tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86056943046160987552012-02-16T15:40:24.851-05:00njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.comBlogger291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-62727228922794272722011-09-11T15:17:00.002-04:002011-09-11T15:18:31.984-04:00

I left Boston on a rainy Thursday, and made it to DC eight and a half hours later, helped by a cd copy of the book, Moneyball. I hadn't really felt the gravity of the situation until I pulled away from my apartment with a full car.  Boston has been my home for 15 of the last 16 years.  It is where many of my friends are.  Despite the lack of a grid or signage, I know the crazy roads.  I have

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-13708949633328120592011-08-23T08:51:00.000-04:002011-08-23T08:53:45.796-04:00

Getting an offer has been a huge relief, and has also filled up my to-do list. Suits:  Ten years ago, I wore a suit everyday to work at the bank, but for the last five years or so, it was rare for me to go the whole work day with shoes on, forget about a suit.  Apparently, pleated pants were in style in the late 90's.  After some donations to goodwill, and some purchases, I now have three suits

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-73425671985067857362011-07-01T09:13:00.000-04:002011-08-23T08:52:23.491-04:00

I got an invite to the September class.  I'm super excited and relieved. I couldn't bring myself to open the email for a few minutes.  I just stared at the screen and shouted expletives.  My body gave me a boost of adrenaline or something, 'cause I got real hot and started sweating.  Over the last few years, I'd arranged a lot of my life around getting this job, and my looming expiration seemed

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-5479115030735476462011-05-16T12:45:00.001-04:002011-08-23T08:52:51.692-04:00

Just got rejected by the QEP for my 2011 candidacy. Didn't bother to take the test in 2010, because I'd passed in 2009 and everyone was getting called off the list. My 2009 candidacy is set to expire in August.  Currently #39 of 139. (Alphaville video)

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-88484380584497031962011-04-05T14:33:00.003-04:002011-04-05T14:36:51.597-04:00

I took the FSOT over again in early February.  It was my third time taking the test.  I had a different approach to it this time.  I barely studied at all.  I looked over a few pages of notes I'd kept from my previous attempts while I was in the parking lot in the minutes before the exam.  The experience of having passed twice before, in combination with my current disillusioned state with

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-68605021468573796082011-01-17T13:58:00.000-05:002011-08-23T08:52:23.492-04:00

I'm no longer expecting to get the call. State is really cutting back on their hiring.  The upcoming budget fight has them scared.  At the current rate, they will hire half as many people as they did last fiscal year.  So far, they eliminated one of the proposed classes for the year, and for the last several classes, they have cut back on the number of people they hire from 95 to around 55.  

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-42931238808196258682010-12-08T19:22:00.001-05:002011-08-23T08:52:23.493-04:00

I found out yesterday that I passed my Spanish phone test.  The change in score moved me 34 places higher on the list, and I'm currently ranked in the high 20's.  My highest rank yet. In the week following the test, I had convinced myself that I had failed.  So happy to have been wrong about that.   My test felt like it went ok, but I thought it could have gone better.  I talked non-stop, like a

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-40119081535263806882010-09-02T16:47:00.001-04:002011-08-23T08:52:23.493-04:00

Well, the last few classes have happened without me getting an invite.  October class invites went out too.  The next class is scheduled for January, but at this point, I'm shooting for February. My 5.3 has been on the cusp of getting a call for several classes, but I don't think it is going to be enough.  So, I'm off to study some Spanish to raise my score.  I can get a .17 bonus if I can show

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-19114694345730031272010-07-16T14:14:00.004-04:002011-08-23T08:52:23.494-04:00

The first round of September invites have gone out.  I didn't get one. This time, I'm #50 on the list (my worst position yet) and invites reached at least #31.  So, at most I was 19 away from an invite.  Not moving in the right direction here.  A few more invites may go out in a second round, but I don't think they'll close a gap of 19.  No September class for me. I have gotten two non-FSO

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-37417579627659764942010-06-08T13:55:00.002-04:002010-06-08T14:07:07.144-04:00

August calls for A-100 have been extended without one showing up in my email box.  Damn. Once again, I think I was really close.  I think I was ranked in the mid-40's at the beginning of the calls, and ended up ranked in the mid-30's.  The offers came as close as the mid-20's, so I was within 10 people of a call to the show.  I'm getting the sense that the offer will continue to be close but not

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-74740086265108263732010-05-01T10:40:00.000-04:002010-06-08T14:07:07.144-04:00

June offers went out without one coming my way.  It is hard to tell how close I was to an offer, but based on shadow register that we have created over on the yahoo a-100 group, I was at most 13 spots away, but maybe as close as two spots from an offer.  It's hard to tell, because only a portion of the people on the register are members of the yahoo group, and then only some of those people post

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-35926730266255323752010-04-20T12:17:00.000-04:002010-06-08T14:05:24.325-04:00

Inspired by Girl in the Rain, I decided to make a map of where I'd been, and where I'd like to go by using this site. First, where I've been.  Africa - None Americas - Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, United States, Uruguay Asia - India, Nepal Pacific - New Zealand Europe - Belarus, Czech, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Russia,

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-33864848493381724062010-03-29T17:03:00.000-04:002010-06-08T14:05:24.325-04:00

The March orientation class (A-100) starts today.  This was the class I thought I'd be in.  Security clearance took too long though.  There was no waiting list for the Jan., Feb., or March classes in the management track, so if my clearance hadn't gone through four and a half months of adjudication, I would have been in the March class...starting today. Next hope, June. 

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-83202904265215470042010-03-24T18:00:00.000-04:002010-06-08T14:05:24.325-04:00

No invite for me for May. A bunch of new people joined the management register since February, essentially doubling the list by the time the May invites were sent.  Most people who make the register get ranked above me, based on getting higher scores at the oral assessment.  So, even after the May invites thinned the list by about 20 people, I'm still ranked in the mid-thirties. I've read

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-40140256035290034012010-03-02T12:09:00.000-05:002010-06-08T14:05:34.811-04:00

I made the register. After months of waiting in adjudication for my security clearance, I kind of got used to waiting, and expected to wait for State to run its final review.  Turns out, that only took a couple days. I got a letter a few days ago letting me know that I'm now on the management register.  I'll start at the end of the list of eligible hires, but I think I have a good shot at the

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-10959714528602980282010-02-24T11:56:00.002-05:002010-02-24T15:37:48.576-05:00

After two months of investigation and four and a half months in adjudication, my security clearance has been granted. I called yesterday to ask the clearance customer service folks for any news.  When the guy on the phone asked me if I was sitting down, I had a few moments of flip-flopping between getting excited and getting worried.  I sat down and asked him for the update.  He let me know that

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-81319202522572444852010-01-12T14:47:00.002-05:002010-02-24T15:37:22.493-05:00

Still no movement on the security clearance. I have heard that when you reach three months in adjudication that the folks in the security clearance customer service section of the State Department can nudge the adjudicators.  Last Friday, I called to check in and ask for a few elbows to be thrown on my behalf. First, I asked if I'd been cleared.  I had not.  I then asked when I'd actually made

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-57662034430379348192009-12-04T10:13:00.001-05:002010-02-24T15:36:41.071-05:00

I was hesitant to create another post that says the same thing, but here is the update.  As of Monday, Nov. 30, I'm still "pending adjudication".  I've been pending adjudication for eight weeks.  That was disappointing to hear.  Having noticed that many candidates make it to the register of eligible hires about four months after their OA, I was hoping that this time, I'd hear that I'd been

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-83873540398209852092009-11-18T12:08:00.003-05:002010-02-24T15:35:31.230-05:00

Two days ago, I heard that I'm still "pending in adjudications".   I'm getting a bit bored with this.  I wish there were something I could do, other than wait. The January A-100 class is being formed.  A-100 is the name of the five week orientation class for entry level officers.  A friend from my OA study group made the cut.  Nice to know someone who has made it. In my boredom, I often check

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-80876656928759812792009-10-22T13:47:00.000-04:002009-10-22T13:47:29.265-04:00

I sent an email to the security clearance customer service area at State to ask for an update on my situation. I got the same answer as when I'd asked 13 days earlier.  My file is in adjudication.  I'll send another status update request in two weeks. From what I've read, most files spend some time in adjudication.  Some spend a week there, and some spend several months.  I was hoping to be one

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-86681654048646621922009-10-12T16:58:00.001-04:002009-10-12T17:12:03.475-04:00

Waiting on my security clearance. There's nothing major to report, but a few small things have happened. 1.  About three weeks ago, I had a follow up call from one of my security investigators.  He wanted to know some more details of my foreign travel.  He had submitted my report, and it was bounce back by the case manager for more detail.  It took about 10 minutes on the phone.  I couldn't

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-36751974467337065602009-09-11T08:37:00.000-04:002009-09-11T08:44:25.854-04:00

Security clearance interview. My security clearance investigation kicked into gear about three weeks ago.  I got an email from a friend at an old job.  She said that an investigator had shown up, without any warning, and asked to meet with HR to ask questions about me.  A few days later, I got calls from two different investigators.   The first was actually calling for my roommate, who wasn't

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-76518794911994459532009-09-03T18:23:00.000-04:002009-09-03T18:43:12.089-04:00

Medical clearance. In order to qualify for the Foreign Service, I have to pass the medical clearance.  I need to receive a rating of "Class 1 - Worldwide available".  They want to make sure I'm healthy enough to send me anywhere in the world without chancing a medical emergency.  Some embassies are remote and the nearest access to quality medical care may be hours or days away. When I passed

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-72615911533293572892009-08-06T08:20:00.001-04:002009-10-12T16:49:10.773-04:00

I passed the oral assessment (OA) last week, scoring a 5.3 . That is the minimum passing score, but if I can get past the medical and security clearances, I think my chances are pretty good of getting called off the register. Management is an in-demand track, and I can always spend some time upgrading my Spanish and get some bonus points to bring my score to 5.47. What a huge relief. I know

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-28333648231779498082009-06-23T14:00:00.000-04:002009-09-03T18:42:51.544-04:00

Yesterday was the first day that people from the February test group could sign up for OA appointments. The appointments could be in DC or San Fran. I wanted DC in August, with August 17th as my first choice.Sign ups began at 10am EST. At 9:55am, I was playing the refresh screen game, hoping to get in as soon as they allowed. I didn't get in until about 10:15. When I got into the system,

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-56656289454451793542009-05-28T17:30:00.001-04:002009-09-03T18:42:32.339-04:00

About two months ago, I submitted my essays to the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP). The QEP asks for five narrative essays, illustrating skills like communication, leadership, and management. Each essay is only 200 words or so, which at first sounds easy, but it turns out to be very hard to sum up an important experience, and what was learned from it, in so few words. I fussed over each

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-61429558508595142292009-03-30T19:11:00.000-04:002009-09-03T18:42:12.880-04:00

On March 3rd, I got an email from ACT informing me that my FSOT results were available for download. In sharp contrast to last year, I clicked on the link right away. I was greeted by the word "congratulations", and then a bunch more words that I didn't read until after the wave of relief washed over me.This was the second time I have taken the FSOT. I knew from last year, that the results

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-44249394943701020482009-02-17T11:59:00.000-05:002009-09-03T18:41:50.115-04:00

Last Monday, I found myself back at the beginning, taking the written exam for the Foreign Service for the second time. Last year went pretty well, and I made it to Orals last September, but that was as far as I went. In the FSO application process, when you don't pass a section, you have to go back and start at the beginning.I made the drive up to New Hampshire to test at the New Horizons test

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8605694304616098755.post-54551111053415197842009-01-03T15:08:00.000-05:002009-09-03T18:41:19.639-04:00

At various points of unemployment in my life, I've written down ideas for future careers. One constant on my lists is working at the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer.Last March, I finally took the entrance exam. I passed and was invited to orals in DC in September.Orals is a full day assessment that tests a candidate's abilities through three exercises. The group exercise, where

njtworldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00918067615516006092noreply@blogger.com0