Personal Narrative

So I have just completed and submitted the answers to my personal narrative. Wow, that strained the brain a little bit. The questions basically assess whether you can provide examples of times when you exhibited certain behavioral traits that are essential to being a Foreign Service Officer. It sounds easy at first, until you realize you have provide current contact information for someone who can verify your examples. I found myself having to reject some examples that came to mind because I did not have current contact information for anyone who could confirm it. That's a big reminder of how important it is to network and keep in contact with the people you meet.

However, I found that once I determined what my examples would be and confirmed I had current contact information, the rest feel into place. I tend to be a succinct writer, as the length of my blog posts will attest, so I never ran out of room for my answers. I just hope I was descriptive enough and provided enough variety in circumstances to show a good range of my abilities.

Now I will have to be patient and wait until October to find out if I will be invited to the Oral assessment. I just hope that I impress the QEP and that I compare favorably to the rest of the Management track candidates. For now though, I will continue to prepare in the event that I do move forward in the process.

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.