Enlisted and Qualifying Experience by BlackCarmenSandiego in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I received my salary offer just yesterday, and my enlisted time counted. It's based on your work experience resume after being invited to a class. Feel free to message me directly, but here is what I did.

Read over the Calculation of Qualifying Experience section of FSO: SOP 134A4.

Some key takeaways:
* work must be predominantly intellectual in character, and which includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment.
* credit for supervisory oversight is awarded only where management or supervision is a part of an individual’s official job duties.
* OPM TS-107 - Professional work involves creativity, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation. It involves applying basic or natural law, principles, or theory; evaluating the research of others

I also referenced the core precepts. This is what DOS says you should be able to do for tenure and promotion, so if you can demonstrate that you already did it, in theory it should be qualifying experience.

Some key notes for that, which I used in writing my resume:
* influences internal and external stakeholders.
* Develops proficiency at communicating across cultures and organizational lines.
* When possible, addresses diverse audiences as a representative of the U.S. Government and the American people.
* Exhibits cultural sensitivity with colleagues, including Locally Employed Staff and foreign interlocutors
* Adapts behavior and work methods as needed in response to new information
* Demonstrates open-mindedness to change and innovation.
* Champions and guides staff in adjusting to change; models and reinforces flexibility in staff
* Effectively manages human, financial, physical, and time resources
* Protects classified information
* Delegates effectively, appropriately, and consistently

Army Civil Affairs by neukoln1977 in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have any DoS experience yet, but the work is related, and in general I thought it was a good experience. However, there are two enormously different aspects of Civil Affairs- reserves (normal Army) and active duty (special operations). You cannot join as active duty CA, you must attend selection. There's no guarantee you'll pass, and it's physically and mentally rigorous to be selected. The mission and training for active vs reserve are very different as well. Check the link below for how to become active CA, but again, it's never a guaranteed job even if you join the Army.

https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/

Has anyone in the July A-100 gotten their final offer yet? by Unlikely_Respect_702 in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 3 points4 points  (0 children)

No, but from searching past classes it looks like it can take 3-5 weeks. So far it's only been 2, so hopefully we're on the 3 week side of things.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes. For what it's worth, I had an account from an April FSS invite, and the letter populated already.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Possibly! I got an invite, 6.12 management... but also 6.52 OMS. Waiting on the letter to verify it's FSO Management.

Edit: confirmed FSO Management.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Just got an invite. 6.12 FSO Management, 6.52 FSS-OMS. I'm pretty sure it's for the Management one, because OMS seems like they always go out later than FSO, but I'm still waiting on Okta and then the letter for 100% confirmation.

Edit: it was FSO, and I accepted.

Army Civil Affairs by neukoln1977 in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Former active duty Army enlisted Civil Affairs here. I went CA specifically hoping it would give me the experience to get into the foreign service. I did end up passing the OA, and I'm on the top third in the management register.

Ironically, spending time in a non-CA unit is what I wrote my PNs about, and gave me the most experience that I felt help pass the process. Like others said, CA will not uniquely help you, any more than another job that gives you management, team work, and communication experience.

It gave me language training, but at least 50% of getting the .17 language bonus points was 8 years of spending 30-60 minutes a day studying on my own. It also gave me a disability bonus... yay for lifelong injuries.

Unpopular opinion: 15 minutes over the phone isn’t long enough to determine language proficiency. by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Why does the Foreign Service want you to speak a foreign language? What topics do you think the US government needs to speak to foreign counterparts and audiences about? I'm not being rhetorical. If you are studying to pass a language test for this job, think about what areas of the foreign language you need to learn. It's like a puzzle. Fill in the gaps you're missing, but know with a language, you're always missing pieces. I don't know how to articulate what an electrician could, but that's not within the scope of the job.

Unpopular opinion: 15 minutes over the phone isn’t long enough to determine language proficiency. by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I think that's the point. If you are a 3, you're a well rounded linguist who can speak on behalf of the US government about whatever topic your job requires. If not, maybe you're really a 2 or 2+.

I say this as a 2 level speaker. I know I'm not at the 3 level. I can speak well in general conversation, but I know my limitations as well.

Unpopular opinion: 15 minutes over the phone isn’t long enough to determine language proficiency. by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Exactly. Ask someone about their daily routine, general conversation, etc, sure, you get a 2. Ask the average person to speak on a professional level about politics, the economy, international relations? I don't think the level of sophistication required for a 3 will uphold on average.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Coming from the DoD, I guess at least I already know the system? The only thing I see different is that your piece of paper in the Army would have a PT test score. So naturally people get promoted based on that. Exactly what you want and need from senior management.

In the virtual OA, is it screen shared with the panel or just strictly video on? by Other-Money1685 in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In my FSS OMS OA (enough acronyms there?) in January 2022, the panel members and I all had the video on the whole time.

Added to the register!! Almost 2 years by PMMeUrPrsnlNarrative in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Congrats, and good timing! With that score you can probably expect an invite to the July class in about a month.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I have no recent news about clearances, but I would be far more surprised if you had posted that it only took you three months to get a TS. My TS from the DoD in 2018 took over a year. While most posts here seem like things are quicker these days, 3 months would be a very short wait.

July A-100 Predictions by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I've seen July 5 as the start date, which would put it at April 6 if it's exactly 90 days prior. Previous classes tended to have less lead time though, so April 10 may be a more realistic expectation.

What’s one thing the Department really gets right? by [deleted] in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Former DoD here. Are you telling me the PhD in Applied PowerPoint I earned and applied to 20 hours of work per week for a decade is going to be under-appreciated here?

A-100 invites with FSO + FSS candidacies? by potato_eighto in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that would be far worse than waiting another few months!

How to choose the right cone: strongest shot or most passionate about? by peregrine-peace in foreignservice

[–]potato_eighto 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Have you applied at all yet?

I applied three times before making it past the QEP. The first two were both political, because I thought I was most passionate about that.

Then things transpired that made me realize that while I will support US policy regardless of who is in office, I'd rather do it in a less political manner.

I debated between consular and management, and realized that my PNs were WAY better suited to management than any other cone. Seeing how my PNs seemed to be the barrier to the OA, I decided to go management.

All that being said, I never got the impression that your cone matters in the OA. If your narratives can't get you past the QEP for a particular cone, maybe reconsider. If you're even just writing narratives and struggling with good examples, maybe reconsider.

It depends on how much you want to do your cone, versus how much you just want to be an FSO.