This week Nick is on a TDY (temporary duty) assignment abroad, so he was once again kind enough to let me take the wheel. I am going chat a little bit about what employment is like in the Foreign Service, and the process for getting hired as an eligible family member (which is basically any family member on your “official orders”). Spouse employment is probably one of the most common questions Nick gets from folks interested in joining the Foreign Service, so I think this is a good opportunity for someone living through the process to discuss it.

One of the most important things to say right off the bat, is how important expectations are as a working spouse whose partner joins the Foreign Service. Unless you have a portable job that allows you to work from anywhere in the world, there WILL be stretches of unemployment. Get used to it and expect it. In my case, I worked literally until the day before we moved to Africa, and at this point I am circling on 4 months since I have had paid employment. I am going to be blunt and say it has been TOUGH. I am not someone cut out to be a stay at home mom, and although I have cherished the extra time at home with my baby, I really like to work and I really miss it.

Unfortunately for me, I also work in the same field as my husband, and due to the robust rules against a spouse supervising their partner, it means I basically can’t work as a healthcare provider in the Embassy since Nick is the supervisor of the Health Unit. Much larger embassies where he will be co-located with a Regional Medical Officer could make it possible to work together, but that’s years down the road and not a guarantee. What this means for me is I either need to volunteer as a provider, get a medical job on the local economy assuming a bilateral work agreement, try and find something remote to do in the U.S., or just do something completely out of my wheelhouse at the Embassy.

Prior to even moving, I scoured the internet for telework jobs for medical providers, but unfortunately, most companies require you to physically be in the U.S. for billing purposes, essentially eliminating that as an option. Thankfully, shortly after I arrived and our childcare situation was locked in, I have been able to volunteer with a local NGO that allows me to keep my skills fresh and my medical mind sharp. On top of that, the embassy had lots of available jobs open when we arrived to Nouakchott, and with my nursing background and a master’s degree in management, decided to apply for a job in the management section of the Embassy. Still, nothing even close to what my training is meant for, and a far cry from my salary in the U.S., but its meaningful employment.

The Embassy will post available jobs and categorize them based on who they are meant for, for example, family members, local staff, or members of household that aren’t on official orders. The job application was a typical online application, and the interview process was just like any other interview. You answer questions for a few people and it’s an entirely straight forward process. The only really unique thing was I had to take an English Language evaluation, which was interesting but easy for a native speaker. Thankfully, shortly after my interview I received a formal job offer. Hurray!!! But not so fast…even spouses employed in the embassy need a security clearance, which means even though I have a signed job offer, I am stuck in a similar purgatory Nick went through last year before he joined the Foreign Service. The job offer came less than 2 weeks after we arrived to post, and here I am 3 months later…still waiting.

I think my circumstance is about as ideal as it gets for a new family to the Foreign Service, and it’s still somewhat frustrating. I had a job in hand shortly after arriving which is fantastic, but because of how things work, am still technically unemployed and waiting to start my job. Chances are, by the time I am cleared to work, 6 months will have gone by, and I will get 18 months of work in before we move to another country and I have to hope another job is available at that future destination. Fortunately, the State Department has made it easier for family member’s with a security clearance to take it from post to post. It used to require you to get a brand new clearance EVERY SINGLE TIME you relocated.

I realize as I type and reread this, I might come across as negative or pessimistic. I want to be clear and say that from top to bottom my family has enjoyed our Foreign Service journey, but I also want to emphasize just how heavy a hit joining can be to a two career household. Even in our case where we aren’t dependent on the extra income, it hasn’t been easy. Before Nick pressed “submit” on his application, we had a long talk about the ramifications this journey would have on my career, fully understanding what it would mean. I encourage anyone else thinking about joining to do the same. I have no regrets, but stories abound in the Foreign Service of broken careers and marriages just because people didn’t grasp how difficult this life can be on spouses, or didn’t talk about it.

Hopefully going forward, the job down time between postings won’t be as long, but as I mentioned at the top, expectations are key. It has definitely helped me going in with a mindset that I won’t be employed at all, so when I actually did find a job, it came as a nice surprise despite some of the associated roadblocks before I can start. Ultimately, being a diplomatic family affords us opportunities and experiences very few people will ever have, and for us at least, it’s worth it.

Next week Nick will be back and I’m sure he will have lots to report on his work trip abroad, or the fact that we finally got our vehicle shipped to the country and he’s like a 16 year old kid that got his license. I really appreciate the opportunity to write and express some of my thoughts here, and look forward to contributing more in the future. –Angeli