Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for the United States Federal Government are employed to solve a litany of diplomatic issues, and are segmented into five major officer groups; consular, economic, management, political, and public diplomacy. While all of these officer groups are incredibly important to maintaining effective soft power internationally, for this post we’ll stick with the economic track, due to the inherent connection it shares to game theory in geopolitical contexts. To be employed as a FSO, there are 13 dimensions that need to be fulfilled: composure, cultural adaptability, experience and motivation, information integration and analysis, initiative and leadership, judgement, objectivity/integrity, oral communication, planning and organizing, resourcefulness, working with others, written communication, and quantitative analysis.
After selecting the career track, the first step in becoming an FSO is to take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). Upon passing the FSOT, the next steps are to submit a personal narrative to the Qualification Evaluation Panel, who review it. Following this, there is a day-long oral assessment which measures personal ability in demonstrating the 13 dimensions listed above. After the oral assessment, security and medical clearances are performed. Once this is completed, a Suitability Review Panel examines the file to determine employment in the Foreign Service, which puts you on the Register, which rank-orders successful candidates via their careers tracks.
To be successful in this process, the State Department recommends doing several preparatory actions that will improve candidacy. The first of these steps in the employment process is to take the practice FSOT, which gives the applicant a detailed understanding of the rigorous preparation required to be considered a qualified candidate for an FSO position. They also recommend reviewing the Oral Assessment Information Guide as a preparatory step for the oral assessment. Some of the other components for success that the State Department outlines include knowledge and proficiency of foreign languages, a history of military service, and a commitment to foreign service work.
Charles Ries, a diplomat with nearly 4 decades of foreign service experience, outlined some of the key components of long term success in the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA). Some of the factors he pointed to included leadership, interpersonal skills, and substantial experience and knowledge. He advised that these skills, paired with effective assignment undertaking to develop strong bureau to bureau connections were vital in becoming a senior level FSO.
References
13 Dimensions. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/13-dimensions/
8 Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service Officer. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/test-process/
Career Tracks for Foreign Service Officers. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/career-tracks/
United States of America, Department of State, Foreign Service Officer. (2016, March). Foreign Service Officer Oral Assessment Information Guide. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://careers.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/
Foreign-Service-Officer-Oral-Assessment-Information-Guide.pdfFSO Practice Test – Careers. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://careers.state.gov/fsopracticetest/
Ries, C. (n.d.). Economic Officers for the Future. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.afsa.org/economic-officers-future
The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). (2019, February 20). Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://home.pearsonvue.com/fsot
Game Theory and Geopolitics 