The U.S. Foreign Service

skobb wrote:Good luck! Big hiring going on now.

So I hear. That, and I know what to expect this time.

Forgot all about this ... 4.90 two Fridays ago, just under the 5.25 to receive a conditional offer. Passed the structured interview, didn't pass the case management or group exercises.

Feh. Looks like I'll start over again in January.

Bummer. Yeah, go ahead and give it another shot if you're still interested.

I actually only passed one of the three parts as well, but passed overall. I assume that means I passed one big and barely failed the others.

Hi Skobb,

Just had question based on your knowledge of the latest updates about foreign service hiring...I recently passed the FSOA with a 5.3 in the ECON track...given the ramping of hiring, do you think there is a decent chance I will still get hired with this score? I'm planning on taking the Spanish test in a few months as well to boost to a 5.47, so hopefully that would qualify me if my current score doesn't. Just thought I'd see if you have any input...thanks!

jd22 wrote:Hi Skobb,

Just had question based on your knowledge of the latest updates about foreign service hiring...I recently passed the FSOA with a 5.3 in the ECON track...given the ramping of hiring, do you think there is a decent chance I will still get hired with this score? I'm planning on taking the Spanish test in a few months as well to boost to a 5.47, so hopefully that would qualify me if my current score doesn't. Just thought I'd see if you have any input...thanks!

I'm not Skobb, but I've been tracking the recent hiring and can probably address your question.

A 5.3 in the Econ track is probably good enough to get the call, but perhaps not good enough to get an immediate call.

When calls for the 149th A-100 class went out (that class starts next Monday), they "cleared" the Econ register, meaning that a call went out to the person ranked dead last. They may not clear the Econ register again for the January or February classes because the register seems to be growing pretty fast this fall, and there is a slight lag between the 149th class and the 150th, because of the holidays.

Whether and when you get the call will depend on a number of factors. My guess is that if you hit the register sometime before March 2010, you'll probably get the call sometime by the summer of 2010, if not sooner. The current hiring blitz is projected to continue through the end of FY 2010, if not longer. There are classes scheduled for January, February, March, and May. The best guess is that those classes will be very large (90+) and will probably empty all of the registers by next summer. Of course, if you get the .17 for Spanish, you'll be in a much better position to get an earlier call.

Only 2 years ago, someone with a 5.3 in Econ would have had trouble getting the call. Now, most candidates with a passing Econ score will get called sooner or later. Of course, this can all change if there's a budget impasse, hiring freeze, etc.

Good luck!

Thanks Huskerdu! Very helpful response and hoping for the best!

Sorry for the extremely delayed response. I haven't been checking in as much as I used to.

Because of the hiring surge, you'd probably be okay with a 5.3, but you'd have a much better chance with a 5.47. It sounds like they're hiring pretty much everyone on the register at the moment, but that funding could dry up very quickly so hopefully you'll get on the register.

Best of luck!

skobb wrote:Sorry for the extremely delayed response. I haven't been checking in as much as I used to.

Because of the hiring surge, you'd probably be okay with a 5.3, but you'd have a much better chance with a 5.47. It sounds like they're hiring pretty much everyone on the register at the moment, but that funding could dry up very quickly so hopefully you'll get on the register.

Best of luck!

IIRC there was an ECON person called to the January class with a 5.3. That bodes well given the slate of A-100 classes about to start.

civilgrrl wrote:Anyone on here who applied for the FS Construction Engineer position? Just wanting to see if anyone else is getting contacted.

I applied for the Security Engineering Officer position not too long ago and am waiting to hear back. I've heard that for Specialist positions it usually takes at least a couple of months before invitations for oral assessments are sent out, sometimes much longer. It seems like the waiting is the hardest part...

Good luck, Bua.

There seems to be a pretty big need for SEOs. We had one at my first post and the security officer really utilized the person.

Thanks Skobb! Received an invite this morning to schedule an OA, not even four weeks after I sent in my application! Looks like I'm scheduled for March 1st.

Hey Skobb, thanks for your responses over the years in this thread. It's been very helpful to me as I get ready to take the June test.
I just have a quick question about the application. I only went back about 5 years on my work history, and realized I'd left out my time living in the Philippines. That experience was not connected to any employment, but as a volunteer doing charity work. I did indicate in the application I had lived there and speak Tagalog, but I was wondering how that might affect anything.
Any response would be great. Thanks!

Third time around for me here.

Passed the written exam again, now have to submit another batch of narrative statements by July 19. Third time is a charm, right?

Good luck, Felix. I'm glad I didn't have to do those personal narratives. I've heard they're a big pain in the ass.

cazter86 -- I'm sorry for the delay in response. I haven't checked this in a while. People in this thread should always feel free to send me a message with specific questions. I don't think the stuff you missed on the application is going to hurt you much. The first step is passing the written exam. They won't even bother looking at your application until you do that.