In February of 2011, I took the Foreign Service Officer Test for the first time. It was highly reminiscent of the SATs - multiple choice questions, math problems, an essay. I breezed through it and got a passing score. Could joining the Foreign Service really be this easy?
Not so fast. Between the FSOT and the OA (oral assessment) is a series of essays questions. Apparently my writing wasn't very captivating. I was not invited to the interview.
But, I learned my lesson! I re-took the test in 2012 and received an invite to the day-long interview in Washington DC. There was an interview, a group exercise, and a 'case management' file. I passed the interview. I passed the group test. I did not pass the case management study, and it was enough to bring down my score below the minimum.
Slightly daunted, I sent off the same winning essays in 2013, only to be denied an invite. Word on the street was that the State Department was severely cutting back on hiring; with sequestration and the endless budget battles, nobody could tell how many new FSOs there would be.
At last, in 2014, I decided to give it one more go. I was invited to DC and found taking the test a second time much less stressful. I was given a handshake and a manila envelope with my passing grade inside.
This, however, was only the beginning. After the exam is a series of medical and security checks to make sure you're suitable for a job that confers considerable privileges and requires you to publicly represent the government of the United States. My years of foreign travel slowed down this process considerably, but about eight months later I got a job offer to come back to DC and begin training.
So now, here I am, ten days from the start of the 182nd A-100 class and ready as I'll ever be to start the rest of my life.
My cone (career track): Consular
My first assignment: To Be Determined
My first day: May 4
Stay tuned.
