The Other Path: To Consular?

To be an OMS or to be a Consular Officer? Discussion Part Two.

As promised, the other side of the coin. Perhaps it's the Gemini in me that makes me want to look around at what else might be out there, or perhaps it just takes me a longer-than-average time to get something right. I'm not sure which is the case here, but I find myself looking around the restaurant for a nicer table often - just ask my husband. So now, I'm comfortably ensconced in a nice job, lovely post, cool apartment - truly no complaints - and yet I'm getting excited looking forward to another change.

Let me back the story up a bit, for those who came in late. (For those who already know the story - go fix yourself a snack and scroll down a bit when you return.)

In 2009 I decided that I was going to be a Consular Officer. My husband and I attended a recruiting fair in Seattle and listened to active and retired members of the FS speak, both Specialists and Generalists, and I was instantly hooked. We drove home that afternoon sketching out plans for my FSOT preparation, which started the very next morning. I applied in the Consular cone and dove head-first into researching the life and job.

Why Consular and not Political or Public Diplomacy, or something else? Because after hearing the job descriptions and reading first-person accounts of what the work entailed, I saw it as a mix between law enforcement and customer service. This combination matched my professional background and personal interest perfectly. So I took the FSOT that year and passed, but unfortunately was not invited to the (dreaded) oral assessment in DC. Drat.

Meanwhile, the OMS option opened and it also seemed to fit me well, so I applied. I was invited to the oral assessment and within months was en route to orientation in DC. But still running in the background was this goal to become a Consular Officer. I had taken the FSOT again, passed, and this time, within days of receiving an invite to become an OMS, I was invited to the oral assessment in DC.

Blah blah blah... I passed the oral assessment in May 2011 and now have a valid Consular Officer candidacy. A second career path to explore. The one I wanted to begin with.

What to do? 

First, let me also explain that once one has passed all the hurdles and clearances (medical and security), their name is placed on a hiring register in rank order of their oral assessment score. It will live on this register for 18 months and not a day longer. Within that time, one's position on the register will rise and fall depending on how other candidates do on their oral assessments, how many points they receive for language skills or veteran's preference points. When I passed my oral assessment, I received a 5.4 score. It takes a 5.25 (rounded to 5.3) to pass, so I didn't exactly sail over the hurdle. I kinda' leaped and dragged a toe as I did so. In this difficult economy, the State Department is cutting back on hiring to the point of basically hiring to attrition. Meaning to the rate that people are quitting or retiring, instead of the big hiring surge that rode many people to new FS careers not long ago. This makes the process all the more competitive for those of us on the registers, and only the higher scores seem to be getting invitations to come aboard.

However, I have a slight advantage: as I am currently overseas on government orders, I am able to freeze, or defer, my candidacy for a maximum of two years. My 18-month clock is not currently ticking. I decided to be an OMS for one full tour before reigniting my candidacy. This would also give me the chance to increase my Spanish skills to - ojala - and pass the Spanish phone test . This test is offered to candidates to determine if they are eligible to receive extra language points. I need to achieve a level 3 to pass, and I was trained and tested at FSI to a level 2. See my dilemma?

What's so great about being a Consular Officer anyway that I'm not happy just being an OMS? Here are the pros and cons as I see them so far:

PROS:

I feel I would be contributing more as a Consular Officer. Am I contributing little as an OMS? No, but this just feels like the work would be more in the diplomatic line, more direct representation of the US to the rest of the world. I'd like to be a more visible face of the US to the general public, and as an OMS it is more limited.

I loved my previous job in law enforcement (civilian position - I wasn't a cop) and this seems like it would be much the same. As described on State's official website a Consular Officer must "explain/uphold U.S. immigration policy in a professional, fair and compassionate manner." I can do that! I want to do that!

There's also the American Citizen Service (ACS) side of being a Consular Officer where I'd be assisting Americans in need abroad. I'd be helping people who have bad luck, people who do dumb things, people who are criminals and should rightly be locked up - true, but also Americans who lose their passports on vacation, or who have a child abroad, or who retire overseas and want help getting their social security payments. There are certainly as many ACS scenarios to attend to as there are Americans abroad and this sounds like it will provide an endless source of variety and challenge for the restless mind.

Training!  Starting with ConGen at FSI, complete with mock visa interview windows and a jail cell with rubber rats to practice prison visits, I'd receive lots of training at first, and ongoing, on immigration/visa law and ACS services.  I love training!

In the last entry I talked about the pay scale and how as an OMS I would top-out as an FS-03 after starting as an FS-07. However, FS Officers start a few rungs up the ladder, depending on previous experience, and after two tours it would not be unheard of to be promoted to an FS-03. I'm not only in this for the money, but everyone has a retirement to think about, not to mention the tabbies to keep well fed.

Did I mention "CD" (corps diplomatic) plates on the Ranger instead of the "AT" (administrative/technical) that we currently sport? What does this mean: free airport parking in Bogota, for one. Okay, that's a trivial point, but it's still true. That's why I put it last.

CONS:

People love to complain about "working the line" and what a drag it is. By that, I mean the visa interview line. At a visa mill such as Bogota, Consular Officers conduct 100-120 interviews every day. They have to be quick, yet thorough. They have to tell the nice people that they really don't need to see the shopping bag full of documents they brought, and could they please just respond directly to the questions posed to them in a kind and polite, yet firm and efficient, manner. They need to make important judgments about whether or not the person in front of them is coming to the US with the intention of violating US immigration law, or worse.

This can be stressful; this can be monotonous. Fortunately, I'm innately interested in other people's lives, so I think this will also be interesting. Friends in Consular have warned me that this is interesting... for about three months. I still think I'll like it.

More thoughts, neither PRO nor CON:

On my Statement of Interest (a required part of the oral assessment), I wrote about my last job and how I learned a lot about customer service, specifically:

"It was a different type of customer service, the type where you occasionally had to say not to uphold a policy or procedure. It wasn't 'the customer is always right,' and it taught me that I can still serve people well even when not giving them the answer they had hoped for." 

 
I really meant that, and I think it'll be a worthy personal challenge to put my money where my mouth is, shall we say, and find that balance between law enforcement and customer service. I'm ready!

So, it doesn't sound like there is much deciding to do, does it?
Yes, I'm fairly certain that I've convinced myself of the right path, and not just because it's a new path. What is holding me back is purely the state of hiring in the coming year and whether or not I can nudge myself up the register with Spanish points.

For all aspiring OMSes out there, please don't feel as if I'm discounting the value of our profession. I just feel that the other side of the coin is shinier for me. If it doesn't work out for me - I'll be happily OMSing to the next post and perhaps I'll see you out there. You'll recognize me; I'll be the one at the lunch table asking the Consular Officers for the latest good story.

Thanks for listening.

So You've Been Invited To The OMS Oral Assessment?

Huge disclaimer:
The Oral Assessment (OA) is covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), and anyone taking it must sign this agreement swearing they will not divulge the contents of the assessment. Therefore, I would like to offer the following NDA-compliant advice to hopeful OMSes out there. I understand invitations to the OA are going out currently, and a few of you have written to ask how they can best prepare. I would like to help out, and here is the best advice I can think of without spilling the beans.


Also, I took the OA over a year ago and they may have completely changed the structure and the requirements since then, in which case this posting may be purely for entertainment purposes.


My background:
I took the OMS OA in 2010 and the FSO OA in 2011 and passed both. I also have been obsessively reading and preparing for this subject and this life since 2009, therefore if this seems a bit excessive - you're probably right! People pass all the time without such structured preparation, and over-zealous people like me fail all the time, too. Go figure. But if this method helps one or two future OMSes, than I will feel satisfied.
Here's the best I can think of:

Writing exercise: 

You don't know what kind of exercise you'll be given, so I have two ways to prepare and both helped me feel confident. First, be aware of the ACT style of 5-paragraph essay in case you need to show an "opinion piece." Meaning, "Some people believe that the Electoral College is the hallmark of democracy, whereas others believe it has outlived its usefulness. What is your opinion and do you feel that the US should continue to use the Electoral College..." blah blah blah. Know how to structure your opinion in a clear, organized and convincing manner. The 5-paragraph structure really helps, even if you think, "the Electoral what?" when you see the question on the page. I would Google this method; I imagine there are lots of how-to's out there as this is what kids in high school have to learn for their SAT, ACT and AP tests. Write timed essays so that you develop your own method of organizing your thoughts under pressure.

Second, go to the Yahoo group for the FSO OA and look in their Files section for the CM portion of their exam. I think that's what it's called, Case Management. I could be wrong on that, but either way, the FSO OA asks applicants to write up a case management essay on how to solve a presented problem. You can see lots of good examples of the problem posed, and then various people's solution essays. I found these very helpful, and particularly mimicked Traveler's style. You'll notice right away that his essays are the best (IMHO). I used this method during the FSO OA, too, and I thought that I would for sure fail that section, but I didn't. It's all about having a practiced method that works for YOU to organize your thoughts in a timed exam.

Third, whatever question they pose to you: (pardon the caps here) MAKE SURE YOU FULLY ANSWER THE QUESTION! Don't beat around the bush, go right out and state your answer: Do you like to eat crab? "Yes, I like to eat crab because 1, 2, 3." Not, "Seafood is a wonderfully healthy way to eat..." See what I mean? Many people, surprisingly, don't fully answer the question.

Grammar and Proofreading:

Know common pitfalls and errors. Read books like, "Woe is I," Strunk and White's "Elements of Style" and any of the dozens of manuals of correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. Start being annoyed when your coworkers put apostrophe's where they don't belong (did you catch that?).  Google online proofreading websites that offer free tests. I don't remember their names, but I found them easily and worked through all their exercises.

Structured Interview:

This is where truly knowing the 12 Dimensions comes in. Here is what I found invaluable: On a piece of paper, cut out the description of the dimension and paste it on top. Brainstorm three examples of things in your life, from any/all of your jobs, to your volunteering to your travels - everything! Pick three examples that BEST fulfill the exact description of that dimension. Write them in order of best to weakest and write them in the STAR format:
Situation (in ONE sentence, set the scene, "I was an ice cream salesperson on the beach in Miami...");
Task ("...when I found that I had way too many Dreamsicles that nobody was buying,"); Action ("I knew I had to market the Dreamsicles better and so I..."),
Result ("...by the end of my shift, my quick-thinking saved my business and I had sold all the Dreamsicles.") Write down each story in that format so that you can tell the whole story without meandering or forgetting important, concrete actions. Practice these out loud in front of a mirror, in front of friends, in front of anyone who will listen so that you're comfortable hearing yourself, you're using active vocabulary and you're truly giving an example of something you've done that shows why you will be a successful OMS. Be concise! They can and might interrupt you!

Dress:

This is the State Dept. You will be representing the USG if you get hired. Show the respect the position deserves and dress very nicely, conservatively and professionally. Choosing between the hot red jacket and blouse that shows a bit of cleavage and looks great on you, or the tailored dark blue that says, "Hilary would wear this"? Do you have to ask which one is best? I have to say that there was a young woman who flew thousands of miles for her OMS OA and arrived in a skirt that needed a safety pin to hold it closed (it was visible); scuffed heels with mud on them; her hair pulled back in a rubber band as if she were going running; and an ill-fitting jacket. I just didn't understand why she would do that. She didn't pass. Men, it's not Dockers and a nice shirt time - go for the suit and tie.

Etc...

Bring a water bottle; bring a snack that will keep you going; spray your hair so you don't have to mess with it, and don't wear come-hither spike-heeled shoes. (That's for your congrats party afterwards!) Bring all requested paperwork completely filled out and anything else they ask you to bring. Half of this task is following directions. That's about it!

I wish you all luck on this long road. It's a fun life and there are some really amazing coworkers waiting to meet you if you're successful.

Let us know what happens!

FSO vs FSS: A Love Story

What? Why are you talking about FSO again? I thought you were already an FSS? Didn't I read something about Flag Day and Orientation and good friends and some South American country already?

Yes, yes - I know I have some 'splaining to do.

I'll say! I don't know why anyone would want to put themselves through that ordeal twice!

Well, with any luck, this will be the LAST time. But if you've got a sec, here's my story. It's a long story, but a common enough one that makes it worth sharing:

Okay, exactly two years ago I decided that the Foreign Service was a life for me, and specifically that I wanted to hook my star to becoming a FS Consular Officer. In preparation for the FS Officer's Test (FSOT), I dedicated four months to studying, every day after work and all day on the weekends...

Oh, was that the summer when we actually had four brilliant months of sunshine? Didn't you want to go camping and hiking and river tubing instead of reading all about the Constitution and Economics and...?

Yes, yes that was the summer... Geez, just hush up and let me tell the story already!
So, I spent four months preparing: writing timed essays with a group, reading about all sorts of things that I'm fairly certain I slept through in US History in high school and certainly other things I never learned in the first place. But I took the FSOT in October and passed. Yippeeee!! But then the next stage, the Personal Narrative Questions (PNQs), reared its ugly head and required that I submit five simple essays on general topics from my life experience. In 1300 characters or less - including spaces. Easy right? Each word was chosen like a ripe peach, each sentence double and triple checked for meaning, clarity, descriptiveness - you get the idea. The whole package was carefully, lovingly even, submitted before the deadline. For the following months I read everything I could about life in the Foreign Service. I tried on this potential new life like a prom dress, examining it for fit from every angle and making sure that it matched well with Tim's tuxedo and cummerbund. I practiced my new signature: Caitlin - Foreign Service Officer. Where did we most want to go? Would we ever have a house with two bathrooms? Day dreams, night dreams and conversations with friends and family ad nauseum.

We get the picture. Well...what happened? Did you get past the PNQ stage? Did you get that golden ticket invitation to the Oral Assessment?

In keeping with my prom theme - just picture me crying in the ladies' room as my date flirted across the room with the smarter, prettier girl.
Yeah, I got dumped.
Hard. And it wasn't pretty.
But as in life, I met someone new shortly thereafter. Someone friendly, kind. Not quite as popular or flashy as my first love - but a great fit for my personality nonetheless. And his name was OMS - the Office Management Specialist. We had a lot in common, and so in early 2010, I decided to make it official and pursue this new suitor. By late August he responded positively and invited me to DC to meet his parents - things were really getting serious!

I think we can guess what happened...

Right, so I passed muster with OMS and his family and, well, yadda yadda yadda....now I'm at FSI learning Spanish.

So what does this have to do with the one who scorned you, the FSO Consular Officer? You didn't call him did you?

Yeah, it's been kinda' hard seeing him around FSI now. But here's the funny part, as soon as I didn't "need" him anymore - didn't he come crawling back?
"Oh will you forgive me? I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. You're looking good, did you cut your hair or something? Who's this OMS person you've been hanging around with anyway? And who are all these new friends you're always going on and on about?"

I think you know what it's like. I'm human. I have memories of "how it all was..." before. I got weak and I gave in. I never threw away his number, and when he called out of the blue, asking me to come meet HIS parents yesterday... well, I went. Am I bad? I mean I LOVE OMS. We're such a great fit. My friends like him; he offers me so much choice, adventure. He's safe, he is friendly. But, but, but... maybe I just wanted to see that I could get FSO Consular Officer back. You know, even if I never even dated him again - just knowing that he wanted me and I could, if I wanted. Perhaps that's it. So yesterday found me all dressed up, telling my stories all over again. "Yeah, then I did this, and then I did that... blah blah blah." It was a long day, but in the end - he asked me back.

Well, do you feel satisfied with yourself now? How does OMS feel? Did you ever stop to think about someone other than yourself?

Actually, I think OMS understands. I mean, it was just an offer. I haven't accepted anything yet. I still have plans with OMS to go to Bogota and all. Heck, I'm excited to be with OMS! But, there's just that lingering feeling that maybe we'll eventually grow out of each other, and so, well, it's just good to know that I've got options. That's natural, right?

Hmmmmm...

So, that's my story. Things worked out as they were meant to, and in the timing they were meant to have. I have the security of great OMS by my side and we're a good fit. But meanwhile, it feels good to know that Consular Officer hasn't forgotten about me and is still out there as a misty possibility. My story is not a unique one; I'm sure there are many of you out there who've been scorned by the dashing Mr/Ms FSO and who are hesitant about putting themself "out there" again. I hope that you do try again. If you ever want to swap stories - drop me a line and I'd be happy to share.

Meanwhile - take care and remember that it's all worth it in the end.