Advocating for international cooperation in far-flung places is difficult and often unsung work.
What drove you to choose your career path?
It turned out to be a pretty natural fit.
How did you go about getting your job?
What kind of education andexperience did you need?
Candidates enter the Foreign Service through a civil exam.
Its a long process.
If they pass,they submit a personal narrative, and examiners pare down the applicant pool further.
Finally, those who pass apply for medical and security clearance.
What kinds of things do you do beyond what most people see?
What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?
Need less to say, these are really open-ended tasks, and theres no blueprint.
What misconceptions do people often have about your job?
Many people believe we spend our time eating hors doeuvres at black-tie events with muckety-mucks in Paris.
What are your average work hours?
It varies widely depending on the assignment, the supervisor, and the post.
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
Having no hesitation to ask for a favor can be really helpful in this career.
Its up to you to find the people that can help you orient yourself and ask them for help.
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
What do they do instead?
I think the best diplomats are masters at considering timing and audience.
Whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
Sometimes your personal effects get sent to Barbados instead of Beijing.
The SUV you just purchased for the Namibian rainy season might not fit into your parking spot in Tokyo.
Just when youve learned how to say laundry detergent in Swahili youre sent to Bulgaria.
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
Everything from social customs to transportation to grocery shopping is transformed into an adventure.
Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?
Since most Americans interact with the Foreign Service through the Consular Section, Ill start there.
For Americans traveling abroad, an embassy can be a great resource if you need help.
But at the end of the day, we cant change the fact that youre in a foreign country.
What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?
Our pay scale is publicly available and can be found through an internet search.
Most people live comfortably, but few people get rich.
How do you move up in your field?
What do people under/over value about what you do?
People often take government for granted.
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Patience is also a prerequisite.
If youd like to share your career, email us at[email protected].
Photo byOsugi(Shutterstock).
