Oral Assessment Update

Despite the ongoing hiring freeze across the government, Oral Assessments have been continuing in some capacity, and I still receive frequent questions about the Oral Assessment. One of my very first posts, even before I started working for the department, was to review the Oral Assessment process. Below is that post with a few changes

Read More

Chips Abroad

A few weeks back I posted about my love of trying different beers around the world, the same can be said about Lay’s Potato Chips. I want to note that in the U.S., I basically never eat potato chips, Lay’s or otherwise, but when you hit the road and explore exotic places, you’ll discover some

Read More

Salary Update

3 years ago I posted about the salary determination process in the Foreign Service, but it continues to be one of the most frequently asked questions I receive from potential prospects, so figured it would be a good idea to update that post and add a little more clarity now that I have even more

Read More

Transitions

This year marks my 3rd year in the Foreign Service, but my first presidential transition. When President Biden announced he wouldn’t seek re-election, it guaranteed I would have a new boss come the new year, and after winning the election in November, President Trump is now in charge, with Marco Rubio promptly receiving Senate approval

Read More

Happy New Year!

Another year begins, and this one marks my 3rd year of employment with the Department of State. 3 years ago this month I received my invitation to join the Foreign Service, and in April I will celebrate my 3rd year of employment. This is a big year for multiple reasons from a career standpoint. For

Read More