Foreign service officer?

Question

I am thinking about becoming a foreign service officer and had a couple of questions about it. I want know what is thestarting salary for a college grad, and wanted to know what is the likelyhood that I would be able to get an assignment in the Orient (preferbly Hong Kong or Singapore). I am getting a degree in international finance and want to learn cantonese. Would this help give me preference in going to Hong Kong. I thought that I saw that cantonese was on the "critical list" for languages, is that true? Also, I think that I would probably go into the career track as an economic officer, does this have much advancement (such as someday becoming Ambassador or something like it and could anyone give me a career path). One final question, are embassies and consulates like military bases (never lived on one but visited often and always enjoyed myself)? Thanks for all who answer

Answer 1

Starting salaries are around $35k $50K depending.  The new guy gets the worst assignments.  If you have to ask how to be come an Ambassador you'll probably never be one because it a appointment (influence and patronage get you an appointment).

You can have a good career in the Foreign Service.  Embassies are similar to military bases for the rich.

Answer 2

I sugguest you visit some of the following sites:

statedept.gov

OPM.gov   lists jobs

dia.gov

these sites can give you an idea what is required for certain jobs in that field. And opennings.

Certain embassies are "locked" down in countries that are considered very dangerous and you would live in a compound with little open travel unless escorted.

Answer 3

For a recent college grad, you're looking at about 40,000 per year.  And depending on your post, that could go up, depending on cost of living of your post and the hardship/differential quotient that is assigned to your post.

Yes, Cantonese is a critical language, but if you don't already speak it, that doesn't really help you.  

However, your ability to get assigned to a country in the Orient on your first tour all depends on the posts that are on the bid list for junior officers (in which there is almost always a China post), and when these posts need to fill the vacancy held by someone rotating out.  If the Orient posts on the list need people sooner than later, the slots will be filled with people who have the language either now or in the near future.  If there is time for someone to get full language training, then the Career Development officers will consider placing someone there who doesn't have the language.  It also depends the other new officers in your A-100 class (Orientation for new Junior Foreign Service Officers).  If there are a lot of Cantonese speakers in your class, then your chances go down.   There are other posts in the Asia that might be of interest, but you would learn another language, and not Cantonese (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand).  

As Hong Kong and Singapore are not huge embassies, they might not even be on  the bid list, which is the only list you can take your first tour off of (there are some exceptions, but they are not common).  That, and they might not have many spots for junior officers.  More likely, the posts in China will be in Guangzhou, Beijing, or Shanghai.  

Economic Officers do become Ambassadors, more likely than Consular or Management officers, though there are more political officers than economic officers who become ambassadors.  Be forwarned, that there is a lot of competition for the few economic officers spots, depending on how high you are on the initial hiring list.

And are embassies and consulates like military bases?  It depends where you are.  If you are in Western Europe or a modern capital in a friendly country, then no.  If you are in a hostile country or a real hardship post, like Islamabad or Kabul, then the answer is yes.