16
Introduction
This powerpoint serves as an aid for those who are interested in pursuing a
Career as a Foreign Service Officer {FSO}. I have gathered information from
various sources and have synthesized/condensed the information to make
learning about this career path a bit more simple. I will cover the following:
❖ What is a Foreign Service Officer?
❖ What are the career tracks and what do each entail?
❖ What are the steps of becoming a Foreign Service Officer?
❖ Resources that can serve your success!
What is a Foreign Service Officer {FSO}?
❖ Conducts diplomacy by communicating U.S. foreign policy
❖ Interacts with host country governments to help advance American interests
worldwide
❖ Explores different cultures while living & working overseas
❖ Implements the policies of the presidential administration and the laws of the
land, even as administrations change/laws are revised
Career Tracks {5}
At the beginning of the hiring process, it is required to choose a track!
❖ Consular Officers
❖ Economic Officers
❖ Management Officers
❖ Political Officers
❖ Public Diplomacy Officers
Take this quiz to see which career track may be right for you:
https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/career-track-quiz/
Consular Officers
❖ Make judgments about foreign nationals who want to travel to the U.S.,
❖ Facilitate adoptions,
❖ Help evacuate Americans,
❖ Combat fraud to protect our borders, &
❖ Fight human trafficking
A consular officer is part social worker, part anthropologist,
part detective, and part best friend to an American in need
❖ Useful Skills: problem-solving, managerial
Economic Officers
❖ Develop relationships with important economic figures,
❖ Promote U.S. economic & commercial interests,
❖ Identify global opportunities for U.S. businesses
❖ Report & Analyze economic conditions & trends in host country
❖ Useful skills: problem-solving, analytical, communication
Management Officers
❖ Manage all embassy operations: {e.g. real estate, human resources, security,
budget} - making sure all agencies have the resources necessary to
effectively carry out their jobs
❖ Develop efficient solutions in fast-paced and critical environment
Without management officers, there would be no housing for officers, building
permits negotiated with foreign ministries, or leases for embassy annexes!
Useful Skills: leadership, creative thinking, problem-solving
Political Officers
❖ Interpret situations & advise on international issues
❖ Communicate with foreign governments to seek support for shared goals
❖ Monitor activities in international organizations of no U.S. involvement {e.g.
European Union}
❖ Assess the impact of political developments on the U.S.
❖ Useful Skills: communication, analytical
Public Diplomacy Officers
❖ Explain to host nation audiences how American history, values and traditions
shape U.S. foreign policy
❖ Maintain contacts with key people to influence public opinion & perceptions
about the U.S.
❖ Coordinate exchange programs, bring US cultural activities to host countries,
arrange for American speakers on a wide variety of topics to visit, and
generally do all they can to make sure that the US message of peace,
prosperity, democracy, and security is given a fair hearing
❖ Useful skills: communication, leadership, negotiation
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT)
❖ The first step to enter the Foreign Service is registering &
taking the FSOT: a competitive exam
❖ It is administered at hundreds of commercial test centers throughout the US &
at locations abroad
❖ Format: written and oral exam - essay, 3 multiple choice sections, approx. 3
hours long
❖ Content: candidates demonstrate their knowledge of U.S. society, culture,
economy, history, government, political systems, and the Constitution; world
history and geography; and world political and social issues, basic
mathematics and statistics, computer usage, principles of management,
interpersonal communication and basic economic principles, and proper
English usage
Foreign Service Officer Test {FSOT} Continued
❖ If you receive the minimum score on both the multiple choice and essay tests
you will complete personal narratives: 6 short essays about skills, knowledge,
and abilities you would bring to the Foreign Service {200 words per essay}
❖ All information {FSO/essay results, personal narratives, work/education} is
reviewed by the QEP*
❖ If qualified, you will be invited to the Oral Assessment
❖ Successful candidates have additional selection steps: medical and security
clearances, suitability review
❖ Lastly: candidates are placed on rank-ordered career track hiring registers &
the appointment is based on the needs of Foreign Service
How to Prepare for the FSOT
❖ The FSOT is administered 3 times a year: February, June & October - so plan
accordingly
❖ One must wait 12 months between each test, but there is no limit on how
many times it can be taken
❖ Identify your strengths and weaknesses - and study the most where you’re
the weakest
❖ Practice is KEY!
Click here take the practice FSOT test: https://careers.state.gov/survey/FSOT-Careers/
Also, here is a DOS suggested reading list: https://careers.state.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2016/03/Suggested-Reading-List-Aug2013.pdf
Internships
Council on Foreign Relations (NY/DC): Non-Partisan Org/Think Tank/Publisher https://www.cfr.org/career-
opportunities/volunteer-internships#1900
American Enterprise Institute (DC): Public Policy Think Tank
https://aei-
openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.welcome&category_id=36328&company_id=1
6410&version=1&startflag=1&levelid1=36328
Center for Security Policy (DC): Non-Profit National Security Organization
https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/about-us/internships/
Department of State, Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland
Security, and more.. https://www.usajobs.gov
US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: https://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/internships/
Having Trouble Searching For An Internship
Online?
Here are a few links to help you get started:
https://www.indeed.com
https://www.idealist.org/en/?radius=40000&sort=relevance&type=ALL
https://www.linkedin.com
Graduate School
GOOD NEWS! It is not required that you pursue a graduate education before you
enter the Foreign Service. However, if you are so inclined it never hurts to become
more knowledgeable beforehand. Here are a few excellent masters programs that
you might consider:
❖ Georgetown University: Master of Science in Foreign Service
https://msfs.georgetown.edu/about
❖ American University: School of International Service
http://www.american.edu/sis/
❖ The George Washington University: Elliott School of International Affairs
https://elliott.gwu.edu/international-affairs-masters
On-Campus/JMU Resources
Career and Academic Planning:
https://www.jmu.edu/cap/
Recruit-A-Duke: https://jmu-
csm.symplicity.com/students/?signin_tab=0&PHPSESSID=1d65e44375d30de03e
14e48e046b6fc5
JMU Study Abroad: https://www.jmu.edu/polisci/studyabroad.shtml /
https://www.jmu.edu/global/abroad/
JMU Washington Semester: https://www.jmu.edu/polisci/washington.shtml
