Through their dedication, perceptiveness, and creativity, Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) drive American foreign policy
towards its objectives of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity. This includes advocating American foreign policy,
protecting American citizens, and bolstering American business throughout the world.
Many FSOs have liberal arts or business degrees, while some have advanced degrees in specialized areas ranging from law
to the social and hard sciences. Knowledge of a foreign language is not a requirement to join the Foreign Service, as FSOs
receive language training required for overseas assignments. However, the U.S. Department of State welcomes applicants who
have foreign language competence, especially in Slavic, Middle Eastern, and Asian languages. Each FSO must choose one of
five career tracks: Management Affairs, Consular Affairs, Economic Affairs, Political Affairs, or Public
Diplomacy. Increasingly, issues such as the environment, science, AIDS, international law enforcement, narcotics
trafficking, and trafficking in persons have gained priority among American foreign policy objectives. This shift has
opened fascinating new avenues in which FSOs are making major contributions on the cutting edge of foreign policy. While
serving in Washington, D.C., offices in all tracks also participate in developing and implementing our foreign policies.
What awaits you in the Foreign Service is the opportunity of a lifetime. You'll get to know foreign languages and
cultures while making a difference in the lives of both American and foreign citizens.
FOREIGN SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS
After an initial orientation and training period in Washington (usually between three months and one year), newly hired
Foreign Service Officers are assigned overseas. During their first two assignments (each of two years' duration), officers
hold a variety of positions in order to demonstrate their qualifications for tenure as career Foreign Service Officers. As
part of this process, officers early in their careers perform an average of three years of consular work overseas and are frequently
assigned to at least one hardship post.
Hardship posts are those where living conditions are considered more difficult than in the United States. Such factors as
climate, the quality of local health care, crime rate, pollution levels, and availability of spouse employment opportunities
are used in deciding which posts are to be designated hardship. In general terms, most locations outside of Western Europe,
Canada, and Australia are considered hardship posts. Employees serving at hardship posts receive a "hardship" differential
of between five and twenty-five percent of salary, depending upon the severity of the hardship. For example, in 2003,
Asuncion, Paraguay, is a 5% hardship differential post; Bucharest, Romania, is a 15% post; and Kigali, Rwanda, is a 25%
post.
Assignments are made based on a bidding process. From a list of current openings, employees submit a list of desired
assignments. After close consultation with the employee, the Bureau of Human Resources then selects an appropriate posting.
Personal as well as professional factors are taken into account in making assignments, but the needs of the Service remain
paramount.
FIVE CAREER TRACKS
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