If you want to become a Foreign Service Officer (FSO), writing your personal narratives is one of the most important parts of the application submission process. Their significance further increased with the 2022 FSO testing and application process change. As such, you need to spend quality time writing these mini-essays.
If you’re just starting, I recommend checking out the entire recruitment process first. However, if you’ve got that down, then continue reading.
In this article, we will dive into the personal narrative prompts, suggestions on how to write them, tips to help you succeed, and my top recommendation for leveling up your writing overall.
The FSO Personal Narrative Prompts
The personal narrative prompts have remained the same for at least the last decade*. Candidates must write six responses in leadership, interpersonal, communication, management, and intellectual skills; and substantive knowledge. Each narrative will contain no more than 1,300 characters (including spaces).
The prompts for each narrative follow:
Substantive Knowledge
The Foreign Service seeks a diverse workforce with broad job skills and a depth of experience to represent the United States overseas. Briefly describe why you chose the career track you selected and what you bring to that career track.
Intellectual Skills
In the Foreign Service, you will confront challenging situations that require identifying the problem, collecting relevant information, and formulating or advancing innovative solutions to resolve the problem. Describe a time when you responded innovatively to unanticipated circumstances to solve a problem. Include the following elements in your response: the situation, steps you took to think through this situation, and how your actions addressed the situation. What were the results?
Interpersonal Skills
In the Foreign Service, you will be called upon to interact effectively and diplomatically with people in difficult situations. Describe how you have used your interpersonal skills in a specific situation to resolve a problem or achieve a goal. Include the following elements in your response: identify the goal or problem, and the specific steps you took. What was the result?
Communication skills
Communication skills are critical to successful diplomacy. Describe a situation in which you used your communication skills (either in English or another language) to further an aim or achieve a goal. Include the following elements in your response: the situation and the steps you took to deal with this situation. What was the result?
Management Skills
Foreign Service Officers are often required to manage projects, demonstrating the ability to plan and organize, set priorities, employ a systematic approach, and allocate time and resources efficiently. Describe a project you managed or helped to manage and how you sought to achieve the project’s goals. Include the following elements in your response: the project and the steps you took to manage this project. What was the result?
Leadership Skills
Leadership can be defined as motivating others, encouraging creative solutions, establishing positive team relationships, or significantly influencing the direction of the work. Describe how you have demonstrated leadership, either on one particular occasion or over time. Include the following elements in your response: the situation and the steps you took to show leadership. What was the result?
* Though the prompts have not changed, and I advise writing your responses before the registration window opens, you are responsible for reviewing the prompts in the application packet before submitting.
How to write your FSO personal narratives
The basics of writing your narratives are straightforward. It’s putting it all together in a concise and well-written manner that is challenging for many. To assist you in your writing, I recommend utilizing the STAR-L framework.
The reason for the “L” is that State requests candidates to “identify [their] learning experiences and indicate how [their] learning experience will contribute to success in [their] chosen Foreign Service career track.”
The STAR-L framework
The STAR-L framework is a powerful method for structuring and presenting your experiences. It ensures that your stories are clear, concise, compelling, and demonstrate the required skills effectively, which is key when you only have 1,300 characters.
The framework consists of five components:
- Situation: set the scene by describing the context or background of your story.
- Task: outline the specific challenge or problem you faced. This highlights the purpose and goal of your story, providing a clear objective to follow.
- Action: explain your steps or your decisions to address the task. This demonstrates your approach and skills in dealing with the situation.
- Result: share your actions’ outcome, emphasizing the impact and positive change you made. This provides tangible evidence of your accomplishments.
- Learning: reflect on your experience, sharing the lessons learned, how they have shaped your personal or professional growth, and how these lessons connect to your career track.
Implementing the STAR-L framework
To effectively implement the STAR-L framework in your writing, brainstorm experiences that showcase your abilities or demonstrate personal growth. Identify the critical components of each story (Situation, Task, Action, Result, and Learning) and organize your thoughts accordingly. Remember to choose stories that align with your selected career track.
From there, draft your story and edit your writing mercilessly. Ask for feedback from others. Do not use three words when you can use one.
Tips to help you write your FSO personal narratives
What follows are just a few tips to help you write your narratives (in no order):
- Answer the question. If you are asked to write about how you have shown leadership, then don’t write about your boss.
- Don’t just note what you did, but also how you did it, why it mattered, and what effect it had.
- You don’t need a story about running into a fire or brokering world peace. You need a story that answers the prompt.
- Do not embellish, but do make sure to highlight your accomplishments.
- Review and leverage the 11 dimensions and precepts in your writing.
- Get feedback, edit mercilessly (yes, I am repeating this point), condense your language, and repeat.
- Focus on stories that demonstrate the required skills and align with your chosen career track. Look for experiences that showcase your adaptability, ability to work in diverse environments, and personal growth.
- Use formal language, a professional tone, and the active voice.
My recommended resource to help you write your FSO personal narratives
If you would like additional support to help you write your narratives, advanced tips, and a community of peers helping each other craft their essays, consider joining FSO Compass.
FSO Compass is a fantastic resource for helping you write your narratives, practice for the FSOT, assemble your application, and go through the process with a community, not solo. In addition, FSO Compass runs the PN Challenge to help you go from zero written narratives to six within 30 days with accountability, review and feedback, and mentoring.
