One hurdle down

So about 3 weeks ago I learned that I passed the FSOT for the second time!!! Yay! And then about a week ago I turned in my personal narratives for the second time. I mostly used the same examples from the last time, I just tweaked and adjusted them. And now it is back to waiting. Pursuing the Foreign Service is an exercise in patience followed by intense bursts of activity. Apply for the test, wait, sign up for the test date, wait, take the test, wait, and so on. But in a way, the complicated and extensive hiring process is a great way to self select out candidates. After all, if you can't handle the application process, there is no way you would be able to handle working in a government position. So for now I will continue on with my life, which is going through some major upheavals right now anyway, and see what happens. I won't know if I am moving on to the Oral Assessment again for about two more months. Cross your fingers for me.

Jumping back into the fray

Last Saturday I took the FSOT for the second time. I have to say, this time I went into the test much more confident and relaxed. Even though I know I need to wait another 3 weeks or so before I find out how I did, I do feel confident that I will pass again. It's weird getting back into the foreign service game. Last year I focused so much energy and worry over the process that when I failed to pass the Oral Assessment I felt very deflated. I didn't know if I would have the energy to try again. However, after going through everything last year, I find that I have a better perspective on the process and don't find myself fretting over things needlessly. I'm glad I'm trying again. When it all comes down to it, if this is truly something I want to do, and it is, I owe it to myself to keep going. So with that, the waiting game begins again.

One Month

Well, in one month I am ready to kick off the whole Foreign Service Process again. That's right, on June 5th I will be taking the FSOT for the second time. I am approaching the test this time a lot calmer. I know what to expect and I know that I was able to pass it once. This does not mean I am taking passing the test for granted. I am still studying/reviewing for it and I am taking it seriously. The test changes all the time so I know I need to be prepared. But the anxiety is not there and that is important. So I am confident, hopeful, and can't wait to kick all kinds of butt!

Here I go again

Well, a month ago I gave the Oral Assessment my best shot and failed. It was tough and I left DC a little heartbroken. I remember looking at my results and wondering if I could put myself through all that effort and stress again. But the Foreign Service Officers who gave me my results were encouraging that I should try again and my score wasn't that far off from the 5.25 I needed. I am confident that having gone through the process once, I am much better prepared if I make it that far the next time. So, here I am, picking myself up and today I submitted my application for the FSOT. Here we go again.

It suddenly feels real

So I finally received the email I've been waiting for these last 3 weeks. I... passed the FSOT!! Suddenly, I'm not just someone interested, I'm someone who actually has a shot. I'm both thrilled and freaking out at the same time. That's one hurdle, one step of many, that has been cleared.

This is how I look at the process:
Step 1: Pass FSOT
Step 2: Submit Personal Narratives & clear the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP)
Step 3: Pass the Oral Assessment
Step 4: Pass the Background/Credit/Health checks
Step 5: Enter a training group & secure an overseas assignment

So, step 1 has been completed! (does a little dance) Just 4 more left to go. (starts hyperventilating)

I can breathe normally again

So I just got home from taking the FSOT this morning and I have to say that it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be! I'm not saying it was easy, but it wasn't so horrible that I feel mentally drained now. It was a challenge, a stretch of your mind, but not overwhelming.

Here's my breakdown (keeping in mind that I can't go into too many details because then I would get in trouble and no one wants that, especially me):

Job Knowledge Section: This is probably the section I'm worried about. Some questions I feel I nailed while others were plain guesses. Makes it hard to pin down how I did.

English Expression Section: I know I kicked butt in this section, but then writing and grammar have always been things I'm good at.

Biographic Information Section: I think I did well on this section, but it was sometimes hard for me to think of examples in the short time frame and explain them in the brief space provided.

Written Essay Section: I actually found this section to be fun! It was almost like being in debate again. But I had to force myself to go into more detail because I tend to be more concise than expansive.

Overall, I think I might have done well. I always had time remaining on each section, even the essay, and it wasn't as scary as I thought it might be. I do have to say that the Study Guide I purchased was a great reflection of the types of things I saw on the test so I would highly recommend it.

On a personal note, I think I was the oldest person there taking the test and I'm not that old! A lot of college age kids took it with me. And this waiting 3 to 5 weeks for results? I'm so impatient,I want my results now! Sigh. Nothing to do but wait. Wait, and start preparing for the next stages of this process on the chance that I do get to move on.

Tomorrow

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
-Douglas Adams

Holy wow, the test is tomorrow! What the hell happened to May? I'm about to head to bed, I want to make sure I get a good nights sleep, and I'm trying to put the test in perspective so I don't freak out.

Deep breaths, Deep breaths.

I'm going to go in and do my best. Because there isn't anything else I can do.

One down, one to go

So the good news is that last Friday I passed the PHR!!!!!! I've been really stressed out and focused on studying, which is part of the reason why I haven't been blogging here lately.

What really tweaked me out though was that on 4/29/09 I signed up for a time slot for the FSOT! June 6th is the magic date! Which means that I have one month left to prepare! Ok, let me just stop hyperventilating and I'll be good, I promise.

It's official

This has been a busy last month. I ended one job and started another. All in all, I was only unemployed for about a week. Unexpected, but happy. So where does this leave my FSO plans?

Well, on Sunday, March 1st, I submitted my application. And on Monday, March 2nd, I got the confirmation email that around April 29th I'll get an email telling me to sign up for a seat for the June testing window. It's official now. I have 4 months to study and prepare for the written exam. Oh, and did I mention I also signed up for the PHR May testing window? That's right, I have to prep for my HR certification test at the same time.

Can you say glutton for punishment? Or maybe you could just call me driven. Why did I sign up so soon for the FSOT? Well, my new position is contract, not a permanent position, so I have no idea how long it will last. Right now, I have more to lose if I don't jump in and go for it. The next few months are going to be intense though.

A selfish kind of love

This weekend I finally told my mom about being laid off. She has a lot of stress on her plate right now and I have been hesitant to contribute to it. I was talking to her about my plans and mentioned to her that I was planning on taking the FSOT this year, maybe in only a few months (yikes! so soon!) if my job hunt wasn't going well.

Now, I didn't expect her to be happy. My sister isn't even happy about it because she doesn't want me to be so far away. What I didn't expect was for my mom to tell me that, and I quote, she wants me to fail horribly. Sigh. She doesn't want me to possibly go to a country where my life would be put at risk. But really, fail horribly? I guess that's love, if only an incredibly selfish kind of love that has completely effed up priorities.

She also seems to hope I lose my house and have to live with her. Yeah, no. Do other people who join the foreign service face these kinds of issues from their family?

Shifting priorities

I would have blogged about this sooner, but I've been busy (no excuse, right?). Last week I received some bad news; I'm being laid off from my current position on Feb. 6th. Not completely unexpected, but still a big blow. Just when I thought I had laid out some nice goals and plans for 2009, this comes along and shakes everything up.

This is when it is good to be flexible and resilient. Thankfully, I'm both. So how is job searching going to be affecting this blog and my FSO goals? Well, that depends. If I don't have a new position by April/May, I may decide to move up my plans of taking the FSOT. No point in waiting around until Oct. if I need a job now. However, if I secure a position relatively quickly (crosses fingers), then I'll probably push back my plans again. I'm not a job hopper so I would never want to leave a job so quickly, assuming I passed the tests and all.

Things are up in the air at the moment, but the blog will continue! Let's see how things play out.

Hello 2009

It is the new year and I know it will go by fast. I have decided that I will sign up for the FSOT testing window for October of this year. That means I have a lot of preparations to make in about 10 months. Yikes.

This is earlier than I was planning on taking the test because I wanted to give myself more time to prepare. I'm sure that to a certain extent I am overly worried about my abilities. However, I would rather be over prepared for the test than under prepared and fail horribly. But if I don't pass, I can still take it the following year. I lose nothing by taking the test this year and probably have a lot more to gain.

So with my goal set I have a bunch of things I need to get done. Please look forward to posts on that later this month. And no, I'm not making these resolutions, I hate making resolutions.

Some good news

My sister emailed me this link for The New York Times about how the Foreign Service is ramping up it's hiring. For a while now they had not be replacing open positions, but with the new president-elect and new funding from Congress they are looking to fill open slots as well as new positions.

This is encouraging news and makes me want to apply for a 2009 test date. Patience may be a virtue but when I'm interested in something I tend to focus on it and lose sight of the long game. However, maybe I should look into readjusting my strategy a little. Strike while the iron is hot and all that.