The DipNotes

Getting your first choice is not impossible, but not likely either.  Also, not every post is even available at any given time – so the odds of getting Paris would not be high.  The assignment given as a new-hire is based in large part on what would be best for your family, and the Dept of State. 

Given that you speak French, I also would suspect that an asignment in Africa would be more likely.  There are more French speaking assignments outside of France than inside.  In Europe, Belgium and France would be the two, but there are many more in Africa. 

The Dept does indeed place a lot of effort to place those with language skills into an assignment that would need it.  It is cheaper to send someone with a foreign language, than to train someone in that language.

 I would place my money that there would be an opening in some African post where French is used, or Quebec even, rather than the few assignments France.  But – you never know, and it is certainly possible that you will be available for your first assignment at the exact same time that an opening pops up in Paris. 

Oh, to clarify one detail:  For your first two posting options the DOS will give you a list of all available assignments.  You have to sort that list in order of preference, and be prepared to explain why you choose one assignment over another.  If you have a family, make their wishes more important than your own.  If you have a specific family need, such as special education or heath issues, that will weigh more than any personal desires.

Like in the book Freakonomics, learn what is the motivating force behind the selection process and then use that knowledge to help you.  For example, the DOS knows that you can work at any post.  But lets say you have a child that would be happier at a post with good high-school sports.  Since the goal of the DOS is to retain you as an employee, and you would be more content at a post where your family was happy, they will be motivated to choose the post that works best for your family.  Likewise, lets say you meet the language requirements at a specific post.  If your spouse also speaks the language, then that person would be a motivating weight to place you at that post vs another officer with equal language skills but who has a spouse that does not speak the language.  Also, as you progress in the career your own personal growth becomes a motivational factor.

You have no say over what posts will be on the list of available assignments.  That list is created by DOS based on employee assignment time tables, and needs of the posts.

For your first assignment, you will get the list on your second day of orientation class, and have several weeks research posts, confer with family, and finally rank-order the list.  You will be competing only with your career skill classmates (OMSes in your case), so learn their own "motivational weight" and you can often predict what assignments they will get.  For my first class no one wanted to go Pakistan, so I knew with almost 100% certainty that if I asked for it then I would get it.  I did and I did!

After these two assignments… then the networking and resume skill plays a role, as you compete for assignments just like in the real-world.  You still get a list of available assignments, but the rank order plays less of a role than does networking and your own skill to convince a post to accept you.

Good luck!

Hello Wooster73, congrats on your OMS career choice!

As assignment to France is certainly possible, as we have three missions in Paris that hire OMSes.  Also, there are two missions in Brussels that would be a close option.  But I warn you that there are many more countries in Africa that need French speaking staff too.

The State Department always considers what is the best interest of the post as the main factor.  If you had two equally qualified OMSes bidding on Paris, then other factors come into play.  And the #1 additional factor that determines who gets that assignment is networking.  As a newbie, you are at a distinct disadvantage compared someone who has been in longer and made some contacts within the Department of State (DOS).  The longer you stay with the DOS and the more positive connections you make, the greater your power when bidding on a post.  And..  those members who are serving in a war zone can bump others off the list.  So the main point here is that if you stay in for a few years, develop a good corridor reputation, network with some co-workers, and are heading to Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan – then you would be in a very good possition to get an assignment to France.  But you would also be competing with anyone else with equal qualifications.

Also, you need to remember that your first two assignments are directed solely by the DOS back in Washington.  The post, and any networking will have no influence.   The main factors that the DOS use on these first two assignments is a balance between the needs of the DOS and your own personal desires.  That said, during these first two assignments, if an opening for a beginner (entry level) OMS becomes available in Paris, at the same time that you are due for an assignment, and you have the required language skill, then you have a good chance to get it.  

In all cases, the DOS never assigns someone to a post that has no available slot.  If a post has five OMSes and none of those people are due for reassignment when you are hoping to go there, you will not get assigned there.  That is, they will not create a position for you.

I hope this sheds some light on what to expect when you are bidding, and makes the process a bit more understandable.    Best of luck to you, and when you finally get that assignment to Paris, be sure to let us know!

Peter