Super Critical Needs Languages
The terribly-named “Super Critical Needs Languages” are Arabic, Mandarin, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, and Urdu. If you speak one of these languages, you can take a telephone test 4-5 weeks after the written portion of the FSOT. You’ll get a bonus if you speak one of these languages at a “limited working level” (a 2/0 for those of you familiar with the government scale). There’s no punishment if you fail, so try even if your language skills are very basic.
Personal Narratives
Applicants who pass the written portion of the FSOT are then asked to write several “personal narratives.” The questions ask for experiences that demonstrate the talents, knowledge, and expertise that an applicant brings to the job. Once you pass the written portion, you have three weeks to answer these questions. They shouldn’t be longer than 200 words, and you have to give the name of someone who can verify the story. Last year, the idea was to show abilities in the six “core competencies” that FSOs use for promotion: leadership skills, managerial skills, interpersonal skills, communication and foreign language skills, intellectual skills and substantive knowledge. People aren’t being asked for that specifically this year, but you may want to include it. I’ve also heard (admittedly, from a less credible source) that the key is including evidence of the 13 dimensions tested on the oral assessment, so that’s another option.
The Qualification Evaluation Panel
Your test scores, original application, and personal narratives are all sent to a panel of three Senior Foreign Service examiners (the much-maligned Qualification Evaluation Panel or QEP) who look at you as a “total candidate” to determine whether or not you’re invited to the oral exam. Most of this process has been included to allow State to consider resume experiences in addition to test scores. The QEP looks at each candidate and puts her in a rank order based on competitiveness as a “total candidate.” Management then invites everyone up to a certain number to the orals. There’s a lot of criticism of this new step. (Read Rick Polney’s account from the Foreign Service Journal for one example.) If you pass the test but not the QEP, you’re not told why. Both race and gender are removed from applications before they’re sent to the QEP; this isn’t affirmative action.
If I’ve missed anything important, please include it in the comments!
This post is part of my unofficial Guide to the Foreign Service Exam.
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I’m waiting on the Nov 09 QEP results too, and going crazy with anticipation! But it’s good to hear that we’re all in the same boat… good luck!
Just got off the phone with the foreign service and was told to expect the QEP results out sometime between now and the middle of February!! If they don’t come out until mid February thats not much time to prepare for the FSOA in March.
Phew–good to find some folks out there with the same questions, and even a few answers! thanks and good luck!
I’m relieved to know that I am not the only one anxiously awaiting the result of the QEP. I’m not sure if I can hold out until mid-February!
I just got my letter of invitation to the Orals!! Best of luck to all!
Guys! The results are out!!! Received the letter today, i got invited! Its so exciting! Keep checking your emails! They should be getting to you shortly, if they havent already.
Just got my letter… didn’t make it. :( Good luck to all of you!
Sad face… guess I’ll have to try again next October. Congrats to those who made it!
Didn’t make it. Like so many others that won’t bother me as much as the “why” I didn’t make it. Oh well I told God that if this wasn’t what I was supposed to do then shut it down. Just glad I didn’t make it to the Orals only to get shut down then…
Best of Luck To Everybody In March!
I have a question about “Super Critical Needs Languages”: Just because I speak one of them does that mean I have a much better chance of becoming a FSO? I guess it’s the “terribly-named” part that throws me off! I am just wondering how “critical” the needs are for some of these languages, and how many people who speak them actually become FSOs each year.
I haven’t yet received the e-mail, but I was able to access the results online at the FSOT ACT site.
Good luck!
RESULTS ARE OUT FOR THE ORAL EXAMS! I made it. Did anyone else?
Congratulations to everyone who has passed the QEP!
Congratulations to all, God is good!
Hi Everybody (and Anonymous) - I made it too!!! My congratulations to those of you who did as well. To those of you who didn’t, don’t get discouraged. Try again - I know you will succeed the next time. Did any of you who made it to the oral portion find the available locations and assessment dates on the http://www.careers.state.gov website that is referred to in the first paragraph of the announcement letter? I went to that and found dates for oral assessment prep sessions but nothing for the actual dates of the sessions themselves. If any of you did find it, please let me know where it was on that website. In any event, good luck to all of you. Perhaps I will see you at the oral assessment.
I didn’t pass the QEP. Does anyone know if learning a critical needs language will help your chances?
just found out I made it! Congrats to everyone else who passed… see you in DC!
Hi all,
I recently passed the Arabic language phone test, which I was really excited about, up until today, when I found out I didn’t pass the QEP. Does anyone know how language tests factor into the QEP? Also, if I take the written test again, will I need to take the Arabic phone test again or will my passing score from the previous test stand?
Thanks,
AMA
Where are you guys finding out the dates for the Assessment? I cant seem to find a link with actual dates. I know the first paragraph has that link but as far as dates all it says is “beginning of March” For DC and “June” for Chicago. I am going to try to schedule mine for D.C. anyone else out there planning to do the same? BTW Congrats to all who made it! Short celebretion though, we have to prep!
I also made it, yay! I’ll probably go for the Chicago dates. Congrats to all!
@ Juan: I don’t think you find out the exact dates or even options for the Orals (beyond knowing that they are in March or June) until the scheduling window, which according to my letter is Feb 8-12. I think we need to have a few options ready, as it is first-come, first-served for appointments. Competetive as always!
@Sara: The super-critical language portion going into the QEP will boost your score, but doesn’t guarantee you to pass the QEP. From what I understand, it gives you extra points, but you still have to qualify overall, and since no one really knows exactly what the QEP evaluates, it is anyone’s guess.
@AMA: I think you will need to take the phone test again; each time through is a separte attempt. But good for you for passing! I would take any boost I could get.
I am 22, have a MA degree in International Development, speak Arabic, French and Russian yet, the QEP still found me unqualified to proceed to the Oral Exam. Whatever the folks at DoS are smoking, I’m sure glad the people in the private sector are not.
United States Foreign Service, a sad fucking joke.
@ EC: Sorry it didn’t work out for you, my friend. I understand your frustration but referring to a potential employer as a sad f*cking joke isn’t productive. Lot’s of folks don’t make it to OA, even those with your qualifications plus years of substantive experience. It’s a competitive process which depends on which career track you chose to pursue.
Best of luck!
@Becky: yup thats what i figured. I already have my tentative dates selected(not during holy week!) and i guess we just wait and see for the window to open on the 8th and what dates/times theya re offering. Good luck to all!
@E.C. - My guess is that it’s because you’re 22 and probably have little work experience. Obviously with your MA and languages you have a lot going for you. I know someone else who had an MBA and languages and he didn’t make it either, and was just out of school. I think the new process with the QEP works against recent graduates because it includes the resume element, which the previous process did not and a lot of people could get in right out of school. I think it’s unfair and maybe I’m wrong with my conclusion, but I bet once you have a few more years of work under your belt you’d get in if you reapplied. Just try not to get cynical, it’s a competitive process.
I found out I didn’t make it past the QEP. I would say I’ll give it another shot in a year, but without any idea what I could do to improve my chances next time, it’s unlikely I will go back and start from square one. I have been through job interviews; and usually I walk away having learned as much about the potential employer as they have about me. However, with the QEP there are so many possible factors and I would have no way of knowing whether I am making the same mistake next time (whatever that may be).
It would be one thing if knew I needed to improve my test score, use different references, or work at improving in a certain area — but without even knowing how I might improve I’m not sure I’ll go through it again. For all I know, I am just not what they’re looking for.
Whatever the case may be, I’ll be 30 this spring and it’s time to work toward a serious career. The business I’m in doesn’t show a lot of promise (I’ve spent five years working for an airline .. layoffs, cutbacks, outsourcing, etc.) — although it provided valuable experience such as dealing w/ visa and passport issues and working with every background and culture usually under time constraints and in many stressful situations (try rebooking a cancelled flight full of non-English speakers :)) I did well on the written, have pretty good language ability, and thought this would be right up my alley.
I think I gave it my best, and I’m glad I did. However, I guess I would have felt more like I got my fair shake at winning the race if I had at least made it to the final heat (sorry, I’m an old track runner).
As much as I think the Foreign Service would have been a great fit for me, I know there are a great many things a guy can do with his life. So much to see, so little time. For me and the rest of you who didn’t make it past the QEP, there will no doubt be another adventure somewhere.
Good luck,
and happy trails!
Seth
Seth - I think you should definitely try next year. It’s all a crapshoot, and I’m sure many qualified people fall through the cracks. This is the federal government we’re talking about. Lots of things fall through the cracks! Maybe you just need a different reader. I know someone who passed the test / QEP a few times (but not the OA) and then the next time he failed. Did nothing different. Eventually he passed the whole thing and is about to start A-100 in two weeks. Please don’t give up! I think your background would be great for the FS. Stick with it :)
I agree with a lot of what Seth said.
I did not make it to the finals even though I have two master’s degrees and 20-plus years of experience as a TV anchor, plus 10-plus years as a manager. I also scored 179.05 on the FSOT this fall. Maybe my lack of profiency in a foreign language hurt me, but as Seth pointed out, since you get no feedback from the QEP, I don’t feel it’s wise to go to the trouble of becoming fluent in a different language if I don’t have a good idea how much it might help my chances.
I’m disappointed now but if I invested even more effort next year without a decent idea of my chances for success and still didn’t make it, I would be very upset.
Any thoughts, Hegemonist?
First, a question to Rob et al- how did you find out your test score from the fall? Second, to those just out of school who didn’t make it. I tried 6 years ago and made it to the Orals. I was just out of law school, had lived in Cairo, Paris, Jakarta, and spoke several languages. I also had a concentration in immigration law. I didn’t pass the Orals. So here I am, 6 years later, with several jobs under my belt, and reapplying to Orals. I may not make it, but I am glad that I went out and got some very cool jobs and experience because I think it makes me a better person- and hopefully a better candidate. Seriously, don’t give up, try a different route and go for some off the wall jobs- like civil service in Iraq and Afghanistan- or go work in Congress on foreign policy issues like I did- and prove to them that you are the kind of person who can continue to grow, learn, and yet is determined enough to come back 5+ years later and go for it again. There are a LOT of cool foreign policy jobs in D.C. and you may find you have a greater amount of impact (like drafting legislation in Congress) on foreign policy than you might have in the State Department (towing the official line).
To those in the Orals, I understand the numbers making it through are 1-5. From what I remember last time, everyone was hyper-competative in the group exercise and not one of us made it through. I believe it was because we brought out the worst in each other as we fought for attention and control. So two cents of advice: If everyone works together and makes everyone look good as a group, we have a higher chance of scoring points and making it through because you score points on your ability to work well with others. If we try to elbow each other out, we all lose.
Andrea:
I am a recent graduate, so I wasn’t too suprised when I wasn’t invited to the Orals. Although I have taken on very large leadership roles at my university, I figured the foreign service was looking for real work experience. I have around 3.5 years of professional experience at an Insurance Firm in Atlanta, but no real international relations experience.
My question to you is -in your honest opinion -what is the best way to get your foot in the door in Washington, D.C. with a position dealing with international relations? I find USAjobs.gov to be littered with positions that seem to be upper level. ($60,000+) I want some advice on how to work my way in the door and gain some real experience in the field. I have heard that a “Passport Specialist” might be a decent starting position. If you- or anyone else on this site has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.
Dan, I went to work in Congress (Senate) and worked my way up from an intern (even though I was really to old and it paid nothing, I did it to get a foot in the door and bar tended at night for rent) for 6 months all the way up to a foreign policy advisor. The Senate jobs are posted at: http://www.senate.gov/employment/po/positions.htm. The Senate pays crap because everyone wants to work there- but the exposure is incredible. Within a year I was working ont he military commissions bill, sitting in on meetings with the Secretary of State and the Commodant of the Marine Corps, and drafting legislation on Iraqi refugees. Also, you meet so many lobbyists, government, think tankers, and business people that suddently you have 100s of names in your black book and you can follow those opportunities. It was really a fantastic experience. I now work for the Mayor of D.C. on Administrative Law. I needed to earn a living wage and get some executive experience and I would highly recommend looking into working for a Mayor as well because you get government experience at a local level. The other thing to do, if you are interested in Congress, is to go volunteer at the local office of the Senator/Congressman. Often, especially during the campaign season like right now, they are looking for bright people who love politics. If you do well locally, they will send you up to D.C. to advise on policy issues. If you worked in insurance, then you will want to be advising on insurance and banking. Look on the Senate list (there is a House one too) and looking for positions advising on those skills. Stick to one party and try to find positions in the representatives from your state. Also, you can send resumes to all of your state offices saying you are interested in working in the office and would they please keep your resume on file and consider it when a position comes up. Then you follow up with the office manager and introduce yourself on the phone and ask whether they received your resume. Don’t think too high to start off- apply for Staff Assistant or Legislative Correspondant. They are glamorous, but they get you in the door and you will quickly move up the latter, either in that office of jumping to another office. It is a small world once you get up here and in the door.
I hope Andrea’s in my group for the OA’s! I have heard that the whole point of the group exercise is to determine who can balance the need to present individual competency with the need to collaborate and play nice in the sandbox. This requires emotional intelligence. That being said, having one “Terminator” in the room allows for everyone else to look good if they can successfully work through issues in spite of it.
On the numbering Andrea, in another of the threads on this site it was stated that a passing score would be above 5.25. Someone please correct me if I didn’t get that right.
So in the article, “Who is the Total Candidate. FSO Hiring Today,” the article says 2-3% of those who apply are actually offered jobs in the end.
I saw the 5-1 ratio in an article somewhere, I will have to find it. Here are some other interesting quotes from the article:
The first online test was given Sept. 8-15, 2007, at over 200 U.S. locations: 2,254 people took the test, and 447 were invited to the Oral Assessment. The test was given again Dec. 1-8 at U.S. testing centers and at 86 diplomatic posts worldwide; 2,417 people took it, and 575 were invited to the orals. The March 1-8, 2008, testing window drew about 3,210 applicants.
HR expects to invite approximately 1,800 candidates to the orals each
year, about half the number invited in the past.
___________________________________________
Then if you take the quiz on what career track is best for you at: http://host.careers.state.gov/officer/careertrack/five_proc.asp a chart shows up that shows the proportion of applicants per cone to the number of places available.
So you can gather approximately what kinds of numbers they need. Of course, you still, as Sam points out, have to have the magic passing number.
Is anyone else having problems trying to log on and sign up for the Oral Exam?
Anonymous-
The site didn’t open till 10am Eastern - so you may have been a bit early.
I didn’t have any trouble after 10am Eastern.
I was refreshing the page every 10 seconds for the 1/2 hour leading up to the time they said they’d open the website. LOL But, it paid off. I was able to pull up the website 12 seconds after it opened. I got the date that I wanted & was informed by email of the confirmation within 5 minutes of the site being open. :-) Best of luck to us all!!
So, we have to pay for our own travel to/from the Orals?
Anonymous - yes you are responsible for those costs.
Thanks, Hallock, for your answer. I will tally the cost as an investment for the new career.
Hello all! I am a 21 year old graduate and I was wondering if it was true that recent graduates usually do not make it to the orals. Is this true?
Rami, hi
It wasn’t when I did mine last summer, but none of the recent grads of the two groups on my day were successful.
I recently found out that the QEP did not invite me to the coming August ‘10 Orals. I did relatively well on the written test (187.27) but sadly that is the only objective result I have received. It is true that the process is mysterious. What likely hurt me is that I am still in graduate school (I graduate this coming December) and I am young and my real-world experience is limited to a couple semester long internships.
I definitely plan on starting this process over when I graduate. (I took the FSOT in Feb/Mar ‘10 so I have to wait until next Feb/Mar anyway.) But honestly it isn’t the test I’m worried about but looking good subjectively for the QEP. I’ve started taking Mandarin lessons so I can do the phone test next year with a super critical language (I currently only know Italian which does not help much for FSO purposes.)
Bottom line. I wouldn’t give up after one or two tries. Nothing worth doing in life is ever simple. I read another FSO blog about a Marine Corps veteran that made it to the Oral interview his first time, didn’t realize that wearing a suit was normal for a job interview (he was the only one not wearing a suit) and he didn’t make it the first time (he thinks because of the lack of a suit, but of course who knows) and restarted the process and made it all the way back to the Oral interviews again (this time with a suit!) and he was accepted! Don’t take one failure to mean perpetual failure. Like Thomas Edison said you only truly fail when you give up on trying.
I didn’t make it this time and I’ll never know why (thanks QEP) but it won’t stop me from becoming a better person and trying again!
so I need to wear a suit… good to know!
I took the Feb/March FSOT and just scheduled my OA. I’m also still in grad school, however, I grew up overseas and currently work and study in Asia. I’m assuming made the biggest impact for the QEP, so I would recommend doing some overseas internships or looking for foreign employment to boost your ‘total package’. Just my 2 cents!
I took the June FSOT, submitted my personal narratives. Looking at the time frame, it looks like about two months after the written we can start to look at receiving an invitation for the oral (or non-invitation, as the case may be). Does that sound about right?
I’m excited!
Cheers,
N.Z.
N.Z.
That’s pretty close, but a little optimistic. Most applicants can expect to receive notice of their PNQ acceptance within about 4 months from their test date, and to actually attend their OA date within 5-7 months.
You should expect the process of getting on the register to take at least 8 months from the date of your written exam, which should be around March of 2011 for you. From there it depends entirely on your score and the scores of those you tested with.
Good luck!
I also took the June FSOT. The results letter indicated that we should find out about the oral exam in mid-September. I have my fingers crossed!
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