I was recently reading the official State forums and someone asked how many people were hired as FSOs. One of the "green checkmarks," a DOS employee, stated that 290 people were hired as FSOs for fiscal year 2013 (which means October 2012 through September 2013). Another 320 or so were hired as FSSs. The green checkmark also said that the total number of candidates for the FSOT was "upwards of 20,000" people.
Let's set aside the FSS numbers and focus on the FSOs. At a bare (and unlikely) minimum, there were 20,000 people who registered for the FSOT. Of that 20,000, only 290 people were actually invited to an A-100 class. That means fewer than 1.5 % of all candidates successfully become FSOs. If you had a room of 200 people, roughly 3 of them would be successful. That is an amazing statistic.
So that got me thinking of all the ways candidates can get stopped dead in their tracks:
1. They register for the FSOT, but don't show up to take the test.
2. They take the FSOT, but score below a 154 on the multiple choice section and fail it.
3. They pass the multiple choice section of the FSOT, but score below a 6 on the essay and fail it.
4. They pass the FSOT, but fail to submit their Personal Narratives.
5. They submit their PNs, but do not pass the Qualifications Evaluation Panel.
6. They pass the QEP, but fail to schedule an Oral Assessment.
7. They take the OA, but score below a 5.25 and fail it.
8. They pass the OA, but do not submit their security paperwork in a timely manner.
9. They pass the OA, but cannot pass the medical check.
10. They pass the medical check, but can't pass the background security check.
11. They pass the necessary checks, but fail the Final Review Panel.
12. They pass the FRP and are added to the Register, but withdraw their candidacies or decline two A-100 invitations.
13. They pass the FRP and are added to the Register with no intention of withdrawing or declining an offer, but they fail to receive an A-100 invitation before their 18-month eligibility window expires.
That's a lot of things that can go wrong. I would love to see some statistics on how many people tend to be eliminated at each stage. Reading the various FS resources (the State pages, the Yahoo boards, other online forums), it makes it seem like the pass rate for each of these steps is super high. But it's really a self-selecting sample. People who fail tend to avoid sharing their experiences. And besides, it is a bit embarrassing to admit that you bombed the FSOT or came "thiiiiis close" to passing the OA when there are five other people who are beaming with excitement.
I guess the point of this post is simple: If you want to become an FSO, make sure you keep living your life the way you are now while you go through the process. There are so many pitfalls involved with this (very long) process that becoming a diplomat should never be your Plan A. And if you do embark on this journey, but fall a little bit short, don't be so hard on yourself. About 99% of us can relate!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Back on the Field
Well, the October 2014 FSOT cohort is the next one up at bat. The testing window is finally open and the registration forms are available for submission. It's been many long months since disaster struck at the OA in Washington. So now I am back at the end of the line, the bottom of the stairs, and the beginning of the process. State's webpage indicates that there are eight steps to becoming an FSO, but for all intents and purposes, there are only five:
1. Pass the Foreign Service Officer Test
2. Pass the Qualifications Evaluation Panel
3. Pass the Oral Assessment
4. Get all your necessary clearances and pass the Final Review Panel
5. Get called from the Register
I have passed the FSOT three times. That makes me a bit anxious about my fourth attempt, actually. I mean, on one hand, I should be quite confident because I know what to expect with this test and I know I should pass relatively easily. But I am a bit ill at ease because there's always a first time for everything. What if I can't complete the essay in time? What if I bomb the Job Knowledge section of the test? What if I run out of time? I mean, my score has increased each time I've taken this test, and I haven't done any sort of studying for any of those attempts. Do I trust myself too much? Am I overconfident? What if my brain is not as sharp as it used to be? Or maybe I'm overanalyzing this.
In reality, it's really the QEP that bothers me the most. The selections seem so arbitrary there. I think failing this step twice forced me to improve my narratives so that I could make them stronger on my more successful third attempt. I still have those narratives printed out. So assuming that I pass the FSOT next month, I'll be ready to go with strong narratives that allowed me to advance once before. I just hope the new crop of candidates is not more stellar than the last time around and that the cutoff score is not even higher. Maybe a less dire budgetary situation will make for a less stringent selection criteria this fall compared to last fall.
The OA's Case Management exercise is all that stood between me and a conditional job offer the last time around. If I can make it back to the OA, I will not bother studying with a group. I know what to expect there, and I can work well in teams. I will spend more of my time trying a new strategy with writing the memos. Instead of taking notes as I read, I will try to read all the documents and keep mental records of any necessary facts or overarching themes. Then I will write the memo from scratch, rather than trying to take a bunch of disparate notes and forming a cohesive argument out of them.
So yeah, I'm ready. I just have to make sure not to look too far ahead because I could very well fail the FSOT, which would be absolutely devastating. The Foreign Service is what I want to do. Mrs. Zz wants me to do this as well. I am choosing the Consular track, which is what I chose last year. This track seems to get a bad rap, but it is the most interesting to me by far. The idea of screening visa applicants and visiting Americans in foreign prisons is something that truly excites me. There are so many countries where I would love to be posted, especially in East and Southeast Asia. I want to make some memories. I want to get my passport stamped. I want to help desperate people abroad. I want to do something that actually matters.
But to do any of this, I have to pass that test next month. I am on a mission. My fourth Foreign Service candidacy will end with an invitation to an A-100 class. Yes.
Stay tuned. It all starts here.
1. Pass the Foreign Service Officer Test
2. Pass the Qualifications Evaluation Panel
3. Pass the Oral Assessment
4. Get all your necessary clearances and pass the Final Review Panel
5. Get called from the Register
I have passed the FSOT three times. That makes me a bit anxious about my fourth attempt, actually. I mean, on one hand, I should be quite confident because I know what to expect with this test and I know I should pass relatively easily. But I am a bit ill at ease because there's always a first time for everything. What if I can't complete the essay in time? What if I bomb the Job Knowledge section of the test? What if I run out of time? I mean, my score has increased each time I've taken this test, and I haven't done any sort of studying for any of those attempts. Do I trust myself too much? Am I overconfident? What if my brain is not as sharp as it used to be? Or maybe I'm overanalyzing this.
In reality, it's really the QEP that bothers me the most. The selections seem so arbitrary there. I think failing this step twice forced me to improve my narratives so that I could make them stronger on my more successful third attempt. I still have those narratives printed out. So assuming that I pass the FSOT next month, I'll be ready to go with strong narratives that allowed me to advance once before. I just hope the new crop of candidates is not more stellar than the last time around and that the cutoff score is not even higher. Maybe a less dire budgetary situation will make for a less stringent selection criteria this fall compared to last fall.
The OA's Case Management exercise is all that stood between me and a conditional job offer the last time around. If I can make it back to the OA, I will not bother studying with a group. I know what to expect there, and I can work well in teams. I will spend more of my time trying a new strategy with writing the memos. Instead of taking notes as I read, I will try to read all the documents and keep mental records of any necessary facts or overarching themes. Then I will write the memo from scratch, rather than trying to take a bunch of disparate notes and forming a cohesive argument out of them.
So yeah, I'm ready. I just have to make sure not to look too far ahead because I could very well fail the FSOT, which would be absolutely devastating. The Foreign Service is what I want to do. Mrs. Zz wants me to do this as well. I am choosing the Consular track, which is what I chose last year. This track seems to get a bad rap, but it is the most interesting to me by far. The idea of screening visa applicants and visiting Americans in foreign prisons is something that truly excites me. There are so many countries where I would love to be posted, especially in East and Southeast Asia. I want to make some memories. I want to get my passport stamped. I want to help desperate people abroad. I want to do something that actually matters.
But to do any of this, I have to pass that test next month. I am on a mission. My fourth Foreign Service candidacy will end with an invitation to an A-100 class. Yes.
Stay tuned. It all starts here.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Dejection
I have a confession to make. Even though I am a great teacher and a great communicator, I sometimes have trouble following my own advice. Earlier this year I failed my OA. It was my first ever OA and my third Foreign Service candidacy. I feel like I let my family, my friends, and myself down after I was escorted from the assessment center and left outside on that cold Washington street. I tried to put on a brave face when I heard the assessor say she regretted to inform me that my score did not exceed the cutoff score necessary to continue my candidacy.
I was cautiously optimistic about my chances going into lunch that day. I thought the GE had gone well. My group worked well together, I made some good contributions, and I was even able to crack a joke. The SI seemed to go reasonably well also. I provided good examples from my background to answer their questions and I thought I conveyed the right motivation for wanting to join the Foreign Service.
But at lunch, my mentality changed. Even though I knew I had been doing well, my thoughts shifted from "I'm going to try my best and do a good job" to "I know this next component is going to suck, so I'll just try not to screw it up too badly." Instead of playing to win, I was now playing not to lose.
When it was time for me to start my CM, my head just wasn't in the game. I knew it wasn't. I couldn't analyze anything. I began including information in my memo that probably should have been left out. I didn't feel that I was answering the questions that were posed to me. And I didn't even bother reading two documents in the binder that were likely important because I was running out of time. I was panicking. I knew at this point that the CM would be the worst part of the OA for me; I just hoped it wouldn't drag my overall average score below the 5.25 threshold.
After the CM, I knew it would be close. Maybe I knew I would not pass, but I was in denial and was hoping that my writing would be just good enough to get me a 5.3. I knew a high score like a 5.7 was out of the question.
Anyway, when my name was called at the end of the day, I was escorted to one of the rooms where the SI had taken place. Two assessors were present. One assessor thanked me again for participating in the OA and mentioned that it was very difficult to make it to the OA in my particular FSOT cohort.
She was lowering the boom. I knew I was toast.
And then she gave me the bad news. I was then given an envelope that contained a paper indicating which of the exercises, if any, I had passed. I was too stunned, embarrassed and disappointed to even look at the paper in the envelope. The assessor told me she was unable to provide any feedback on why I failed or what I could do better next time. I acknowledged that I understood the policy of not providing feedback because that would constitute improper coaching. She then asked if I had any further questions, and I said no. In reality, I was too embarrassed to ask any further questions and prolong this awkward situation I had put myself in. I told the assessors that I would try again next year and was then escorted out of the center. I put on a brave face as I said goodbye to the assessor who escorted me and the security personnel in the lobby. And then I was outside.
And just like that, my dreams were crushed.
When I got to my car, I looked at the score breakdown in the envelope they provided. Sure enough, I had passed the GE and the SI, but failed the CM. And I must have failed the CM pretty badly too because I finished with a 5.0.
During the long drive home, I thought about how things could have been different. What if I had squeezed more points out of the GE and SI? What if I had not included one or two paragraphs of irrelevant information in my CM? What if I had done a better job of calming myself down after lunch? What if I had rescheduled my OA for a different date? What if?
Coming this far in the process and failing is a very tough pill to swallow. Even to this date, I don't know which part is the worst: that feeling you have when you are escorted from the assessment center with a failing score, that feeling you have when you inform your spouse and family members that you failed, or that feeling you have when you realize you have to wait so long before you can apply again. It's really tough.
But in the end, I can't complain too much. The process is competitive, but fair. And really, I can only blame myself. There's always next year!
I was cautiously optimistic about my chances going into lunch that day. I thought the GE had gone well. My group worked well together, I made some good contributions, and I was even able to crack a joke. The SI seemed to go reasonably well also. I provided good examples from my background to answer their questions and I thought I conveyed the right motivation for wanting to join the Foreign Service.
But at lunch, my mentality changed. Even though I knew I had been doing well, my thoughts shifted from "I'm going to try my best and do a good job" to "I know this next component is going to suck, so I'll just try not to screw it up too badly." Instead of playing to win, I was now playing not to lose.
When it was time for me to start my CM, my head just wasn't in the game. I knew it wasn't. I couldn't analyze anything. I began including information in my memo that probably should have been left out. I didn't feel that I was answering the questions that were posed to me. And I didn't even bother reading two documents in the binder that were likely important because I was running out of time. I was panicking. I knew at this point that the CM would be the worst part of the OA for me; I just hoped it wouldn't drag my overall average score below the 5.25 threshold.
After the CM, I knew it would be close. Maybe I knew I would not pass, but I was in denial and was hoping that my writing would be just good enough to get me a 5.3. I knew a high score like a 5.7 was out of the question.
Anyway, when my name was called at the end of the day, I was escorted to one of the rooms where the SI had taken place. Two assessors were present. One assessor thanked me again for participating in the OA and mentioned that it was very difficult to make it to the OA in my particular FSOT cohort.
She was lowering the boom. I knew I was toast.
And then she gave me the bad news. I was then given an envelope that contained a paper indicating which of the exercises, if any, I had passed. I was too stunned, embarrassed and disappointed to even look at the paper in the envelope. The assessor told me she was unable to provide any feedback on why I failed or what I could do better next time. I acknowledged that I understood the policy of not providing feedback because that would constitute improper coaching. She then asked if I had any further questions, and I said no. In reality, I was too embarrassed to ask any further questions and prolong this awkward situation I had put myself in. I told the assessors that I would try again next year and was then escorted out of the center. I put on a brave face as I said goodbye to the assessor who escorted me and the security personnel in the lobby. And then I was outside.
And just like that, my dreams were crushed.
When I got to my car, I looked at the score breakdown in the envelope they provided. Sure enough, I had passed the GE and the SI, but failed the CM. And I must have failed the CM pretty badly too because I finished with a 5.0.
During the long drive home, I thought about how things could have been different. What if I had squeezed more points out of the GE and SI? What if I had not included one or two paragraphs of irrelevant information in my CM? What if I had done a better job of calming myself down after lunch? What if I had rescheduled my OA for a different date? What if?
Coming this far in the process and failing is a very tough pill to swallow. Even to this date, I don't know which part is the worst: that feeling you have when you are escorted from the assessment center with a failing score, that feeling you have when you inform your spouse and family members that you failed, or that feeling you have when you realize you have to wait so long before you can apply again. It's really tough.
But in the end, I can't complain too much. The process is competitive, but fair. And really, I can only blame myself. There's always next year!
The FS Gauntlet: The Oral Assessment
The Oral Assessment (OA) takes place about six to nine months after the FSOT. According to DOS, "in recent years, more than 20,000 candidates have taken the Foreign Service Officer Test annually. A much smaller number advance to the QEP review, and then only a few hundred are invited to the Oral Assessment," which means that fewer than 10% of FSOT candidacies advance this far. So if you've made it this far, you are in elite company.
According to the official DOS study guide, only about 30-40% of OA participants pass. Sometimes, everybody in an OA group passes. Other times, nobody in the OA group passes. There is no set quota for how many passers are needed on any given day. It's just you, the assessors, and the 13 dimensions on which you will be evaluated. You've got three tasks to complete: the Group Exercise (GE), the Structured Interview (SI), and the Case Management written exercise (CM).
Your assessment day is approaching. Here's what to expect.
The OA begins at 7:00. Do not be late. I recommend arriving in Washington one day before so you can figure out how to reach the assessment center. DOS is pretty strict about this and warn you to take into consideration the possibility of flights being delayed, taxi drivers getting lost, subways and trains breaking down, and baggage getting lost. The assessment center is located across the street from a Department of Education building and next to a Federal Emergency Management Agency building. A CVS, McDonald's and Quizno's are also nearby. The closest hotel is a Holiday Inn.
When you enter the assessment center (hopefully around 6:30 or 6:45), you will present photo identification to the security guards in the lobby. After walking through a metal detector and having your bags screened, you will wait in the lobby with other anxious candidates. You will be impressed by their backgrounds. Some will have made international flights to get here. Some speak three languages. Some are straight out of college; others are combat veterans. But do not be intimidated by these stories because you made it this far too. And that means DOS believes you have something to offer.
I strongly recommend remaining professional, courteous and discreet at all times. You never know what is being monitored. And you never know if the person you think is a fellow OA candidate is actually an FSO who is one of the assessors.
At 7:00, a program assistant will come out of the elevators and welcome you to the assessment center. You will all then follow her into an elevator and go upstairs to a waiting room. This waiting room will be where you spend most of your time between OA components. There are reasonably comfortable chairs and a few diplomatic magazines to read. You will be asked to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices and leave your bags and coats in a separate room. You will also be briefed on the ground rules of the day, including how to get kicked out of the assessment center by doing something stupid.
Next you will receive paperwork to sign, including a non-disclosure agreement that forbids you from discussing the content of the OA with anyone, including with other candidates. You will also sign paperwork stating that you accept the three conditions of employment (flexibility in assignments, worldwide availability and publicly supporting American policy). You will also receive a sheet detailing the 13 dimensions on which you will be evaluated and a document detailing the three components of the Oral Assessment (that also has information on what NOT to do).
Each OA candidate will be given a nametag that has a number and letter, such as 1A, 2B, or 4C. You need to remember your letter and number because these will be used to divide you into groups for the GE. The schedule you receive will also use your letter and number. Note that not everyone's schedule is the same. While the GE is always first, half of the candidates will do the SI while the other half does the CM. Lunch will be after the second exercise, leaving the final exercise for the afternoon.
One of the assessors will then come into the waiting room and greet everyone. The assessor will congratulate you on making it this far and will try to put your mind at ease while they make their final preparations before the first component of the OA begins. Now is the time to steady your nerves and hope for the best. It's showtime.
The Group Exercise (GE)
When all preparations have been completed, the assessors will come out and divide the candidates into two or three groups based on their candidate letter or number. Each group will head to a different section of the assessment center.
Your group will be led to a small room with a large round table with assigned seating. Each seat at the table will have a notepad, some pens, and a binder. A pitcher of water and some cups are also provided for you to consume at will. And finally, there will be four more chairs positioned in the corners of the room. The assessors will sit here, but you will not know which assessors are monitoring which candidates.
One assessor will then give your group the instructions and rules for the exercise. And then you're on your own. The best advice I can give you is to follow the instructions you are given. The BEX explicitly states which behaviors to avoid if you wish to pass this exercise. Remember that the GE is not a competition. And there are specific times during the GE when it is okay or not okay to advocate for the project you are assigned to review. Also make sure that you take good notes, actively contribute to the discussion, watch the clock, and try to draw out the more silent members of the group.
After the main part of the GE is finished, the assessors will summon you one by one to participate in the final part of the GE, the debriefing. The debriefing is a new component to the OA that was added in March 2014. My theory on why this was added is that the BEX wanted to discourage candidates from slacking off during the GE by going with the flow and not paying attention to the discussions. The debriefing forces candidates to be accountable for their group's negotiations. If you were zoning out or simply not properly focused during the group discussions, you will likely be rated poorly.
In the debriefing, a mock ambassador will ask you about the results of your group's deliberations in the previous part of the GE. This is why it is important to take good notes and understand the rationale behind the decisions your group made. Make sure you are respectful not just of the ambassador's title, but also the ambassador's time, which is limited.
Once this exercise is completed, you will be escorted back to the main waiting area. All OA candidates complete the GE first. Whether you will be assigned the SI or CM next is totally random. Your lunch break will take place after your second exercise. Remember not to talk about the GE you just completed while you are in the waiting area! The program assistants may be monitoring your conversations and you could be removed from the assessment center for violating the rules!
The Structured Interview (SI)
The SI is probably the easiest of the three components of the OA. You will be interviewed by two assessors who are trained not to give you any feedback (verbal or nonverbal). The best way to prepare for this is to look at the six Personal Narratives you submitted shortly after passing the FSOT. Without violating the nondisclosure agreement, I can tell you that you should be prepared to field standard interview questions as well as questions about why you chose your particular career track. Make sure your answers are concise and make sure your answers address what was asked. Do not try to shoehorn canned responses about a tangential or unrelated topic in your answers.
In the second part of the SI, you will be given a sheet that has five of the 13 dimensions. Each of the five dimensions listed will have two questions. You will have to choose one question from each of these five dimensions. After about 5 minutes, you will have to discuss your responses to these questions at length. The assessors may ask for elaboration or clarification, but you should not interpret this positively or negatively. A well prepared candidate will have identified one or two examples from his or her past that addresses each of the 13 dimensions before the OA.
Finally, you will have to field questions about hypothetical situations you may encounter as a Foreign Service Officer. Without being too specific because of the nondisclosure agreement, I can say that diplomats have to deal with a wide variety of unexpected situations, such as military offensives, ethical dilemmas. personnel problems, natural disaster responses and more. You are not required to know how am embassy works or what the proper protocol is when participating in this exercise. You are, however, expected to have common sense and to exercise reasonable judgment.
After this exercise, you will be escorted back to the waiting area. You may notice that many of your fellow candidates are not there. Some of them may have already left for lunch. Others are writing their CMs. The program assistant will tell you what you need to do or take with you before you leave the building.
Lunch (even though you are likely too anxious to keep anything down)
While you are not required to leave the assessment center, State strongly encourages it. I remember a McDonald's and Quizno's less than a block away from the assessment center. I don't recommend eating anywhere that is not within walking distance. The last thing you want is to be late getting back to your OA. Also, even though you are most likely a bundle of nerves, I recommend at least trying to eat something. One of the reasons why the OA is so stressful is that you have NO CLUE how you are doing during the day. You don't know if you passed the GE or if you bombed the SI. You don't know if you are currently above the 5.25 cutoff or if you have your work cut out for you. You only have one OA component left, so whatever your unknown score is, you only have one chance to improve it.
The Case Management Exercise (CM)
The final component of the OA, which some candidates may have completed before lunch, is the CM. In this exercise, you will be escorted to a computer room and given a binder full of documents. The first page of the binder will give you instructions on how to address a particular problem. The rest of the pages in the binder are the evidence on which you will base your conclusions. You only have 90 minutes to complete this exercise, which is not a lot of time. The official study guide recommends that you spend 30 minutes reviewing the documents, 45 minutes typing the memo, and 15 minutes editing the memo. Because the volume of information in this CM is greater than the volume of information in the practice exercises available online, I recommend getting in the habit of writing your practice CMs in 60 minutes, rather than 90 minutes. Also consider the fact that there is no official timer or timekeeper in the computer room. Nobody will warn you when you have 10 or 15 minutes left. Therefore, you need to watch the clock on your own.
In the CM, be on the lookout for information that is not relevant to the task you are assigned. You need to be able to filter out this information and stay focused on more relevant information in the binder. Also consider the possibility that the best solution may involve adopting several or none of the options available. Remember that the CM is the only component of the OA that measures your mathematical reasoning ability, so if you can include some statistics or numerical data in your memo, that's great (as long as this information is relevant!). Remember, if you find yourself overwhelmed during this exercise, try to calm down, take a few breaths and continue writing.
After 90 minutes, the program assistant will come into the lab and tell you to print out your memos. You will also be instructed to delete any copies of your memos from the computers. Finally, you will return to the waiting area.
The Hour of Judgment
When you return to the waiting area, you may find other candidates there who had taken their SIs in the afternoon. Remember that you cannot discuss any of the exercises while you wait even though you may be tempted to talk about them! The program assistants and/or assessors may still be observing you, so even though you may have finished all three exercises, your assessment might not yet be complete!
The assessors will need about an hour to 90 minutes to read the CMs, analyze the SIs, and calculate the candidates' average scores. The wait is excruciating. During this time, you can gather your bags and coats, but you still cannot use your phones. At about 3:45 or 4:00, one of the assessors will come to the waiting area and thank everyone for participating in the OA. One of the program assistants will then bring all the candidates to the computer room where you wrote your CMs. Then the assessors will summon the candidates one by one to deliver the news.
Anecdotally, there appears to be no rhyme or reason behind your score and when you are summoned. Regarding the OA components themselves, the consensus among FSOs and OA candidates is that the CM is the most difficult of the three components, the SI is the easiest component, and the GE is typically the swing component that decides whether you exceed the 5.25 cutoff or not. Some candidates pass the OA even though they only passed one component. Some candidates fail the OA even though they passed two components.
Unsuccessful candidates are finished at about 4:30. There is no more paperwork for them to fill out. They are escorted from the assessment center and their candidacies are finished.
If you are one of the candidates who had to endure the walk of shame, I extend my condolences to you. Most candidates do not pass the OA, at least not on their first attempt. Some repeat candidates don't even pass. If you did not make it this time around, pay attention to your results letter and work on the components you failed. And for the parts you passed, find ways to make your performance there even better. Remember that you can register for the FSOT again if 11 months have passed since the last time you took it.
Successful candidates may finish at 6:00 or even later. They will meet representatives from Diplomatic Security and be given information about the next steps in the hiring process, including medical exams, foreign language tests, and background checks. They will also receive conditional offers of employment (!) and get to ask questions about Foreign Service life. Because of the briefings they receive and the paperwork they must complete, successful candidates will leave the assessment center significantly later that evening.
Congratulations! Remember that even if you passed the OA, you can always take the FSOT again to try and get a higher score. But maybe your score is so high that your chances of receiving a formal job offer are good. In any case, whether you got a 5.3 or a 6.0, congratulations again! Security clearances, medical checks, and Final Review Panel, here we come!
According to the official DOS study guide, only about 30-40% of OA participants pass. Sometimes, everybody in an OA group passes. Other times, nobody in the OA group passes. There is no set quota for how many passers are needed on any given day. It's just you, the assessors, and the 13 dimensions on which you will be evaluated. You've got three tasks to complete: the Group Exercise (GE), the Structured Interview (SI), and the Case Management written exercise (CM).
Your assessment day is approaching. Here's what to expect.
The OA begins at 7:00. Do not be late. I recommend arriving in Washington one day before so you can figure out how to reach the assessment center. DOS is pretty strict about this and warn you to take into consideration the possibility of flights being delayed, taxi drivers getting lost, subways and trains breaking down, and baggage getting lost. The assessment center is located across the street from a Department of Education building and next to a Federal Emergency Management Agency building. A CVS, McDonald's and Quizno's are also nearby. The closest hotel is a Holiday Inn.
When you enter the assessment center (hopefully around 6:30 or 6:45), you will present photo identification to the security guards in the lobby. After walking through a metal detector and having your bags screened, you will wait in the lobby with other anxious candidates. You will be impressed by their backgrounds. Some will have made international flights to get here. Some speak three languages. Some are straight out of college; others are combat veterans. But do not be intimidated by these stories because you made it this far too. And that means DOS believes you have something to offer.
I strongly recommend remaining professional, courteous and discreet at all times. You never know what is being monitored. And you never know if the person you think is a fellow OA candidate is actually an FSO who is one of the assessors.
At 7:00, a program assistant will come out of the elevators and welcome you to the assessment center. You will all then follow her into an elevator and go upstairs to a waiting room. This waiting room will be where you spend most of your time between OA components. There are reasonably comfortable chairs and a few diplomatic magazines to read. You will be asked to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices and leave your bags and coats in a separate room. You will also be briefed on the ground rules of the day, including how to get kicked out of the assessment center by doing something stupid.
Next you will receive paperwork to sign, including a non-disclosure agreement that forbids you from discussing the content of the OA with anyone, including with other candidates. You will also sign paperwork stating that you accept the three conditions of employment (flexibility in assignments, worldwide availability and publicly supporting American policy). You will also receive a sheet detailing the 13 dimensions on which you will be evaluated and a document detailing the three components of the Oral Assessment (that also has information on what NOT to do).
Each OA candidate will be given a nametag that has a number and letter, such as 1A, 2B, or 4C. You need to remember your letter and number because these will be used to divide you into groups for the GE. The schedule you receive will also use your letter and number. Note that not everyone's schedule is the same. While the GE is always first, half of the candidates will do the SI while the other half does the CM. Lunch will be after the second exercise, leaving the final exercise for the afternoon.
One of the assessors will then come into the waiting room and greet everyone. The assessor will congratulate you on making it this far and will try to put your mind at ease while they make their final preparations before the first component of the OA begins. Now is the time to steady your nerves and hope for the best. It's showtime.
The Group Exercise (GE)
When all preparations have been completed, the assessors will come out and divide the candidates into two or three groups based on their candidate letter or number. Each group will head to a different section of the assessment center.
Your group will be led to a small room with a large round table with assigned seating. Each seat at the table will have a notepad, some pens, and a binder. A pitcher of water and some cups are also provided for you to consume at will. And finally, there will be four more chairs positioned in the corners of the room. The assessors will sit here, but you will not know which assessors are monitoring which candidates.
One assessor will then give your group the instructions and rules for the exercise. And then you're on your own. The best advice I can give you is to follow the instructions you are given. The BEX explicitly states which behaviors to avoid if you wish to pass this exercise. Remember that the GE is not a competition. And there are specific times during the GE when it is okay or not okay to advocate for the project you are assigned to review. Also make sure that you take good notes, actively contribute to the discussion, watch the clock, and try to draw out the more silent members of the group.
After the main part of the GE is finished, the assessors will summon you one by one to participate in the final part of the GE, the debriefing. The debriefing is a new component to the OA that was added in March 2014. My theory on why this was added is that the BEX wanted to discourage candidates from slacking off during the GE by going with the flow and not paying attention to the discussions. The debriefing forces candidates to be accountable for their group's negotiations. If you were zoning out or simply not properly focused during the group discussions, you will likely be rated poorly.
In the debriefing, a mock ambassador will ask you about the results of your group's deliberations in the previous part of the GE. This is why it is important to take good notes and understand the rationale behind the decisions your group made. Make sure you are respectful not just of the ambassador's title, but also the ambassador's time, which is limited.
Once this exercise is completed, you will be escorted back to the main waiting area. All OA candidates complete the GE first. Whether you will be assigned the SI or CM next is totally random. Your lunch break will take place after your second exercise. Remember not to talk about the GE you just completed while you are in the waiting area! The program assistants may be monitoring your conversations and you could be removed from the assessment center for violating the rules!
The Structured Interview (SI)
The SI is probably the easiest of the three components of the OA. You will be interviewed by two assessors who are trained not to give you any feedback (verbal or nonverbal). The best way to prepare for this is to look at the six Personal Narratives you submitted shortly after passing the FSOT. Without violating the nondisclosure agreement, I can tell you that you should be prepared to field standard interview questions as well as questions about why you chose your particular career track. Make sure your answers are concise and make sure your answers address what was asked. Do not try to shoehorn canned responses about a tangential or unrelated topic in your answers.
In the second part of the SI, you will be given a sheet that has five of the 13 dimensions. Each of the five dimensions listed will have two questions. You will have to choose one question from each of these five dimensions. After about 5 minutes, you will have to discuss your responses to these questions at length. The assessors may ask for elaboration or clarification, but you should not interpret this positively or negatively. A well prepared candidate will have identified one or two examples from his or her past that addresses each of the 13 dimensions before the OA.
Finally, you will have to field questions about hypothetical situations you may encounter as a Foreign Service Officer. Without being too specific because of the nondisclosure agreement, I can say that diplomats have to deal with a wide variety of unexpected situations, such as military offensives, ethical dilemmas. personnel problems, natural disaster responses and more. You are not required to know how am embassy works or what the proper protocol is when participating in this exercise. You are, however, expected to have common sense and to exercise reasonable judgment.
After this exercise, you will be escorted back to the waiting area. You may notice that many of your fellow candidates are not there. Some of them may have already left for lunch. Others are writing their CMs. The program assistant will tell you what you need to do or take with you before you leave the building.
Lunch (even though you are likely too anxious to keep anything down)
While you are not required to leave the assessment center, State strongly encourages it. I remember a McDonald's and Quizno's less than a block away from the assessment center. I don't recommend eating anywhere that is not within walking distance. The last thing you want is to be late getting back to your OA. Also, even though you are most likely a bundle of nerves, I recommend at least trying to eat something. One of the reasons why the OA is so stressful is that you have NO CLUE how you are doing during the day. You don't know if you passed the GE or if you bombed the SI. You don't know if you are currently above the 5.25 cutoff or if you have your work cut out for you. You only have one OA component left, so whatever your unknown score is, you only have one chance to improve it.
The Case Management Exercise (CM)
The final component of the OA, which some candidates may have completed before lunch, is the CM. In this exercise, you will be escorted to a computer room and given a binder full of documents. The first page of the binder will give you instructions on how to address a particular problem. The rest of the pages in the binder are the evidence on which you will base your conclusions. You only have 90 minutes to complete this exercise, which is not a lot of time. The official study guide recommends that you spend 30 minutes reviewing the documents, 45 minutes typing the memo, and 15 minutes editing the memo. Because the volume of information in this CM is greater than the volume of information in the practice exercises available online, I recommend getting in the habit of writing your practice CMs in 60 minutes, rather than 90 minutes. Also consider the fact that there is no official timer or timekeeper in the computer room. Nobody will warn you when you have 10 or 15 minutes left. Therefore, you need to watch the clock on your own.
In the CM, be on the lookout for information that is not relevant to the task you are assigned. You need to be able to filter out this information and stay focused on more relevant information in the binder. Also consider the possibility that the best solution may involve adopting several or none of the options available. Remember that the CM is the only component of the OA that measures your mathematical reasoning ability, so if you can include some statistics or numerical data in your memo, that's great (as long as this information is relevant!). Remember, if you find yourself overwhelmed during this exercise, try to calm down, take a few breaths and continue writing.
After 90 minutes, the program assistant will come into the lab and tell you to print out your memos. You will also be instructed to delete any copies of your memos from the computers. Finally, you will return to the waiting area.
The Hour of Judgment
When you return to the waiting area, you may find other candidates there who had taken their SIs in the afternoon. Remember that you cannot discuss any of the exercises while you wait even though you may be tempted to talk about them! The program assistants and/or assessors may still be observing you, so even though you may have finished all three exercises, your assessment might not yet be complete!
The assessors will need about an hour to 90 minutes to read the CMs, analyze the SIs, and calculate the candidates' average scores. The wait is excruciating. During this time, you can gather your bags and coats, but you still cannot use your phones. At about 3:45 or 4:00, one of the assessors will come to the waiting area and thank everyone for participating in the OA. One of the program assistants will then bring all the candidates to the computer room where you wrote your CMs. Then the assessors will summon the candidates one by one to deliver the news.
Anecdotally, there appears to be no rhyme or reason behind your score and when you are summoned. Regarding the OA components themselves, the consensus among FSOs and OA candidates is that the CM is the most difficult of the three components, the SI is the easiest component, and the GE is typically the swing component that decides whether you exceed the 5.25 cutoff or not. Some candidates pass the OA even though they only passed one component. Some candidates fail the OA even though they passed two components.
Unsuccessful candidates are finished at about 4:30. There is no more paperwork for them to fill out. They are escorted from the assessment center and their candidacies are finished.
If you are one of the candidates who had to endure the walk of shame, I extend my condolences to you. Most candidates do not pass the OA, at least not on their first attempt. Some repeat candidates don't even pass. If you did not make it this time around, pay attention to your results letter and work on the components you failed. And for the parts you passed, find ways to make your performance there even better. Remember that you can register for the FSOT again if 11 months have passed since the last time you took it.
Successful candidates may finish at 6:00 or even later. They will meet representatives from Diplomatic Security and be given information about the next steps in the hiring process, including medical exams, foreign language tests, and background checks. They will also receive conditional offers of employment (!) and get to ask questions about Foreign Service life. Because of the briefings they receive and the paperwork they must complete, successful candidates will leave the assessment center significantly later that evening.
Congratulations! Remember that even if you passed the OA, you can always take the FSOT again to try and get a higher score. But maybe your score is so high that your chances of receiving a formal job offer are good. In any case, whether you got a 5.3 or a 6.0, congratulations again! Security clearances, medical checks, and Final Review Panel, here we come!
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