US Foreign Service & FSOT Megathread: Where Dreams Come True & Even Lawyers Get Jobs

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > US Foreign Service & FSOT Megathread: Where Dreams Come True & Even Lawyers Get Jobs

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Anthropolis posted:

article about the FSOT:

Wow

quote:

The questions were very general, but heavy on verifiable examples. �In the Foreign Service you may confront obstacles and/or adverse circumstances. � Describe a situation in which you overcame adverse circumstances. What steps did you take to deal with the circumstances/obstacle(s)? What was the result?� The journalist in me was pleased to see Personal Narrative Section (4a): �Communication skills are critical to successful diplomacy. Describe a situation in which you used your communication skills (either in English or another language) to achieve a goal.�

State wasn�t taking my word for it: For each question, I had to provide a name and phone number of someone who could verify the story I gave in my answer. In the months that followed, I heard that some of my references were indeed called and interviewed.

Having to provide verifiable references to a question like that seems rather ridiculous.

# ¿ Sep 18, 2009 00:13

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 12:18

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Did you fail or did they just decide not to further pursue it? For a lot of the contracting positions, if it looks like you might not pass they will just cancel the whole thing, but another agency might not.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2009 23:41

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Xandu fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Jun 10, 2011

# ¿ Oct 30, 2009 03:07

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

What do Foreign Affairs Officers do and how do they differ from FSOs, other than being stationed domestically?

This is the little blurb on the DoS site

quote:

The challenges you'll take on as a Foreign Affairs Officer will directly contribute to policy making in Washington, D.C. You could work with interagency partners, Congress or our overseas posts to help formulate and implement policy decisions, and manage foreign policy programs. Your assignments could relate to regional affairs or transnational issues such as arms control, drugs, terrorism, environmental issues or humanitarian affairs.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2009 19:50

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Xandu fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Jun 10, 2011

# ¿ Nov 23, 2009 23:27

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

I'm almost certain that is the State Department's version of the Federal Career Intern Program, where you can "intern" for 2 years after you graduate college and if they like you, it converts to a direct hire position. I knew a guy who did that at DoJ, but he ended up going to the USMS before he finished up.

But looking at the list, those definitely convert to civil service positions.

Through OPM
http://www.opm.gov/FedLDP/ProgramDetails.aspx?ProgramID=34

quote:

Career Entry Program

A 2-year Federal intern program designed to entice highly qualified, motivated individuals to careers at the Department of State and to foster their professional development.

# ¿ Jan 14, 2010 17:59

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Well you are based in DC, so be aware of that going in. Those civil service positions can be really competitive though. My former teacher is a an foreign specialist and he was a Fulbright scholar and has a MA and PHD from top DC schools.

# ¿ Jan 14, 2010 18:36

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Depending on what you mean by questionable past, the CIA has one of the more liberal policies on past drug use. Otherwise, TS/SCI is the same throughout the government.

# ¿ Jan 21, 2010 05:50

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Xandu fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Jun 10, 2011

# ¿ Jan 21, 2010 22:01

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Happydayz posted:

Urdu speaker - just apply for a job at CIA, DIA, or NSA. Those three will have the biggest demand for Urdu speakers. Alternatively there are other programs like the Pat Roberts Scholar program that you might be eligible for - they'll get you in the door and pay for an overseas education in your language.

It's more competitive than you'd think for people with language skills. I've know a guy fluent (natively) in Urdu and learning Arabic and the only place he could get hired right out of college was the Capitol Police.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2010 06:04

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

SWATJester posted:

http://www.politics-prose.com/

Thanks for the link, this is going to save me so much money in shipping; Borders sucks for poli-sci/IR books.

edit: Busboys and Poets also has pretty cool events.

Xandu fucked around with this message at 22:01 on Mar 1, 2010

# ¿ Mar 1, 2010 21:57

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

quote:

The United States and its Freedom Coalition allies are conducting serial invasions across the globe, including an attack on the anti-capitalist rebels of Northern California. The Middle East�now a single consumerist Caliphate led by Lebanese pop singer Caliph Fred�is in an uproar after an attack on the al-Aqsa Mosque gets televised on the Holy Land Channel.
The world is on the brink of a total radioactive, no-survivors war, and human kind's last hope is Eliot R. Vanderthorpe, Jr., celebrity heir, debauched party animal, and Elvis impersonation scholar. But Eliot's got his own problems. His evangelical dad is breeding red heifers in anticipation of the Rapture. Eliot's dissertation is in the toilet. And he has a doppelg�nger. An evil doppelg�nger.

This is like the opposite of subtle satire, but it sounds so amazing.

# ¿ Mar 1, 2010 22:20

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

That's a pretty cool story, but I had no idea that there even was such a thing as a hippo attack.

edit: Thanks wikipedia

quote:

Hippos are very aggressive towards humans and are often considered one of the most dangerous large animals in Africa.[51][52] In fact, hippos are known to attack humans and boats.[53]
To mark territory, hippos spin their tails while defecating to distribute their excrement over the greatest possible area.

Xandu fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Mar 22, 2010

# ¿ Mar 22, 2010 21:01

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Xandu fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Jun 10, 2011

# ¿ Apr 9, 2010 03:48

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Vilerat posted:

Yeah um more likely than not they'd have to pay that ticket just FYI.

Really? I always heard stories about people at the UN completely ignoring traffic/parking laws and NYPD being unable to do anything about it.

# ¿ Apr 9, 2010 16:18

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Pick a language that you're interested in (or rather the culture/country that speaks that language.)

# ¿ Apr 24, 2010 00:38

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

There's also some pretty cool stuff here. Most of it should be accessible on non-government networks, I think Headstart is the only exception.

http://www.dliflc.edu/products.html

# ¿ Apr 29, 2010 14:15

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

FSO hiring is sort of separate, but thank god.

quote:

And: "The president is eliminating knowledge, skills and abilities essays as an initial recruitment requirement of the federal government."

President Obama wants the government to cut its hiring time -- from when a vacancy is announced until a person is hired -- to 80 days. Some agencies now take as long as 200 days.

They include getting rid of essay-style questions for people first submitting applications for federal jobs. Instead of writing essays -- in which candidates describe their knowledge, skills and abilities -- and filling out long, hard-to-understand forms, applicants will be allowed to submit cover letters and r�sum�s or complete "simple, plain language applications."

# ¿ May 14, 2010 15:29

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Wickerman posted:

What would be considered sufficient evidence of rehabilitation and reform when it comes to past drug use?

Haven't used in a while, breaking off contact with drug users, an explanation of why you did drugs and why you don't do them anymore. But like TCD, it depends on a lot of factors.

# ¿ May 17, 2010 19:02

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Yeah, I'd be interested in this. I have to find 9 months worth of something relating to "national security" by December of 2012.

Do those fellowships not help with placement?

# ¿ Jul 5, 2010 22:55

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Given that it's not technically an embassy, is AIT treated like a regular assignment as far as getting assigned/working there goes?

# ¿ Jan 19, 2012 02:37

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

mtreecorner posted:

Anyhow, I saw some people had questions about AIP. Feel free to ask. Yemen (and Libya) are now AIP so I have the street cred . Basically the only realisitic way to do AIP first tour is to be like me... get assigned to Yemen before it was turned into one offically.

Obviously don't say anything you're not supposed to, but having spent some time in Yemen recently, I'm curious what it's like for you guys there. That place is fortified as poo poo and they make it nearly impossible to get in.

Do they let you guys out much? How difficult is to get things done/have meetings with people due to security concerns?

# ¿ May 20, 2013 07:20

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

mtreecorner posted:

We don't get out much. Professionally, it is very hard on officers who need to get out to meet contacts. Unless it is at a specific location (Ex. Another embassy or ministry), it generally doesn't happen. We try to bring people TO us to keep off the streets. Personally, it can be very draining. We really only are in two locations unless you have a very specific need to go somewhere else. As a specialist, I don't really NEED to leave our compound... so I get out even less so. While it is easy to complain about it... it is very much needed. Kidnappings of westerners happen quite often and AQAP is pretty serious about getting to US Diplomats. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/31/us-yemen-us-qaeda-idUSBRE8BU02I20121231 Thank god my next R&R is in June.

We make our own fun though. This post actually has a good amount of Entry-Level Officers (who were assigned before it was AIP). At one point, most sections were being run by ELOs becuase of staffing issues. So, in a weird way, the community here is very good. This may change as we stop letting ELOs come though.

I must also say though that some of the most friendly people in the world I have met are Yemeni. It is very sad that small groups of people can hold the country hostage. I'm really pulling for this country to succeed.

Diplomaticus posted:

Here, the OIG report from 2010 in Sanaa is reasonably close to still relevant (3 years is really the relevancy limit given personnel changes) and is cleared for public release. I think you'll find some of what you're looking for there, but keep in mind that much of the security stuff is redacted or discussed in the annex that is obviously not publicly available.

Thanks for the response, guys. Interesting stuff. It's a cool country, but sounds like a difficult place to be when working for the US government.

So does this mean they're going to reopen DSS positions soon?

quote:

With Congressional support, the Department is creating 151 new Diplomatic Security positions -- 113 are expected to be hired this fiscal year. The remainder will be hired in FY14.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/05/209672.htm

# ¿ May 21, 2013 00:36

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Quarex posted:

Ooh, requiring a top secret clearance for a $35,000/year job is like the federal equivalent of requiring a doctorate for a $20,000/year adjunct professorship!

I am not going to lie, if I were single and thought I actually had two years' administrative experience I would still probably apply.
Though I am not sure the idea of a long-term and potentially-deadly career that tops out at $50,000 sounds all that promising. Unless that range is just the starting pay?

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/205552.pdf

So it starts at grade 7, the range (depending on the step) is 35-50k. After a year you get promoted to grade 6, which is 38-56k.

quote:

In general, Foreign Service employees with documented satisfactory performance are eligible to receive within-grade step increases annually up through step 10 and biannually from step 10 through step 14. The normal career path envisions promotion to FP-03 during the course of a 20+ year career.

Just signed up for the June FSOT. Hope it goes well.

# ¿ May 27, 2013 01:06

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Apparently...

http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/edirectory.html posted:

Consular Agent in Acapulco
(An extension of the Embassy in Mexico City)

Hotel Continental Emporio
Costera M. Alem�n 121 - Office 14
Acapulco, Gro. 39670
Monday-Friday: 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Office: [52] (744) 481-0100f
Phone/Fax: [52] (744) 484-0300
E-Mail: consular@prodigy.net.mx

Consular Agent: Alexander Richards

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/merida/231771/PDFs/Consular%20Quarterly%20June%202011.pdf posted:

Alex, who has been working at
the U.S. Consular Agency in
Acapulco since 1999,

I guess he's an official employee, but not an FSO.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2013 22:52

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

problematique posted:

Why are the minimum qualifications so low compared to FBI SA process? Seems like raising GPA/education/background/experience requirement to even take the online test could make everyone life a lot easier.

edit: this may not be true, something I heard from a friend about lower GPA requirements or something, checking now

edit 2: The obvious one is simply the work experience requirement. FBI has a non-waiverable work experience requirement of 3 years. This can be reduced to two years for certain graduate/ post-graduate degree holders, but DS's minimum 1 year work experience can be waived altogether (thus allowing every college grade with a 2.75 or higher to apply and vastly increasing the applicant pool).

I feel like every federal law enforcement position has low qualification requirements when you compare them to the FBI.

# ¿ Oct 7, 2013 22:31

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Is there a reason some of the FSOT questions ask for names of specific people you know? I gave them, but it feels a bit weird.

# ¿ Jun 6, 2015 15:13

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 12:18

Xandu: Feb 19, 2006; It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.

Passed the FSOT, albeit barely.

# ¿ Jul 2, 2015 14:02

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > US Foreign Service & FSOT Megathread: Where Dreams Come True & Even Lawyers Get Jobs