Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs/Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program:
www.woodrow.org
Charles B. Rangel Fellowship Program:
www.howard.edu/rjb/rangelprogram.htm
Majority of Civil Service positions are in the United States
The Civil Service and Foreign Service both perform the same variety of functions in Washington, DC. However, the selection processes and career patterns are very different
There are two ways to apply to the Civil Service:
Apply for a particular job online through USAJobs (www.usajobs.opm.gov)
There are a limited number of entry-level positions for the Civil Service. The best tactic is to apply for all jobs for which you qualify.
Through career-entry programs: The Civil Service Career Entry Program (AKA the Federal Career Internship Program) and the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF).
Civil Service
Access USAJobs through the careers.state.gov website to see State Department jobs
Familiarize yourself with www.USAJobs.gov
Create an account, including a profile & resume
Create search agent for email notification
Search widely, using different criteria
Identify the jobs you want
Check grade level and Who May Apply
Review vacancy announcement carefully
Confirm that you have necessary qualifications
Civil Service Tips
Follow the application instructions carefully
Log into your USAJobs account to check application status, and follow up a few weeks after announcement closes
General Schedule (GS) Guidelines for grade and
qualifying education:
GS-5 Bachelor’s Degree
GS-7 3.0 GPA upon completion of B.A. OR
1 year of Graduate-level education
GS-9 Master’s Degree, LLB, or JD
GS-11 Ph.D. or 3 years graduate education
Civil Service Tips
Competitive salaries with locality pay
Paid federal holidays
Annual and sick leave
Health/Life Insurance
Retirement system includes pension, Social Security, and Thrift Savings Plan (401k with 5% match by USG)
Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax medical and child care funds)
Student Loan Repayment Program
Transit subsidies
Flexible workplace/time arrangements
Civil Service Benefits
Foreign Service
Foreign Service Officers (Generalists) and Foreign Service Specialists promote U.S. interests and protect U.S. citizens at U.S. embassies and consulate posts overseas and in Washington, DC
Foreign Service Officers work in five broad career tracks
Foreign Service Specialists perform a variety of technical functions worldwide
Most of the Foreign Service career is spent overseas
Worldwide availability is a requirement
19 specialties in:
Security
Administration (e.g. Human Resources, General Services/Logistics, Financial Management, Office Management)
Construction Engineering & Facilities Management
Information Technology
Medicine and Health
Strong subject matter expertise required
Resume-based application process
Specialized Oral Assessment
Foreign Service Specialists
Foreign Service Officers
FSOs declare one of the following career tracks when applying:
Consular Affairs
Economic Affairs
Management Affairs
Political Affairs
Public Diplomacy
FSOs must be flexible with their international assignments
How Do I Become an FSO?
Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT)
Oral Assessment
Medical & Security Clearances
Orientation Class
Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP)
Career Track Register
Final Review Panel
Register for the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT)
Tests are given multiple times a year, with rolling registration throughout the year
Choose career track after consulting with a Diplomat-in-Residence.
Register online at careers.state.gov
The FSOT is given around the country and at overseas locations
FSOT Info
The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) includes:
Job-related knowledge, including U.S. and world history and culture, American and foreign systems of government, and basic principles of economics
English expression and usage
Biographic information questionnaire
Written essay (scored only if the applicant passes the multiple-choice portion of the exam)
Be widely read and keep current on recent trends that may not be covered directly in a classroom environment
Read major newspapers and news magazines regularly
Although current events are not tested directly, contemporary events may influence the topics selected for the knowledge areas and the written essay.
General Knowledge Areas for FSOT
English Composition
Management
Comparative Politics
Economics
International Trade and Finance
U.S. History
U.S. Economic History
U.S. Political System
U.S. Social and Intellectual History
World Geography
Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP)
If you pass the written test and the essay:
You will receive an email asking you to submit a Personal Narrative in which you answer questions describing your experiences. The firm deadline for submission will be three weeks after the request is sent to you.
The panel will take a comprehensive "total candidate" approach in evaluating your qualifications for the Foreign Service in the context of your chosen career track.
The QEP determines which candidates are invited to the Oral Assessment.
Oral Assessment
Components:
Group Exercise
Structured Interview
Case Management Written Exercise
Held in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere in the U.S.
Successful candidates are placed on a ranked register for their chosen career track
For more information and prep sessions contact your local Diplomats in Residence
