Former Vice President Joe Biden is president-elect. The changing of the guard will bring a change in policy, management, vision, and action for the Department of State and the Foreign Service. With everything still relatively early, let’s take a fun, and by no means official, look into what the future could entail. Let me know …
What does a Biden administration mean for the Foreign Service? Read More »
The Foreign Service Officer salary is dynamic and ever-changing. Along with your promotion, each assignment can bring with it different danger pay, hardship pay, and cost-of-living adjustments that affect what you take home. Depending on international geopolitics, the strength of domestic and national currencies, and the size of your family, to name a few, your …
Foreign Service Officer Salary: A Comprehensive Guide (2020 update) Read More »
The question isn’t a new one, it is an important one, and one that continues to be asked: does the State Department have a diversity problem? Whenever there is a discussion of workforce development and the State Department, it appears. At times, the driver to increase diversity is strong, and at other times it is …
Does the State Department have a diversity problem? Read More »
The partial government shutdown continues in the United States and it is hurting both the economy and federal workers. Keeping personal opinion aside, let’s lay out a few facts about the shutdown: Today is day 28 of the shutdown Today is January 18, when federal district courts run out of funds. Civil cases may be suspended …
How the Shutdown is Affecting the State Department Read More »
I was looking for a fun first post to kick off 2019 when I stumbled upon the official “Protocol for the Modern Diplomat” handbook, published by the Foreign Service Institute. If this manual will get me one step closer to being suave like Bond, then how could I not read it? …Right? Jokes aside, it …
14 Interesting Protocols a Foreign Service Officer Must Follow Read More »
Do you know how many Secretaries of State are still living? It may come as a surprise to you. It did for me. My curiosity to determine how many remain arose, as most things do, by accident. I was watching a news reel when a story of the president came on and his meeting …
The Stories from the Field series continues with Rob, who was recently posted in Brazil. His first assignment! You can keep up with Rob on his website. Rob and I actually met up a couple of times when we both lived in DC in 2017. We connected because of Path to Foreign Service, and I …
The cultural bridge between the U.S. mission and the host country, the Public Diplomacy Foreign Officer is the gatekeeper and promoter of information concerning the U.S. During your career, you may represent a post as the spokesperson, promote student and professional development exchange via the Fulbright Program, and/or organize discussion groups with the local community …
When you think of the Foreign Service, the duties of the Political Officer is the one that comes to mind the most for people. Keeping up with national and international trends that affect the host country, speaking and networking with government officials and subject matter experts on a topic, and writing numerous reports, the role …
The ones who keep the embassy or consulate running, the Foreign Service Management Officers are in charge of projects both small and large. Staff leaders, management officers supervise (potentially several) local staff from the beginning, and are trained to be able to manage real estate, human resources, logistics, construction, budgeting, and more. What follows are three …
