If you have just arrived to this blog, be sure to check out the page entitled “What is the Foreign Service” to read about what this career is, and join in our FORUM to ask questions!

How to Join the Foreign Service*

To enter the US Foreign Service, you must be a US Citizen; age 20 – 59, medically fit, and able to receive a Top Secret clearance. The age is restricted to 35 if you want to join the Diplomatic Security services.  As discussed on the “What is the Foreign Service” page, there are two categories of Foreign Service Officers: Foreign Service Specialists and Foreign Service Generalists, and both are highly competitive.

To apply you must visit their website, read the requirements, and complete an on-line application.

Web link for SPECIALISTS: http://www.careers.state.gov/specialist/index.html

Web link for OFFICERS: http://www.careers.state.gov/officer/index.html

Foreign Service Officers can apply year-round, but must register and take the Foreign Service written examination which is only given only a few times year from just a few cities in the United States.  The test is also given at select U.S. Embassies abroad. The exam covers a wide range of topics such as U.S Political history, Culture, Economics, World History etc.

If you score high enough, you may be invited back to Washington (your expense) to complete an all-day oral assessment. If you pass this step, you will then complete a medical clearance and Top Secret background investigation, which can take up to a year. Finally, you will be placed on a rank-ordered waiting list for a class date and entry into the Foreign Service. It can be a long and stressful wait, and this lingering is one of the most common complaints about the whole process.

For an in-depth look at this whole process, you can download this U.S. Department of State Guide to the Foreign Service Officer Selection Process PDf document.

Foreign Service Specialists are hired several times a year, as needs dictate. When visiting the above websites, choose the “opportunities” link to see the current available jobs. If the job you are looking for is not open, you may leave your email address and you will be notified when they are accepting applications. It works – trust me. This is exactly what I did, and it only took 3 months before my desired job was open for applications. If you do this, I highly suggest you start work on your application package and have it ready for when the desired job opportunity opens.

Hiring for Foreign Service Specialists tends to lean more on actual skills and abilities than simply education. For most jobs, certificates of training are needed and a degree will help when experience is lacking. For example, a person with no degree, but who has been working for 20 years in computers would fare better over a person with a just a college degree and no experience. The same holds true with other fields. My wife worked all over the world as my spouse when I was active-duty military. She had a lot of excellent office management experience; however, she had no college degree. When she applied to the Foreign Service she was placed at the top of the hire list. The state Department is one of the few employers where they look at the total person, not just paper. Most other employers require a BA or they will not even look at you.

The 5 main processes to starting career as a Foreign Service Specialist are:

1. Submit a Resume. You must show you have people skills, excellent writing skills, and job experience. Job experience is critical – so I suggest you hire a professional resume writer to help, especially to translate military jargon and tasks into civilian language. Also – be sure you list all relevant job experience as your starting salary, in addition to education, is based on the number of years you have been doing a similar job to the one you are applying for. While you only need to list the last 10 years in your security clearance application, but be sure you go all the way back on the resume!

2. Interview. If selected, you will then be called to Washington D.C. for an interview (your cost). Look sharp of course, but you should feel good that you made it this far!

You will be interviewed by two people: one is a person who is in the same field of work that you are applying for, and the other is a senior Foreign Service Officer who will ask more general questions about working for the U.S Government and living abroad.

3. Tests. Depending on your job, you may be required to take some job skill tests and most have a written essay that you must write on-the-fly. This testing is highly competitive, and will be used to rank-order your application among all the others who are competing.

If you pass this day – then you move on to Phase Two.

Congratulations – you have completed the hard part!

4. Medical Clearance. You must be medically fit for worldwide duty. You will have to take a physical (their cost).  You should have no rare, untreatable diseases, as you may be assigned to a country with minimal medical support.

5. Top Secret background check. This process can take the longest and the average wait is from 6 months to a year. Special Investigators working for the Department of State will conduct an interview of you, your friends, family, co-workers, supervisors and others. The goal is to evaluate your trustworthiness and see if you would be a security risk.

That’s about it. After everything is done, you will be rank ordered, based on the interview and test scores, and when your number comes up – you will be invited to enter the Foreign Service!  I hope to one day see you in an Embassy!

To submit questions about the Foreign Service  please join the FORUMS.

* Disclaimer:  this website is for personal use only, and is in no way connected to, or approved by the U.S Government or the Department of State.  The information presented below is based on my own experiences and in no way represents the views or opinions of the U.S. Foreign Service.  The material presented here can change without notice and is not intended to be the most accurate or current details of the U.S. Foreign Service, or the U.S. Department of State.

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