Does anyone work as a Forgien Service Officer for the US?

[NotSoObvious]

My husband and I have been exploring ways for our family to live overseas, travel, etc. and this was a path that came up. It's not something we've ever considered and now we are chewing on it.

 

Does anyone have experience with this? My dh would be interested in working as a Consular Officer.

 

Any other ideas on how to live abroad without risking everything financially? :) My husband speaks Japanese and lived there several years ago, so we've been toying with Japan...

 

Just thinking out loud! Thanks for any tips!

[Shellydon]

My husband and I have been exploring ways for our family to live overseas, travel, etc. and this was a path that came up. It's not something we've ever considered and now we are chewing on it.

 

Does anyone have experience with this? My dh would be interested in working as a Consular Officer.

 

Any other ideas on how to live abroad without risking everything financially? :) My husband speaks Japanese and lived there several years ago, so we've been toying with Japan...

 

Just thinking out loud! Thanks for any tips!

 

 

I know someone that does this. She moves every 2 years to a new country.

[TravelingChris]

I know two homeschooling families (or at least sometimes homeschooling) who are in the State Department as Foreign Service people. One came into it later in life. I would have you go to the State Department website. I am sure they have info of what the qualifications they are looking at. However, I have to say that I think getting to Japan may be difficult as an FSO since that is considered a more plum assignment. THe family that did this later in life (some of their kids are teens), they got sent to an African country where the kids go to private school because if they were homeschooled, they would have no contact with any other children, most likely. That is the common problem and why many people stationed overseas in countries with a different language and no real way for kids to make friends, often send their children to school. Both of the families I know did that and two other families that were homeschooling here in the US but were sent to non English speaking countries also put their kids in private school. (BOth of those families were in Asian countries though neither in State Department). At one point, my dh thought of getting into the Air Attache program because they needed a person for a country where I speak the language and he has had two years of language instruction in it. But again, even though I had homeschooled my kids throughout once we made that decision after my eldest's first grade, I would have had to put my youngest into a private school. She couldn't take being an only child homeschooled with no friends or activities (she would have been the only child left at home). My dh decided to not pursue the program for other reasons but that is the reality for many postings. Do you keep homeschooling if your kids have zero chance for making any friends or doing any activities?

[Karen in CO]

I know someone who is interested in pursuing this career. There are a lot of steps. You can start here.

[NotSoObvious]

I know two homeschooling families (or at least sometimes homeschooling) who are in the State Department as Foreign Service people. One came into it later in life. I would have you go to the State Department website. I am sure they have info of what the qualifications they are looking at. However, I have to say that I think getting to Japan may be difficult as an FSO since that is considered a more plum assignment. THe family that did this later in life (some of their kids are teens), they got sent to an African country where the kids go to private school because if they were homeschooled, they would have no contact with any other children, most likely. That is the common problem and why many people stationed overseas in countries with a different language and no real way for kids to make friends, often send their children to school. Both of the families I know did that and two other families that were homeschooling here in the US but were sent to non English speaking countries also put their kids in private school. (BOth of those families were in Asian countries though neither in State Department). At one point, my dh thought of getting into the Air Attache program because they needed a person for a country where I speak the language and he has had two years of language instruction in it. But again, even though I had homeschooled my kids throughout once we made that decision after my eldest's first grade, I would have had to put my youngest into a private school. She couldn't take being an only child homeschooled with no friends or activities (she would have been the only child left at home). My dh decided to not pursue the program for other reasons but that is the reality for many postings. Do you keep homeschooling if your kids have zero chance for making any friends or doing any activities?

 

Thanks for this. That is something for us to consider, especially because I have a child who does better at home than in a school environment. Hmmm.

[NotSoObvious]

I know someone who is interested in pursuing this career. There are a lot of steps. You can start here.

 

Thanks. We have done this and are trying to decide if we should move forward with the testing.

[Melinda in VT]

How patient are you?

 

We looked into this about a decade ago. DH breezed through the written test (both times) and went to the orals in DC twice. I think if we had persisted, he would have made it on the list. (Once on the list, you still might not be hired. It depends on how many people they hire during your stint on the list. You fall off after a certain amount of time.)

 

In the end, we decided to take another opportunity.

 

Read up about Third Culture Kids and working in an embassy. You have to be prepared to work in some less-than-desirable countries, especially at first.

[NotSoObvious]

How patient are you?

 

We looked into this about a decade ago. DH breezed through the written test (both times) and went to the orals in DC twice. I think if we had persisted, he would have made it on the list. (Once on the list, you still might not be hired. It depends on how many people they hire during your stint on the list. You fall off after a certain amount of time.)

 

In the end, we decided to take another opportunity.

 

Read up about Third Culture Kids and working in an embassy. You have to be prepared to work in some less-than-desirable countries, especially at first.

 

 

Hmm. Not very patient. In fact, when I saw the page about the waiting list, we stopped the online process to think about it. I don't really want to be put on a list and wait for a call out of the blue.

 

Best case scenario, he'd just get a job through a company in Japan, I suppose.

 

I'll check out third culture kids, thanks!

[KYKaren]

If you are interested in other overseas opportunities, here are a couple of helpful websites:

 

devex.com--lots of good information on international development. Clicking on the jobs tab will bring up a fastmoving data base of international jobs.

 

internationaljobs.org--subscribe to the International Career Employment Weekly for a listing of available opportunities, and check out the Hot Jobs Today tab for a sampling.

 

devnetjobs.org--another listing of international jobs.

 

These all tend to have a development focus, since that is what we are most familiar with. You did not mention your husband's career field, so these may be off target in terms of his skills.

 

Whether to continue homeschooling or use a local or international school is a major decision, as others have noted. I have homeschooled two all the way, with a rising senior this year. However, if we move back overseas before my rising freshman graduates, I would seriously look at school for him at that point. Your options are different if you and/or your children know the local language (which we have in other assignments); and frankly having younger kids gives you more options in my opinion.

 

All the best,

Karen

 

ETA--check out federalsoup.com and read the forums there to hear the voices of those actually in the employment process/pipeline.

Edited July 30, 2012 by KYKaren
added information

[YaelAldrich]

Japan can be a tough place to come to now -- since 3/11 (the earthquake and tsunami), US (and western) companies have been closing up shop there. I have friends there now (who are staying) who have gone to a lot of sayonara parties for people going back to their home countries. It's also SUPER expensive -- we just got a place (a free standing 4 BR home for the small sum of $5K a month. Food is also expensive. What does your DH do?

[NotSoObvious]

Japan can be a tough place to come to now -- since 3/11 (the earthquake and tsunami), US (and western) companies have been closing up shop there. I have friends there now (who are staying) who have gone to a lot of sayonara parties for people going back to their home countries. It's also SUPER expensive -- we just got a place (a free standing 4 BR home for the small sum of $5K a month. Food is also expensive. What does your DH do?

 

Yeah, that's what we are afraid of. Japan is just top on our list because he's lived there and speaks the language, and it is a culture with which we are very familiar. It's just the most appealing to us right now, only because I think it's where we can really envision ourselves living. We are definitely open to other places, it's just hard to know where to start.

 

My dh was a graphic designer- mostly web with SEO managing, but took a regional sales manager job within his company last year, which is why we live on the other side of the country now.

 

I guess we are either looking at buying another house and settling down here or making our next jump in the next year or two, so it really has us wondering if this could be the right time. I just worry about long term finances, so it would have to be a good job...

[NotSoObvious]

If you are interested in other overseas opportunities, here are a couple of helpful websites:

 

devex.com--lots of good information on international development. Clicking on the jobs tab will bring up a fastmoving data base of international jobs.

 

internationaljobs.org--subscribe to the International Career Employment Weekly for a listing of available opportunities, and check out the Hot Jobs Today tab for a sampling.

 

devnetjobs.org--another listing of international jobs.

 

These all tend to have a development focus, since that is what we are most familiar with. You did not mention your husband's career field, so these may be off target in terms of his skills.

 

Whether to continue homeschooling or use a local or international school is a major decision, as others have noted. I have homeschooled two all the way, with a rising senior this year. However, if we move back overseas before my rising freshman graduates, I would seriously look at school for him at that point. Your options are different if you and/or your children know the local language (which we have in other assignments); and frankly having younger kids gives you more options in my opinion.

 

All the best,

Karen

 

ETA--check out federalsoup.com and read the forums there to hear the voices of those actually in the employment process/pipeline.

 

Thanks for this!! It's hard to know which sites are legit. This helps a lot.

[YaelAldrich]

Yeah, that's what we are afraid of. Japan is just top on our list because he's lived there and speaks the language, and it is a culture with which we are very familiar. It's just the most appealing to us right now, only because I think it's where we can really envision ourselves living. We are definitely open to other places, it's just hard to know where to start.

 

My dh was a graphic designer- mostly web with SEO managing, but took a regional sales manager job within his company last year, which is why we live on the other side of the country now.

 

I guess we are either looking at buying another house and settling down here or making our next jump in the next year or two, so it really has us wondering if this could be the right time. I just worry about long term finances, so it would have to be a good job...

 

 

Would you really want to LIVE in Japan for a long period of time? I like it there (more or less) but I couldn't handle it for more than a year at a time. I hate being a "foreigner/gaijin" all.the.time. I kiss the ground when I come home (to America).

[BoZeeCo's Mom]

I worked for the State Department before I was married or had children, so I can't really say something specific about having a family there, but I will say that there are pros and cons. Your housing is paid for, and you don't have to spend too much money, (at least I didn't, but like I said it was only me). I would bank most of my paycheck, but remember, this is the federal government, so salaries are not huge. Some of the cons to it (for me were: Not really getting to experience much of the REAL local culture. Mostly, you are with the people you are working with. You are not really encouraged to hang out with the locals, kwim? Also, it was stated before, but it doesn't really work out that you get Tokyo, Paris, or London your first few placements. I know that when I worked there, families would get slight preferential placement, but I'm sure that's a thing of the past. I was there pre- 9-11-01, so there is no way I can speak to any of that accurately. I can only imagine that they have locked down even more.

 

All in all, working for ANY federal agency is an adventure. We moved from DC last year, and I can't say I miss any of that, just the city itself. I would say that for our family, there is no way we would do it. I think life would be much richer (and easier) to have your husband get a job with an American company that has foreign branches. You can go anywhere you want, you can talk to whoever you want, and you can actually (potentially) make good money.

[NotSoObvious]

I worked for the State Department before I was married or had children' date=' so I can't really say something specific about having a family there, but I will say that there are pros and cons. Your housing is paid for, and you don't have to spend too much money, (at least I didn't, but like I said it was only me). I would bank most of my paycheck, but remember, this is the federal government, so salaries are not huge. Some of the cons to it (for me were: Not really getting to experience much of the REAL local culture. Mostly, you are with the people you are working with. You are not really encouraged to hang out with the locals, kwim? Also, it was stated before, but it doesn't really work out that you get Tokyo, Paris, or London your first few placements. I know that when I worked there, families would get slight preferential placement, but I'm sure that's a thing of the past. I was there pre- 9-11-01, so there is no way I can speak to any of that accurately. I can only imagine that they have locked down even more.

 

All in all, working for ANY federal agency is an adventure. We moved from DC last year, and I can't say I miss any of that, just the city itself. I would say that for our family, there is no way we would do it. I think life would be much richer (and easier) to have your husband get a job with an American company that has foreign branches. You can go anywhere you want, you can talk to whoever you want, and you can actually (potentially) make good money.[/quote']

 

 

Thank you! This was so helpful. I just read it to my husband. I think we'll spend more time looking at all of our options.

[Laura Corin]

Would you really want to LIVE in Japan for a long period of time? I like it there (more or less) but I couldn't handle it for more than a year at a time. I hate being a "foreigner/gaijin" all.the.time. I kiss the ground when I come home (to America).

 

Either you enjoy being a stranger in a strange land or you don't.

 

Laura (lived overseas for around 20 years; husband still does - American in Scotland)

[1shortmomto4]

I don't come to this board very often but when I saw the title I had to visit further. I can't tell you very much about the experience of getting the job through the Foreign Service - that is because my dad was the FSO. He worked for the Agency for International Development. He had a financial background and his job was to help the underdeveloped country use the money the US provides to AID them in growing their country. My mom also worked with the US Embassy as an Embassy nurse (another exciting job getting to travel to other locations at times to bring patients back to the US). I don't have much knowledge of how my dad got the job, how long it took, etc. but I do know that being with AID meant that we got post assignments that were not the plush countries - I grew up in Africa and South Korea - but that didn't mean that we were in the same living situations as the natives from that country.

 

I loved, loved, love growing up overseas. I had an excellent education in the American International Schools - classes were small, the schools are basically "private" in that only Americans and select other countries or companies could attend. I remember attending 8th grade with a Dutch girl (school is completely English) and my teacher's husband worked for Pepsi. When we were living in West Africa you had the option of attending the French school but my parents didn't choose that option. Unfortunately when I hit 9th grade there was no were local schooling options and I had to return to the US and live with grandparents for a year until my family returned state-side. On the flipside, my sister spent her entire high school years attending the American school in Kenya - so it all has to do with the assignment you are given. (You are typically given a choice - we almost went to Indonesia on our first assignment but ended up in Korea). Coming from the kid standpoint, it was wonderful. We had close friends; they meant a lot to you (unlike here in the US where they are a dime a dozen and if you have a fight, who cares, on to the next one). You visited many wonderful places, learned cultures, customs, an appreciation for all that you are blessed with as a citizen of the US. Was it easy moving around, well, in the FSO, you might move every 2 years but more like 4 - I'd say a bit easier than the military family who may have to move a few years in just a year!

 

My parents had many friends just like myself and my sister while overseas - you are a small American community (although sometimes you do socialize with others from other countries or businesses). You support one another and help one another - again, this is not something I've found here stateside and miss a lot.

 

Was it easy not having the latest styles - nah. Being able to run to Walmart and get the latest new toy - nope. I didn't have tv (until the early 80s when in Kenya and people stateside taped the tv shows and mailed them and everyone took turns) so I read a lot of books (I would have loved Sonlight!!!) We played - a lot!

 

Okay, sorry, no answers about how to find the job but thought I'd give you the perspective from a kid - who is now all grownup and a mom herself. If my dh could have had a job like that we'd have done it in a heartbeat and never looked back!

[YaelAldrich]

I agree about the stranger in a strange land, but Japan really takes the cake when it comes to foreigner-love/hate. Try looking at expat blogs from Japan and you'll see. I've lived in other countries and no place do I feel as strange as I do there (and I look Asian and they expect me to speak/be Japanese!).

[EducationX2]

Wow. Why did I not ever think of this as a good career choice? This would be... amazing.

 

I'd love to be a FSO. I took the practice test. Out of 45 questions, I missed 3. :D Go me.

[Lisa in Jax]

Try this blog. The writer was a WTM-er from way back whose dh works for State in China. She's awesome -- send her an email and let her know you found her blog through Lisa Porter on the WTM boards.

 

http://adaringadventure.typepad.com/blog/

[laughing lioness]

My bil is in the diplomatic corp. They have lived in S.Amer (2 diff assignments) and now Europe. Their last assignment was very, very high stress. Volitile politics in an unstable country. Their kids are bi-lingual- the youngest working on her 3rd lang.

They live a very cosmopolitan life-style- ds and dd's met H. Clinton last week- personally- travel internationally, get paid well, etc. Definite perks, but it has also taken it's toll on the family. Oldest dd went to U.S. Boarding schools for high school and has had some issues and middle dd did 5 yrs of high school because of continued evacuations.

BiL had to know 2nd language fluently and took the test 3 times- he got in just under the age requirement (he owned a successful biz before- 2nd career kind of thing) but he loves it.

[NotSoObvious]

Wow. Thank you again for all of your helpful posts! I'm reading them all to my husband!