The Foreign Service is Hiring Vets

After retiring from the USAF I was looking for a new career that would pay well, offer job security, and offer me the chance to travel as much as I did in the military. I found it with the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service.

The Foreign Service is a division of the U.S. State Department that is responsible for American foreign policy and operation of our Embassies and Consulates abroad at more than 260 locations worldwide.

My wife and I joined the Foreign Service and have been traveling around the world ever since. It’s the perfect fit for anyone who wants to serve their country and wants to travel around the world.

The Embassy is the work center for Foreign Service personnel, as well as many other Federal employees ranging from the FBI, DEA and Department of Agriculture to the DoD and many other agencies. But the bulk of the work at most Embassies is handled by Foreign Service Officers (FSO) and Foreign Service Specialists (FSS) who, together, make up the Diplomatic Corps.

Both my wife and I applied to be Diplomatic Office Managers, and our military experience helped a great deal on the competitive entry process. We choose this field as it offered the most variety of work environments -- and did not require any additional entry requirements than what I received in the military. 

I am now working in the office of Diplomatic Security while my wife is the Ambassador’s head office manager and executive assistant. We’ve been posted in Vienna, Austria; Warsaw, Poland; Pretori, South Africa; Suva, Fiji and Islamabad, Pakistan. 

The State Department hires regularity, and is currently looking for office managers, computer system specialists, construction engineers, and facility managers.

(Submitted by Peter Kennett)

Comments

[savantadmin]

Hey whats the difference between a virtual office and real office? Does that mean I own the virtual office too? Is there space allocated?

[Maria]

So how do you apply for a job with them?? ; )

[David Stansbury]

You can find more information about the hiring process and what positions are currently being recruited at this website:

www.state.gov/careers

One of the great things about going to work for the federal government is all of you military time transfers over for retirement and other benefits!

[Freakin]

This is true. Hubby worked for them before joining the Army.

[Rodney Watson]

I was informed that the Foreign Service only hire personnel with master degrees and speak several foreign languages

[Bill Price]

Whoever told you that, didn't have a clue. Educational requirements for a FSO belief it or not is just a high school diploma, and each specialist catagory has it's own criteria, but none that I know of requires a masters. As for knowing a foreign language, none is required for employment, however if you come on as a FSO then you will be required to learn one, which is taught at the Departments training center. For a specialist it depends on where you are posted and what your specialty is.
It is a great gig, everything I loved about the military but without the UCMJ, plus the pay and benefits are a lot better.

[Pavan Williams]

Please give info. on where I can find out more on qualifications.

Thank you.

[SILVER SERFER]

Here are some posted Gov jobs where I work.

http://www.crane.navy.mil/careers/jobs.cfm

[Barbara Irwin]

Are there any current hiring needs for the GSO positions? I passed the OA, and waiting on the process.

[Peter Kennett]

It's good to see several of my collegues here, adding details to life in the Foreign Service.

Barbara, congrats on the Oral Assessment. This means you're on a waiting list as soon as your TS and medical clearance are done. Then you will wait for a classdate which depends on your scores. Here's a list of upcomming GSO class dates:

May 26, Aug 03, Oct 13 of 2009 and Jan 04, March 15, May 24, and Aug 02 of 2010.

For anyone else interested in this career path, check out my blog at www.TheDipNotes.com.

Peter Kennett (Ret USAF MSgt)
U.S Embassy, Islamabad

[Peter Kennett]

This just in - Businessweek just posted the most desirable places to work, and the State Department ranked #4, just under Google, Walt Disney, and Apple Computer. That's quite impressive for a Federal Agency, to compete with dozens of top companies and come in 4th!

http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/most_desirable_employers/index.asp

[Rachel Kert]

I like to know your experiences of going through the application process in the foreign services. How difficult was it for you?

Can you give me more information about the selection process? Thanks.