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From what I've read, that should not have any negative bearings on your candidacy at all.

But what I'd like to know is what kind of topics did your phone test involve? I've heard it's daily life subjects: work, friends, family, hobbies kind of thing. I'm worried that they want complex opinions on current events or something... No one really talks about the phone test. I'm also wondering if I'll even get an invitation to do that.

Your wife's country of origin shouldn't matter although it could conceivably prevent you from serving in Mexico. That is more of an issue in places like Cuba or China though. Probably a third of the men in the Foreign Service have foreign spouses.

Prinny04 -- I'd be reading a good newspaper daily and be prepared to discuss the major news stories of the day. They do want to hear complex opinions on world events. The basic pleasantries generally isn't enough. However, if you're testing in Korean, the bar is a bit lower.

It wasn't much beyond pleasantries. I'd made it clear that I didn't speak fluently, and the examiner was clearly sussing out exactly how well I could speak. She asked me about the places I'd traveled in the Arabic-speaking world, and how I'd learned the bits of the language that I actually know. No tricks.

It was very strange doing a phone interview in Arabic from a phone office in Mexico, wearing nothing but board shorts and my sandals.

One more thing ...

Stations are never for more than two years, right? Say I was offered a position, and stationed in a certain large embassy in a certain Arabic-speaking country. They don't extend those tours, do they? I'd go, but it obviously wouldn't be my first choice.

Re foreign spouses and cohabitants - they do run background checks on them. At least they make you fill out the forms.

So your fiancee will have to fill out the same 8,000 pages detailing every move over the past 10 years. Mainly you'll need addresses, schools, jobs, close contacts, places traveled, and verifying references for all of the above for the past 5 years (or is it 7 years?).

Pain. In. The. Ass.

quote:

Originally posted by jv:
Re foreign spouses and cohabitants - they do run background checks on them. At least they make you fill out the forms.

So your fiancee will have to fill out the same 8,000 pages detailing every move over the past 10 years. Mainly you'll need addresses, schools, jobs, close contacts, places traveled, and verifying references for all of the above for the past 5 years (or is it 7 years?).

Pain. In. The. Ass.

She's been a lot more stable than me. I'm surprised I made it this far - I know for a fact they've been checking my background. I've spent about four of the past ten years abroad, have had more addresses than years out of high school, and have been hired, fired, and/or quit under a cloud from more bartending and waiting jobs than I can remember. Maybe all that money for the law degree wasn't t total waste ...

quote:

Originally posted by Felix:
One more thing ...

Stations are never for more than two years, right? Say I was offered a position, and stationed in a certain large embassy in a certain Arabic-speaking country. They don't extend those tours, do they? I'd go, but it obviously wouldn't be my first choice.

Most assignments are for two years, some nicer places are for three years. You can generally extend your assignment for a year as well, but not more than that.

A few posts, primarily unaccompanied posts are only for one year (i.e. Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, a few others.)

Oh...and I wouldn't say "stations". They're either posts or assignments. A certain other agency uses the term "station" and you'll be confused with them enough without encouraging it.

FAIL

Which is okay. I wasn't as ready as I should have been, but I really just wanted to know what I would be up against next year. Now I know.

Prinny,

Sorry to hear that. Did you fail the FSOT or the language test? I can't remember which you were awaiting results. If it is the FSOT the second time will probably go better like you said. Once you know the format and what to expect it is a bit easier to prepare. That said, I passed the first time and failed the second time. (Luckily, I got through on my first attempt in the end.) That damn essay got me the second time. I blew everything away and failed the essay by one point. Me no right good.

The FSOT. Never got the CNL Test email.

I think I'll request my score breakdown. I'm sure the Job Knowledge was bombed and maybe the Biography... *sigh*

Here is one of those annoying things when you join the Foreign Service:

The vast majority of the public doesn't have the slightest idea what it is or what you do. You tell them you work for the Department of State and they want to know which state. You tell them you're a diplomat and there is uncomfortable silence like you just said you're a pirate or a cartoon.

I was on the phone the other day with a mortgage banker and he wanted to know who I worked for so I said the Department of State. He wanted to know where I lived and I said Ukraine. Why do I live in Ukraine? Because I work at the American Embassy in Kyiv. So you work for the American Embassy then? Yes. But you said you work for the Department of State. I do. *silence* I finally told him I work for Condoleezza Rice. *more silence*

Most of the time I just tell people I work for the U.S. Government and that I'm currently deployed overseas in Ukraine. Of course, this makes them think I'm military, but if I can get a fraction of the respect they get then I'll take the misconception.

quote:

Originally posted by skobb:
You tell them you're a diplomat and there is uncomfortable silence like you just said you're a pirate or a cartoon.

I was pretty sure you were a pirate. That's the whole reason I respected you...

It seems people get confused if you don't say you do the exact same job as they do or something like doctor, lawyer or fire fighter. Oh well.

quote:

Originally posted by skobb:like you just said you're a pirate

This is, by the way, exactly the profession I profess to enquiring strangers. But now that I read your post, maybe I'll start using 'diplomat.'

quote:

Originally posted by Callilucy:
It seems people get confused if you don't say you do the exact same job as they do or something like doctor, lawyer or fire fighter. Oh well.

Yeah, but Callilucy, you're getting a stunned silence because you have to tell people that you mop up monkey poo for a job.

quote:

Originally posted by skobb:

quote:

Originally posted by Callilucy:
It seems people get confused if you don't say you do the exact same job as they do or something like doctor, lawyer or fire fighter. Oh well.

Yeah, but Callilucy, you're getting a stunned silence because you have to tell people that you mop up monkey poo for a job.

I don't go to the monkey poo place anymore, I've been promoted. I work strictly with rodent poo nowadays. So there. Any day now I'll be able to call myself 'diplomat'.

I've been updating my blog lately and adding some more Foreign Service related links to it in case anyone is interested. The link is in my signature.

Hi all

I've been thinking of taking the foreign service test as soon as I am finished with my BA (1 year and a half to go) and I was wondering if the fact that I am also a Mexican citizen hurt my chances of getting in? Thanks

Hi Alely72,

I don't believe your dual citizenship will hurt your chances of getting in, but it may cause problems when you go through the security clearance process. I believe you might have to revoke the Mexican citizenship, but I'm not positive. You could check with HR at State to be sure.

Hi skobb & friends: thanks for maintaining this wonderfully informative board! I recently passed the FSOT, but can't make heads or tails of my scores. The cutoff was 154 and I got 189.12, but I have no idea if that's good or barely a pass. Any thoughts?

I also took a SCNL test on the phone. Things seemed to go fine but when it was over, the examiner wouldn't tell me if I had passed or not! Is that a bad sign?

Thanks and good luck everyone!

Hi ravenb,

Congratulations for passing the FSOT. To be honest, it doesn't make any difference whether you barely passed or passed by a lot. It is a pass/fail test. The second time I took the test I failed by 1 point, but I still failed. (Luckily, I ended up getting through on my first test.) I believe you passed by a pretty good margin though.

They've changed the testing a bit since I did it. You didn't use to do language testing early in the process. However, I believe they now use that to determine whether you get a slot at the orals. The fact you even tested in a super critical needs language means you must have some ability so I would imagine you'll get a slot. You should also have a good leg-up toward passing that as well if you passed the language test.