Prep for Foreign Service Officer exam
I'm taking the Foreign Service Officer exam in two weeks. Is there a way to prepare for this thing? It seems to be a potpourri of trivia, like Jeopardy, rather than an aptitude test or assessment of specific skills.
My impression is that it is just a quick check to verify that you read the news regularly, know basic facts and understand basic concepts related to economics and foreign affairs, and you are halfway compatible with a workforce of people whose focus is outside of our borders.
I did the practice test on the State Dept website - no issues there (though I think that one of their answers is incorrect). I generally don't spend too much time fretting over test prep - my preparation for the LSAT and GMAT consisted of purchasing the "for Dummies" book the day before each exam and things worked out okay. Unfortunately, I didn't see any "FSO Test for Dummies" book at B&N, so I'm going into this even more blind than with those previous tests.
I talked with our Diplomat in Residence
the other day and have an answer to what it means to pass the exam. The written exam is still the first critical hurdle. If you don't pass it you don't go on. The next step is new in the past decade - it is a board that looks at the exam, AND the other written materials the candidate submits and decides whether to invite the candidate for the oral assessment. After that it is the same as it used to be, although the anecdotal evidence suggests that more accomodations are made for medical conditions - including being blind.
Finally, an invite to the orals also depends to some extent on the cone selected. Political and Public Diplomacy are over subscribed so are very difficult to get into. There are shortages in the administative,management, economic and consular cones.
Cheers'
JohnT
FSO jobs look very interesting but...
From the FP website: Exclusive: GAO report finds State Department language skills dangerously lacking
Quote:
About a third of Foreign Service officers in jobs that require language skills don't have the proficiency required to do their jobs, hurting America's ability to advocate its interests around the world, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.
The report, which has not yet been released, but was obtained by The Cable, spells out the consequences of having a Foreign Service that in many cases can't communicate with local officials or populations, relies too heavily on local staff for critical functions, and can't respond to bad press when it appears in foreign languages.
Substandard skills were found in people holding 31 percent of the approximately 3,600 jobs that require a certain level of language proficiency, known as language-designated positions, up from 29 percent in 2005. In critically important regions such as the Near East and South and Central Asia, that number rises to 40 percent.
Kaykuri, a DLI grad comments:
Quote:
I have a strong desire to serve abroad, always have, but I confess that I am leery of the whole process. Now that I have built something of a career in the private sector, I am exactly the kind of mid-level person
Diplopundit talked about, that it seems DOS is incapable of hiring.
I apparently have to choose a career track first, with little info to go on and in which I will be stuck forever, then pass the exam and orals. For that I understand that I have to look forward to about 3 years of processing visa apps somewhere? Sign me up, baby.
As one old fart to others
I certainly agree with FSO's sentiment. I wonder if it could actually be made a requirement. If I were King - it's good to be the King:rolleyes: - I think I would give major preferences to those categories of individuals (along with some related experiences). Retired military would go to the head of the line at all stages of the recruitment process for all cones. RPCVs would be next in line, followed by former but not retired military, and them by Americorps. Last in line would be those fresh out of school with none of this experience.
I was particularly impressed watching my friend Ambassador Ed Corr in El Salvador because he was so clearly in "command" of his embassy. John Waghelstein makes the same observation about Deane Hinton. I've seen other Ambassadors who obviously didn't have the first conception of what a commander is let alonewhat one does. (But I would also have to acknowledge that I've seen a bunch of very bad military officers in command...:eek:)
Cheers
JohnT
There are only so many things that
can be tested by phone. With a canned test they can very easily test your ability to hear and understand - they will read a passage in Arabic (or any other language being tested) and ask a series of questions about the passage either in the language or in English. Response would be to punch the appropriate letter. This would be very similar to the DLPT tests. The technology exists to test for speaking as well. This could be a live conversation with a native speaker or something that requires spoken responses in the language which will be recorded and evaluated later. This is generally what the testing capability would be. As to what the FS actually does, I'd have to check with our Diplomat in Residence - that might take a while.
I missed your post when it went up. HT to Schmedlap for calling my attention to it.
Cheers
JohnT
My experience with DLI oral tests
Alright, this is not necessarily the way the FS does it but there are several criteria in an oral exam for the military. I can't remember them all, but here goes.
To get a "1", you just have to be able to answer certain questions, like what is your name, and so on.
To get a "2" you should be able to do more complicated things with the language, such as give instructions, introduce yourself, tell a story, and most importantly talk about an important news item.
To get a "3" which is very good indeed, you should be able to talk about abstract concepts, like the meaning of life, or the legitimacy of torture.
I think I have mixed a few things up, but that is the general idea. In general, the instructor has an idea of where you are in the language, and will start with introductions, and lead you through a conversation, asking questions related to the level that s/he thinks you might be at. You get two tries at a higher level, and if you get that they will move up to those level questions. A longer interview is not necessarily better.
I hope that is helpful. Again, I cannot guarantee that the FSO uses the same method.
OK, now I am officially scared.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jedburgh
I took the FSO phone test in Arabic - and passed - last year. My experience was that the tester (native speaker - pure الفصحى) went directly from initial introductions to level 3 discussion about politics in the region. None of the incremental feeling out for capabilities like with a DLI OPI.
I read on the State Dept website that they were looking for all versions of Arabic. I am a Level 3+ (or above, according to their language reference website) speaker in Syrian "a3meya" or Colloquial Arabic. I also read and write Arabic.
If the phone test is in "Foos-ha" or Formal Arabic, for sure I will fail.
It makes more sense to me - with their broad interest in the Arab region- that they would first ask the test-taker what their specialty is and then match an appropriate test administrator to them. :confused:
Any words of wisdom and/or encouragement now would be greatly appreciated!
Narrative for FS Oral Exam
Schmedlap:
I would suggest that you stress some of the following issues:
1. experience in foreign countries
2. interaction with foreigners and understanding of foreign cultures
3. understanding of, and experience with, the interagency process
4. leadership experience
5. program management experience
At the risk of impugning your intelligence, I would also advise avoiding the following:
1. personal political, social, or religious opinions
2. personal views about foreign policy execution
3. pronouncements about grand strategy
A caveat: I do not know any FSOs who have actually served on the Board of Examiners (the entity that conducts the oral interviews). These positions are open to FSOs of any cone who have the appropriate rank but this is a niche area outside of the mainstream - not an assignment that usually attracts the ambitious or those identified as water walkers.