Eff that SOT

I own this. Maybe some day I'll open it

In fourth grade I told people I wanted to be the Secretary of State. That dream didn’t die like my crush on Aaron Carter but at some point it was scaled back. The slightly less ambitious manifestation of my early career aspirations lead me to the Foreign Service.

Intrigued by any career that uses a multiple choice history exam to hire employees, I signed up for the FSOT (Foreign Service Officer’ Test). Consistent with my MO however, I watched movies and ate Kung Pow Chicken the night before the exam instead of studying. But around 50% of test-takers pass and thanks to AP US History and an essay question on energy policy, I was one of them.

I was more zealous about FS selection process before I was invited to serve in Thailand and my medium-run employment was secured. The zeal briefly returned when I passed the test but diminished again when I read the prompts for the Personal Statement (the next step in the application process). The prompts themselves are humbling reminders that I’m a 20-year-old accounting assistant with a just a bachelor’s and relatively little life experience. And they’re extra tough to write because the State Department really doesn’t want you to lie :P

I’m so excited to be doing what I love in Thailand for the next two years that it’s hard to be excited about writing a lengthy statement intended to weed out a lot of applicants. But I am excited by the thought of one day negotiating American and World economic interests abroad. And from the exam to diplomatic appointment, Foreign Service selection can be a multi-year process. This may be the best time to give it the old college try. The PS is due November 16^th so at the absolute earliest I will start writing is the 13^th (in the mean time I may write two to three more blog posts, because I don’t have to write those). And this may the round where I’m weeded out. But this is (kind of) my life long dream and I would be a great diplomat so I’ll let you know how it goes :)