I am considering a career in the foreign service could someone explained the pros and Cons? Thank you so much?

Question

I am considering a career in the foreign service could someone explained the pros and Cons? Thank you so much?

Answer 1

For the pros, see the website below:

http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/hr/

For the cons, consider that the Foreign Service requires frequent moves, and not all of them to glamorous locations; low starting pay; and a relatively rigid hierarchy.

Answer 2

Been reading Curious' and George's answers awhile, and I'm beginning to understand why they're so good.

Let me add to George's comment- The Foreign Service *does* have more personal risk. More posts are becoming no-dependent places. Want to be away from your spouse and/or children for long periods of time?

The Foreign Circus is a good place, but timing is important. After a while, you'll have more and more chance to pick your post. Some folks do the Cha-Cha circuit-- they never leave Latin America.  Others choose comfort over challenge and take low-status jobs in Oslo, Tokyo and Rome over responsible jobs in Kiev, Burma or Ouagadougou.

Education- Department of State has problems with being in not-so-good places; they solve these problems by throwing money at them.  Gonna be in a place where your kids can't go to school? They'll give you options- 1) all the materials you'd need to home-school (but if you're not used to this approach, you'll fail), 2) boarding school (good but you won't see much of your kid) or 3) a stipend so your kid can live with your mom/brother/aunt and go to school (see 2) above).

It's a good, exciting place, but not the best place to raise a family.  Best option?  Go with a General Schedule job for Department of State. Your colleagues will be FSOs, you'll see what the the Foreign Service is like *and* you won't endure the negative aspects of living in lousy locations. If you decide you want to live the FSO life, it'll be a bit easier for you.

Curious/George- A-100 March 1980

Answer 3

I would also add to Curious One's comments that these days there is a growing element of risk. Diplomacy isn't a non-contact sport anymore. Any number of embassies and consulates have been attacked over the years in a variety of countries. Not to mention Foreign Service officers serve in countries that get caught up in wars that are not directed against the US, like Israel and Lebanon a year ago last summer. So, that's something to at least consider as we continue to live in interesting times.

Quite aside from that, it can be very difficult for spouses to enjoy their own careers. As children get older, the number of posts that have international middle and high schools drops in number. Not only do you have to pass the medical requirement to serve anywhere overseas, but so does your family. On top of all that, a number of posts overseas do not allow dependents these days for security reasons. While you do have some say in where you go, someone will be going to each and every post, and you can't be sure, it won't be you.

Having said all that, it's very hard to find a career more varied. Not every moment of every day will be interesting, but many of them will be. And you can never be certain what will happen from one day to the next.

Answer 4

Pros:

Immerssion in different culture

Great Pay

Parties (just for show)

Cons:

You won't be home for long periods of time

Too much parties are boring

You're a target if you're in an enemy country..like Iraq, Iran..