How do you reconcile working for the government if you don’t agree with their policies or the direction things are going? What do you do if you strongly disagree with or even despise the current President or Secretary of State?

This is a question I have been asked dozen’s of times since applying to join the Foreign Service, through even today. I think it’s important to start by saying that just about everyone out there, whether they work for the government or not, has their own values, belief system , political beliefs, and joining the government workforce shouldn’t change that. What’s important is that you know how to keep them separate from your duties to the government. This doesn’t mean you have to abandon your beliefs, but it does mean they shouldn’t play a role in your duties.

Right off the bat, if you are planning a lengthy career in the federal government, you have to know that you are going to be working for lots of different administrations over the course of a 20+ year career, likely representing two very different sides of the coin of our political spectrum. For example, when I applied for this job in 2020, Donald Trump was still our President, and when I was sworn in, it was Joe Biden. Two guys that couldn’t be more different from one another. If the thought of working for either a Democratic or Republican administration bothers you, back away right now, this job isn’t for you.

For myself, and for Med folks specifically, the core of our job is the same no matter whose in charge. So even though I might not be a fan of one guy or another, my core function doesn’t change. There have been instances when those in more politically inclined roles have been asked to do things in violation of the constitution, but as we saw during the impeachment proceedings of 2020, upholding your oath to the constitution is about as good a protection as you could ask for. It’s import to remember, our oath is not to any one man or woman, it’s to the Constitution of the United States of America.

Again, nothing lasts forever. Administrations come and go, policies shift back and forth, new peace agreements are made, new conflicts arise. If you can be flexible and versatile, this is a great job. If all the changes upset you, it’s probably best not to apply.