Experiences at u.s. department of state

I received the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship (previously the Woodrow Wilson Foreign Affairs Fellowship) when I was a sophomore in college. As a result, I participated in two State Department summer internships (one domestic and one international) prior to joining the Foreign Service. It was through this program that I learned about the different careers and opportunities offered at the U.S. Department of State....

The U.S. Department of State consists of the Foreign Service and the Civil Service. Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) advocate American foreign policy, protect American citizens, and promote American business interest, serving at our over 265 embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions. Similarly, the Civil Service supports the foreign policy efforts of the Department of State and works mostly in the Department's Washington, D.C. headquarters location, or other cities throughout the United States.

To join the Foreign Service, one must successfully complete the Foreign Service Selection process, which includes a registration and personal narrative, the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), the Qualifications Evaluation Panel, and the Oral Assessment. There is no "secret" to navigating this process. The Department of State is looking for dynamic individuals with a commitment to public service, a sense of adventure, and strong language skills. As a representative of the United States, individuals should also have a firm grasp of U.S. government, history, culture, and society, current domestic and global current affairs, and economics. Foreign Service Officers must also have strong spoken and written language skills.

To join the civil service, an individual must identify the area in which they are interested in working and apply directly to that position. Information about available civil service positions at the U.S. Department of State can be found at www.usajobs.gov....

Ended as Second Secretary and Vice Consul at Embassy Copenhagen
Managed American Citizens Services
Managed Visa Section and visa issuance

April 2001 - August 2004
FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICER, BUREAU OF ARMS CONTROL U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE - Washington, DC

* Served directly under the Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, responsible for taking the lead in all international negotiations relating to Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Weapons, including the non-proliferation of other unconventional weapons and the prevention of their use in terrorism and war.
* Maintained extensive networking between senior level officials within the State Department, the White House & National Security Council, Defense, and other federal agencies to advance the administration's arms control policies.
* Facilitated agendas for wide-ranging discussions with foreign delegations and represented the department in consultations and inter-agency policy conferences.
* Assisted with daily briefings on national security intelligence and became responsible for the security of the bureau's classified documents.
* Acted as gatekeeper for all communiqu??s between the bureau and U.S. Embassies and missions, international governmental organizations (U.N., IAEA, EU, etc), and international non-profit groups working on arms control issues.

SENIOR RECRUITER - BUREAU OF HUMAN RESOURCES U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE - Washington, DC

* Managed the recruitment portfolio for the entire West coast and Southwest regions of the nation as well as handling the diversity initiative for the recruitment of Asian-Americans.
* Primary task was to assist in identifying and placing the most promising candidates in positions in Washington, DC and U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad.
* Worked with Ambassadors posted across the regions, attending career fairs at targeted institutions, providing information sessions and speaking in college classrooms around the country.
* Developed specific recruitment plans for major organizations, including placement of advertisements in newspapers and magazines as well as utilizing career websites like Jobs.com, Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, etc.
* Hosted pre-examination sessions to prepare candidates for the Foreign Service Written/Oral exams and also conducted mock-interview sessions for citizens already in the hiring process....

Each of my assignments has had its own highlights.

As a Consular/Political Officer in Mali from 2001 to 2003, I was responsible for approving all applications for non-immigrant visas to the U.S. as well as ensuring the safety and well-being of all U.S. citizens in country. In addition, I monitored Presidential elections in Timbuktu, helped the Government of Mali to develop their national military/counter-terrorist capacity, and oversaw a special fund to provide small development grants to local groups.

As the deputy spokesperson (Assistant Information Officer) in South Africa from 2003 to 2005, I coordinated press conferences and interviews with the South African and international press, wrote speeches for the Ambassador, and spoke to local audiences about U.S. foreign policy on a range of issues.

And as Haiti Desk Officer at the main Department of State building in Washington DC from 2005 to 2007, I was actively involved in help that country to hold successful Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2006, following the departure of former President Aristide in February 2004....