Please feel free to draw from previous papers I have written on the subject of Foreign Service Officers. Research on the CIA will be necessary. This research paper needs atleast five scholarly sources. I started writing the Persuasive Essay (just throwing my random thoughts together). 1500-1800 words.
The path to becoming an Ambassador can be a difficult but rewarding process. There are two ways to transition into this career. The first possibility is to be appointed by the President. This is usually in gratitude of a person’s large monetary contribution to the President’s political party. The second way a person can obtain ambassadorship is by working their way up the ranks of the State Department, devoting their time to studying a specific region’s culture, history, and language. For aspiring Ambassadors lacking the funds to be commissioned through the President, the latter choice will be the best option for them. Intending to become an Ambassador myself, I’ve done extensive research to find the best formula to achieve this goal.It’s necessary to have a college education, academic fellowships, overseas experience in soft diplomacy, and to know two languages, one being English, to become a Foreign Service Officer. With these tools you’ll have an excellent chance to gain ambassadorship.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, is considered to be the first U.S. Ambassador. During his 9-year tenure in Europe, he was able to secure the aid of the French for the Revolutionary War as well as negotiate the Treaty of Paris. At that time, degrees were not a determining factor of aptitude, but today the highly competitive nature of the selection process makes having at least a Master’s essential.
While completing your undergraduate, focus your collegiate studies on politics, history, current events, and a specific region and language of the world. The language should complement the concentrated area you’re learning about in your studies. For example, do not learn French if you’re studying Asian culture. Because your region and language will be the focus of your career, choose your region and language wisely. Conduct research on different countries and their culture to find what most interests you. If done correctly, you will have a firm foundation for the future. Spending a semester abroad (in your concentrated area) is the bare minimum, but I recommend at least a year to truly immerse yourself in the life of that country.When you become a junior pursue a fellowship with the Council on American Ambassadors. With the CAA fellowship program, you’ll meet with former U.S. Ambassadors to help guide you on your career path.
After matriculating with your Bachelor’s, you are ready to go on for your Master’s. Majoring in Foreign Policy or Public Diplomacy are the best choices as you’ll learn the most about how to perform your job. A helpful tip is to begin attending foreign policy conferences during your undergraduate and graduate years. This will help connect your studies to how they apply in the real world, and, more importantly, network with influential leaders in the world. I recommend attending at least one Foreign Policy and a Department of State conference as their conventions are the best sources to gain premium information.
When you’re finished with school, take the time to gain overseas experience. Though you’ve had a small taste of overseas life during school, holding a job in a foreign country for two or more years is a completely different situation. You could enlist with the military, become a teacher abroad, but I personally plan on becoming a volunteer in the Peace Corps. No matter which route you choose, you’ll gain adventure, travel to another part of the world, build on your résumé, and hone the language you learned in college or even begin learning a new one. Your assignment overseas will transform you into a worldlier, more diplomatic version of yourself after the experience.
You are now half way to achieving your goal. You hold two degrees, are fluent in multiple languages, have job experience in another country, are well versed in the art of politics, and have multiple Ambassadors on speed dial. The second half of this journey is obtaining a job with the Foreign Service Officers. To do this, you’ll have to take the FSOT, Foreign Service Officer Test. The first step is to choose a career track; Consular, Economic, Management, Political, or a Public Diplomacy Officer.The best track for an applicant depends on their personality, skills, and knowledge. This is an important decision as the track you choose will be the course of your entire career. After choosing the track, you must register for the test. The FSOT is administered three times each year in the United States and at overseas test centers. If you pass the written and oral part of the exam, you’ll have to gain medical and security clearance. If you pass the test and gain clearance, you’re placed on the Register, a list that ranks the successful candidates in order of test scores.
At this point, you’ve done all that you can to become a Foreign Service Officer. Keep in mind that on average 10,000 people apply each year with only 400 positions actually available. In the end, you may not become an Ambassador, but all the experiences you’ve collect through this process will have enriched your life and prepared you for other possibilities. Other people who were unsuccessful in becoming a Foreign Service Officer instead went on to practice law or began teaching languages in the country they studied.
