The most popular and sought after career available to the international relations degree holder is in the area of diplomacy, the Foreign Service Officer. The Foreign Service was created to protect American citizens and to promote peace and solidarity between the U.S. and other countries around the world.
After obtaining your bachelor’s degree, you will want to earn your online master’s degree in international relations to improve your chances of being hired as a Foreign Service Officer. Since the hiring process is a tedious one, anything to give you an extra bit of a competitive edge is very helpful such as proficiency in a foreign language, knowledge in negotiation and leadership skills, sharp reasoning capabilities, in addition to, good old-fashioned common sense and sound judgement. To apply for a FSO position, you must be a citizen of the U.S., available to work either in Washington, D.C. or anywhere in the world and at the time of application, you must be between the age of 20 and 59 years old.
Other requirements command that students are diverse in their skills relating to America’s culture and history, political science, economics, literature, sociology and particularly knowledgeable in the subject of government, both here and abroad.
While you were earning your online master’s degree in international relations, chances are you participated in an internship. The State Department looks for applicants that have actual work experience in a related field. Also, people who have had military training, discipline and experience, especially those versed in a foreign language, are ranked high in priority during the hiring process.
As a FSO applicant, you must be a diversified reader and involved in clubs or organizations that offer extracurricular activities that are designed to help you develop the U.S. Department of State’s 13 required qualifications. Some of the skills desired of the Foreign Service Officer include leadership potential, honesty, poise under stress, effective organization and excellent oral and written skills.
As previously stated, the road to becoming a Foreign Service Officer can be agonizing and is ordinarily a year long process, done in stages. First you must register online with the U.S. Department of State to take the Foreign Service Officer test. This is a written test much like your SATs combined with pop culture and sports knowledge. Also, an essay portion is included.
At this point, you may be asked to choose one of the five track options to becoming a Foreign Service Officer. They include management, consular, economic, political diplomacy or public diplomacy. You may want to contact a diplomat-in-residence for advice on which is the best choice for you. These officers are stationed throughout the U.S. to offer students guidance in starting their career with the State Department.
After passing your written exam, you will be asked to submit your resume and then, if chosen, you will be required to take the oral assessment. This involves interviews and case management exercises to test your problem-solving skills and check to see if you possess the 13 desired qualities required by the State Department. Next, you will need to pass a medical exam and a security check. If you have passed everything up to this point, you are placed on an approved candidates list…then you wait for your call.
If hired, please keep in mind that often, you will be sent, especially in the first two tours, to anywhere the Department wants to send you which could include countries such as Afghanistan, Turkey, Iraq or Ukraine. Sometimes the countries you are sent to are dangerous and have rigorous physical conditions to contend with. Eventually, you can bid on assignments to choose the degree of difficulty you desire. The higher the hardship rating, the higher your salary.
With your online master’s degree in international relations, you will qualify to apply for a career as a Foreign Service Officer. The average salary for this position pays $99,327 annually, depending on experience, educational degree and job location. We have compiled a list of the https://www.onlineschoolscenter.com/top-15-masters-of-international-relations/ to help in your endeavors!