Regarding where you'll be assigned, State says one condition of employment as an FSO is worldwide availability. So you may be in potentially dangerous areas (Bolivia, Egypt), areas where you cannot bring your family (Pakistan, Iraq), areas with inhospitable climates (Mongolia, Nepal), or areas without modern conveniences (Malawi, Laos). I am not an FSO, but from what I've heard, it's rare for a new officer to be assigned to one of these "hardship" locations. But if you end up with a cushy job as your first assignment (France, Australia, Italy), your chances of being sent somewhere considerably less cushy (Laos, Nigeria) are higher. The only advice I can give you is to take each step of the application process seriously. If you fail any stage of the process, you have to start all over again one year after you took the FSOT the first time. (I'll be starting Candidacy #4 this fall.) Good luck!
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Apr 21, 2014 02:17
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] is it's own bag of worms, but I mean just in general what they'll let you take with you. I'm assuming that the department of state handles transportation and housing for you when you're abroad.)
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Skandiaavity posted:I believe there might be an office that handles inquiries, name escapes me at the moment. and although various countries claim sovereignty in certain regions, they aren't globally recognized (as well as the U.S. hasn't officially staked a claim there, was my understanding) I seem to remember finding a webpage that had the hardship differentials for all countries listed there. One of the areas was called "Antarctic region posts." So maybe there's a consulate or American interests section in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, or the South Sandwich Islands? I would be curious about working in such an office. As for Arabic, what about Bahrain or Qatar? The UAE is very safe, but the fact that there are so many internationals there would suggest to me that you'd be speaking English more than you'd be speaking Arabic.
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Apr 25, 2014 04:39
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Captain Bravo posted:I did it! I took the plunge! Friday, June 20th, I've got an appointment with Pearson VUE to take the FSOT exam in the next town over. Holy poo poo, this is exciting! Now I get to worry about studying/procrastinate at studying/cram session the night before! It's like being in college all over again. Congratulations and good luck! I'll be one cohort behind you because I'll be taking the test (again) in October. As for any differences between Pearson VUE and ACT, while the actual test remains the same, the only difference I've observed is that the FSOT seems to be offered in fewer locations this time around. I don't know if that's because of Pearson or if it's because State wishes to cull the number of applicants or what. Or maybe I'm just blowing smoke. As for the actual FSOT, if you have general competency in world affairs, basic economics and how to speak/write English correctly, you should be fine. The QEP (the round after the FSOT) is where most candidacies go to die. Heh.
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May 1, 2014 12:57
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d1rtbag posted:If you're not married to the Political cone, consider what cone your work experience / education matches with. I chose the consular cone due to interest in the work and my legal background, but my first assignment in Tokyo will be 1 year consular, 1 year political. I am not an FSO, but if you need any information on living in Japan, I can help you with that. I used to work there for several years. Great country--especially if you have language skills. Good luck! If you have any specific (non-FSO) questions about life in J-land, you can reach me at my username at the free email service provided by Google.
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May 5, 2014 15:06
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The Mantis posted:Good Afternoon Mr. The Mantis: Congratulations on surviving the FSO hiring gauntlet! Good luck!
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May 6, 2014 13:12
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It appears that the FSOT process is getting worse. People are complaining on the State board about how the new test administrator (Pearson VUE) is not offering the test in as many locations. Even in major cities, there are few testing opportunities. I wonder if this could potentially limit the number of actual candidates? But I would have thought that was the function of the QEP. But what do I know?
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May 7, 2014 00:50
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The Mantis posted:Welcome! I would also add that even if you just passed your OA with a 5.6, if there are 25 other people on the register with a 5.6 (setting aside the people who scored higher than that), you will be the 26th ranked 5.6 candidate because you are the newest candidate with that score. And if there are only 25 slots for the next A-100 class, all the people with a higher OA score (and/or combination of veterans points and language points) AND people with the same score as you who have been on the register longer than you will be called to class ahead of you (unless they are on do-not-call status). I do not know how long the registers are, but I have heard from several candidates at the OA (who were already on the register and were pursuing a second candidacy) that the political and public diplomacy cones were the most competitive. You could indeed get on the register as a political or PD candidate with a 5.4, but you likely won't get an A-100 offer. I also suspect that people thought the management and consular cones were easier to get into because they were "less popular," but that ended up causing a glut of candidates on those registers, so even if your score is as high as theirs, they will still be called to class before you because of what I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Bottom line up front: Choose the cone that interests you the most. Don't try to game the system. And from what I can understand, you will not always take job assignments in your particular cone at State. In other words, an economic cone officer might have to take a position as a management officer, for example. Disclaimer: I am on the outside looking in, so I could be wrong about this. But maybe another poster who survived the gauntlet can vouch for what I'm saying!
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May 8, 2014 13:56
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Skandiaavity posted:it's kind of funny how everyone "wants" Paris, and yet I hear nothing but horror-or-hilarity stories from people actually posted there. Interesting. If I ever make it on the inside, I wouldn't bid on places like Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Berlin, Brussels, etc. at all. (Or rather, I would bid them as low for my first assignment.) Different strokes and all. As for the poster who asked about letters and the OA, the letter will be similar to the one you got after the FSOT. If the first word is "Congratulations!," then you are heading to the OA and you will receive special instructions in the letter about what steps you need to take in order to prepare. If the first word is NOT "Congratulations!," then you'll be back at square one. The QEP round is by far the most frustrating.
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May 16, 2014 13:21
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So the QEP results for the February 2014 cohort are coming out today or sometime this week. Good luck to everyone, but this stage is the most frustrating of all!
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May 27, 2014 14:24
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The Yahoo boards are saying that QEP results came out today. If you haven't gotten yours, check your spam/junk folders. Most people are reporting that they did not pass. It seems that now is not really a good time to try becoming an FSO because of the stricter QEP boards and the longer registers. I guess once the registers thin out a bit from attrition or being called to A-100, maybe things will get a bit easier.
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May 27, 2014 17:31
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TCD posted:Again, not dismissing you, but at entry level grades, especially for a few specialists, certain EUR countries can be financially difficult if you need to pay for child care. I'm aware of this situation at only a handful of posts, but it does exist and it's certainly a problem a few people face. Could you elaborate on this a bit, please? Define "entry level grades." I'm going to try for this job one more time and if I successfully make it through, I would be brought on as an FP-4, Step 14. And I have two young children who would need childcare.
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May 30, 2014 13:16
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TCD posted:I'm talking FP-6 around step 1. I doubt you'll have much of a problem at FP-4 step 14. Thanks man. If I ever make it through this drat process, you're getting the first beer from me in DC. Fortunately, I don't have much interest in Europe. Hopefually East Asia and Southeast Asia are more affordable or easier posts to get!
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May 30, 2014 15:02
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This is great information. At about which grade/step would an FSO be able to live more comforably than paycheck to paycheck? I'm talking married with two kids. (Edit: And a dog.)
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Jun 2, 2014 13:36
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Miscreant Fromage posted:Is it? I thought I had to do it in in the window they are offering OAs (July-Sep). If so I might be able to swing it next summer. I'll check, thanks! IIRC, when I received my OA invite, the letter stated that I was "guaranteed" a spot if I scheudled my OA for the cohort's actual OA window (which was March through June for the previous year's October FSOT cohort). The letter also said that I had a year to take the OA and that if I wanted to take my OA outside of the actual cohort's OA window, it would be on a space-available basis. I would presume that if I wanted to take the OA in, say, August, the people who would have first dibs on OA slots would be the February FSOT cohort. I remember the most popular OA days were Mondays, Fridays, and dates closer to the beginning of the OA window. My guess is that if you took the OA outside of your cohort's standard window, you might be stuck on a Tuesday or Wednesday on only two or three possible dates or something.
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Jun 3, 2014 13:28
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problematique posted:To give you a better idea this gives you a breakdown of what you'll earn at various posts. Thank you so much for this link. It helps a lot. If (and that's a big if) I make it through next time, I would be coming in as an FP-4 Step 14 (PhD + more than 10 years of full-time work experience). I just wasn't sure about the added expenses of FSO life and whether the extra benefits and allowances would offset that. I have a mortgage and student loans (which total about $1500/month) and I really don't want to sell my house. But that's something I can worry about later if I can make it through. Thanks again.
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Jun 3, 2014 13:31
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TCD posted:That would be a hilarious flag day. Have people actually broken down in tears at Flag Day when they think they're going to Belgium and they end up being assigned to Tajikistan?
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Jun 5, 2014 13:50
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I just got a notice in my email from Diplopundit about an Embassy Moscow FSO or FSS dying from injuries she sustained in a gas explosion/fire in her apartment building.  Wow, this is some seriously sad stuff. Much respect to all of you in the FS who willingly leave the comforts and security of home in order to serve in dangerous or inhospitable places and live in uncomfortable, dangerous or otherwise unsafe quarters. http://diplopundit.net/2014/06/06/us-embassy-moscow-fs-employee-hurt-in-apartment-building-gas-explosion-dies/ Please stay safe.
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Jun 6, 2014 21:04
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The Mantis posted:Grats! I'm sure I or someone else would be happy to read over your PNQs as you move forward. I think he actually passed the Oral Assessment, so he may be getting his medical and security clearances taken care of. In that case, those PNs are long gone. Congratulations! Seems like the registers are getting a little shorter, so your timing looks great!
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Jun 10, 2014 14:00
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I'm on the outside looking in, but from what I've heard, you can feel pretty confident with a 5.6 in consular as opposed to political or public diplomacy. You might not be invited to the very next A-100 class, but at least one class. I heard that with the May A-100, they dipped into the consular 5.5s to fill the remaining available class slots. Also, with language bonus points, I'd imagine you'd be a shoe-in. But remember, I am not on the register (didn't pass the OA). There is another Yahoo group for people who passed the OA and there is a shadow register there.
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Jun 10, 2014 19:18
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TCD posted:Today was a good day. I agree--with a vengeance.
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Jun 18, 2014 02:08
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Captain Bravo posted:So I've got two days left until my exam, and it's time to cram. Does anyone have any recommendations for what I should use as study material? Study geography, management psychology, American history, technology for dummies, basic economics, and English grammar. Many people stress out over the FSOT, especially if it's their first attempt. Really, this test weeds out people who probably have no business being an FSO because they don't know enough about the world. If you were able to find this particular thread, that tells me you are probably committed and knowledgeable enough to do just fine. Remember that you don't have to pass all three sections in order to pass the test. So you can bomb one section and do really well on the others and still pass.
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Jun 19, 2014 14:13
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Stolennosferatu posted:Sucks that you'll have to wait another few months to take the test again, but that's better than waiting another year. I hope this gets resolved in your favor too. Screw technology. But if you do get to take the test again in October, then I'll have someone in my cohort I can rant with. 
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Jun 20, 2014 13:20
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Captain Bravo posted:Test over! Now to wait on the results... I think I did pretty well, spaced on some of the international policy questions, but nailed the English and writing portion! The next step is the Personal Narrative, right? How long will it take to find out whether I am through to that step? Is it just the 3-5 week estimate they gave me to grade my exam? Yeah, now the waiting begins. Probably sometime in mid- or late-July you will get your score results. If you pass the test and essay, you will have about 3 weeks to get your personal narratives submitted. Then it's another two-month wait to see if you'll be invited to the OA (oral assessment). Congratulations on surviving the FSOT! Here's hoping for good results!
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Jun 21, 2014 21:59
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Skandiaavity posted:Yemen is now a 1yr post, anyone wanna goon it up there? What was it beforehand? A 2-year tour? I actually heard Iraq and Afghanistan were pretty popular because of the equity and hardship/danger pay. But I haven't heard much about people volunteering for Yemen.
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Jul 2, 2014 16:31
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State just announced that it was "likely" that the June 2014 FSOT results would be sent out this week. Good luck to all testers! Mantis: Any pleasant surprises on the list? I know you can't post specifics, but how does it look for you?
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Jul 8, 2014 13:22
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Captain Bravo posted:Aww, aww man. Passed the multiple choice, and got a 5 on the Essay. Goddammit, so close! Hey man. If I were you, I would request a rescore. If you got a 5, that means one reviewer passed you with a 3 and the other reviewer failed you with a 2. Ask for a rescore! You might have to pay for it, but it's worrth it!
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Jul 10, 2014 15:13
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Captain Bravo posted:I can't find one. The only link on the page about my report is careers.state.gov to find out hiring information. No clue how I ask for a rescore. Awesome! Considering that you can only take this test once a year, a rescore is definitely in your best interest! You might be out a couple of bucks, but if you end up getting a 6, you won't have to wait until next June to try again!
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Jul 11, 2014 14:18
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In light of the Malaysia Airlines disaster, I can see why the Foreign Service screening process is so rigorous. I'm sure the embassy workers in Amsterdam, Kiev, Moscow, and Kuala Lumpur are incredibly busy right now and working on very tight deadlines. I hope no FS staff, colleagues, friends or family members were on that doomed flight. Meanwhile, I patient wait for the October FSOT dates to be posted so I can get going!
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Jul 18, 2014 14:20
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So when the world goes BOOM and embassy staff gets evacuated or relocated or whatever, what kind of ripple effect does that tend to have in the rest of the Foreign Service? Do dangerous events in one country cause unaffected FSOs in another country to think twice about staying in the FS? Does State look to increase hiring for FSOs in light of the new threats? Or do FSOs in the dangerous areas simply roll with the punches because they knew that's what they signed up for when they took that post in Baghdad or Karachi or Cairo?
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Jul 31, 2014 15:45
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The Mantis posted:AHHHHHHH FLAG DAY IS TOMORROW AHHHHHHH Good luck! I can't imagine how excited and anxious you are!
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Aug 1, 2014 13:43
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