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http://beaugestemonami.blogspot.com/ Interesting read on the language program from a 2nd tour FSO in Rome.
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Dec 2, 2009 00:03
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Happydayz posted:it works out to be a substantive preference. Yeah but downside being if you have a 10 pt preference you're probably not going to clear medical. Much <3 for my 5 pt pref. though. Actually if it weren't for the military my QEP answers wouldn't have been stellar.
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Dec 4, 2009 08:11
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Skandiaavity posted:Barracuda Bang - I believe it is an Exempted Service position, meaning no.
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Dec 7, 2009 23:25
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Government jobs classify into one of two ways: Exempted Services and Competitive Services. Most entry level government positions (all the way down to things like Janitors) are competitive service -- the applicants have certain rights, and once job is granted, they can only be fired for certain reasons. The long and short of it is, exempted services may set their own hiring and firing criteria. There's more to it than that, but basically because of either the organization's needs or the job's description, it is not required to follow the hiring rules in Title 5. For instance, all attorney positions in the US Gov't are exempted service.
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Dec 8, 2009 05:26
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Business of Ferrets posted:I think the terminology in Excepted Service, in case anyone is trying to google this. Yeah you're right; though I think it may have once been called Exempted? I have seen it being used both ways.
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Dec 8, 2009 10:17
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Pompous Rhombus posted:How does this fit in with non-competitive hiring status? When you apply, they should tell you whether the job is Excepted or not, though most of the time you can tell anyway (is it a job requiring a graduate level education, involving placing you or your comrades in danger, etc.?)
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Dec 8, 2009 10:18
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Pompous Rhombus posted:That sucks, Vilerat. I think it's a 2/2 to get the bonus, but the positions are still mostly 3/3 (depending on language and position).
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Jan 12, 2010 20:05
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Also when is MLK weekend? Apparently that's when FSOA invites are supposed to go out?
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Jan 12, 2010 20:06
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Doesn't DS also do the security clearance investigations, for State at least? IIRC that is OPM.
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Jan 20, 2010 23:34
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Yay, passed my QEPs! -e- PS that means if you were in the October FSOT cohort, your QEP results are online now.
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Jan 27, 2010 19:13
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What's interesting is reading the yahoo groups: there is a guy who had PN answers very similar to mine (substantively, that is; the writing was worse) that did not pass. Apparently though, it's not just because of the PN, but the QEP evaluates both your PN as well as your biographical information from the written test.
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Jan 28, 2010 23:37
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Business of Ferrets posted:Just wanted to remind everyone that lots of people go through the Foreign Service Generalist hiring process (to one extent or another) multiple times before receiving a job offer. So don't be too dismissive if the process didn't work out this time. Yeah holy poo poo....someone on the FSOA group said there is someone with a 6.2 on the POL register, and someone with a 6.2+0.4 language bonus about to go on it... That sounds excessively high to me, or that someone who isn't on the register would have access to that information.
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Jan 30, 2010 19:19
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Forgoon Service: We learned diplomacy by posting on an internets.
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Feb 4, 2010 00:14
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Seriously at this rate we'll take it over.
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Feb 4, 2010 00:14
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The FSOA list is rapidly becoming a helpful tool in exercising my self-control. Every so often there is a post on there that I want to reply to (snarky or otherwise) and sometimes I get to drafting the email before hitting discard. I'd rather not sabotage my application with the risk that some HR person is reading the list. About the ONLY thing that it's been useful for, at least until I decide to find a study group.
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Feb 6, 2010 13:32
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For those of you who have successfully navigated through the October 2009 FSOT Cohort: FSOA registration opened up today. You have until the 12th I believe. Get on it.
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Feb 8, 2010 17:50
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Does it really matter which Annex I take my OA at? I signed up for Annex 1 because Foggy Bottom is easier for me to get to, but apparently Annex 1 doesn't let you leave the building for lunch (gently caress, I was going to grab a bite from somewhere OTHER than subway) and people on the yahoo group are saying that Annex 44 is slightly better.
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Feb 9, 2010 15:53
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Does anyone know what is a reasonable passing score that would get me an offer in Political cone?
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Feb 13, 2010 07:05
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No, but I have the .17 veterans pref. So presumably if I had something in the range of 5.6-5.7 plus the .17 veterans bonus I'd be good?
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Feb 14, 2010 00:43
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Business of Ferrets posted:So, is it just Miss Fats and Cunninghizzizam in this thread who will be taking the FSOT next Saturday? Anyone else? I'm taking my FSOA first week of April. I wanted to beat the post-graduation rush of those people, and I'm away at conferences most of March. But during the times that I'm here, I have very little to do other than study. -e- Annex 1; Foggy Bottom is convenient to me.
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Feb 21, 2010 03:48
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Yeah Annex 44 is in SouthWest DC, which is not too bad. It's East DC that is hood.
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Feb 22, 2010 23:52
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If you have DC questions, holler at me.
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Feb 23, 2010 00:06
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Bizob posted:Any recommendations for breakfast places in the SW side? Hmm, not really, it's not much of a foodie area. Where are you staying, your best bet might be to just order from your hotel.
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Feb 23, 2010 22:09
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I'm pretty sure that people pass/fail based solely on the bio portion of the FSOT. The rest of the test is pretty drat easy for someone with a solid college education with at least basic knowledge in civics and government.
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Feb 24, 2010 17:33
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Bizob posted:Staying at this place http://www.thequincy.com/ on 1823 L Street Northwest. My wife is coming out thursday night and we are staying in DC for the weekend, so really any food related recommendations would be appreciated. Other than a few random day trips when I lived in NYC, my first hand knowledge of DC is limited to playing Fallout 3. Oh dude, your hotel is in a pretty rad location. L st. is (obviously) 1 block north of K st. which is the big law/politics/business corridor; accordingly, all up and down K st. there are restaurants ranging from fast food to cafes, to nice dinners. You can easily find breakfast there. You're also a block off of 19th st; if you take 19th st north a few blocks you'll be in the Dupont Circle area which has lots of good restaurants and nightlife. I'd suggest you check out Kramerbooks; go up 19th to Dupont Circle (maybe 3 or 4 blocks) and then go about a block or two northwest on Connecticut Ave out of Dupont Circle. Kramerbooks will be on the right side. Get your breakfast and coffee, it's also a nice little relaxing joint. There's a metro station just outside if you're in a rush.
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Feb 24, 2010 18:35
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Bizob posted:I am wiped out, but I somehow passed wth a 5.50 while only managing to pass one of the three sections. I must be some kind of idiot-savant when it comes to structured interviews. I am going to go consume some beverages. Congrats man!
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Feb 26, 2010 01:17
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Not how it works. If you registered as Pol, you're not going to get an A-1000 offer in Mgt. -e- What you can do is if you don't get in with a good score on the cone you want, you can reapply in a different cone from scratch (retake the FSOT, QEP, OA) and hope you pass. The two scores are treated separately as far as I understand. Though apparently there is some 365 day rule about it so it's not really a quick process.
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Feb 28, 2010 22:17
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FSOT? Know what major branches of the federal government do. (Which branch of the US Government has the power to enter into treaties with foreign governments) Know what the major agencies within the federal government do, and who they report to. (Which federal agency has authority over unfair restraints of trade? What is the position of the leadership of the FCC called?) Know a little bit about major legislation from the past 50 years. (Which of these bills did not pass?) Know a little bit about trade (Which of these countries has the most foreign trade with the US?) etc.
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Mar 1, 2010 12:55
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Kramerbooks is one of those places that everyone in DC knows about, and everyone who bothers to look anything up knows about, but since so many tourists are retarded they don't know about it. So then they go to Old Ebbit's Grill. Ironically, Kramerbooks kind of sucks as a bookstore. There's a WAY better one up in NW DC called Politics and Prose. I seriously recommend that every person with an interest in working for State, either as an FSO or otherwise, go to Politics and Prose at some point. The sheer selection and breadth of authorship there is unbelievable, and pretty much every day they have author talks and discussions that are fantastic. Plus you get 20% off the book at is author's event. http://www.politics-prose.com/ For instance, Friday they're having a Q+A with Mark Perry, author of Talking to Terrorists. "Perry, a military, intelligence, and foreign-affairs analyst, has spent some 20 years in and out of the Middle East, where he sometimes engaged in secret meetings with members of terrorist groups. His new book argues that face-to-face dialogue with representatives of organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah can define specific and addressable grievances."
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Mar 1, 2010 17:54
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Xandu posted:Thanks for the link, this is going to save me so much money in shipping; Borders sucks for poli-sci/IR books. Busboys and Poets is p cool too. The thing I really love about Politics and Prose though is the kind of customer it gets. It would suck if the Authors Events were attended by morons, but the audience there are genuinely well informed. Also their bookshelves are studded with "Staff picks". The first book I ever got there was "Pop Apocalypse" . The staff gave it a glowing review so I picked it up and it is to date the best fiction book I've ever read.
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Mar 1, 2010 22:11
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Actually the majority of the book isn't about that. Basically the "subtle satire" part of the book involves the concept that social media has become so ingrained in the future of the country, that you eventually become able to trade your name on a sort of stock exchange. So things like celebrity sex tapes and reality TV actually literally become the world economy. It's basically as awesome as you think it sounds, and then it gets better.
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Mar 1, 2010 22:29
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Happydayz posted:Politics and Prose needs to not be way the gently caress up the redline. I'm sure that helps in keeping the audience free from know-it-all college kids and far left/right zanies, but Kramer's really takes the cake due to the sheer convenience factor of being right in Dupont Circle. It's fine for me because I'm way the gently caress up on the red line near it. But Kramers also has the benefit of getting drunk.
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Mar 2, 2010 03:56
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After 10 years of college, the army, and law school I have no pre-existing skills other than shooting people and blowing poo poo up.
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Mar 3, 2010 14:50
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According to the yahoo group they got confirmation that some guy passed on his 27th attempt....
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Mar 5, 2010 09:32
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Less than 2 weeks now till my OA. I haven't really had much time to start studying but now I'm in full on crisis "get ready" mode.
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Mar 25, 2010 03:06
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Would anyone object to updating the OP with some sort of roster of FS goons and what they're up to? Sort of like FS Employees: BoF: FSO stationed in .... Vilerat: FSO stationed in .... Awaiting A-100 Person whoever - Cleared on March 10, waiting on A-100 opening. On Register JoeBlow (POL) - 5.5 JoeSchmoe (CON) - 5.47 Awaiting FSOA Blah blah - Annex 1, whenever (POL) QEP: Ladida - (MGMT) October '09 cohort. FSOT - whatevs.
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Mar 29, 2010 18:38
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OP updated with "who is at what stage of the process", also some minor other fixes to stuff. -e- I am anal about updating OP's, so if you have poo poo you want in there, please just let me know.
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Mar 31, 2010 18:42
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Stuff updated.Grr8 posted:I'm taking the orals next week too. Assuming Oct 2009 FSOT then.... what cone? Also, where are you taking it? I'm at Annex 1 on the 5th. TCD posted:Newbie specialist, Central Africa What field?
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Apr 1, 2010 00:11
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OP updated. TCD did you know that guy.
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Apr 1, 2010 18:45
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| # ¿ May 15, 2024 00:41 |
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On the way to annex 1 wish me good luck
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Apr 5, 2010 11:07
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