Employment Opportunities
Each Foreign Service Officer must choose one of five career tracks in which to serve. The information in this section explains what officers do in each of these career tracks and provides an outline of a typical career path for each track.
Consular Officer |  |
Help Americans and Welcome Foreign Citizens
With diverse backgrounds and knowledge, as well as strategic and creative problem-solving skills, Consular Officers represent America to the world as they assist U.S. citizens who want to travel, conduct business and live abroad safely. Consular Officers help foreign citizens who want to travel to the United States to navigate the visa application process; they also conduct interviews and determine whether or not to issue a visa.
Daily, Consular Officers are responsible for protecting Americans who live and work overseas. As part of the American Citizen Services offices, established at embassies and consulates throughout the world, a Foreign Service Officer who chooses the Consular career path will address a variety of challenges, including: crisis situations within the country, lost passports, international child custody disputes, arrests, and financial or medical emergencies. Additionally, Consular Officers maintain communications related to travel warnings and public announcements; and provide guidance on judicial and notarial services, estates and property claims, third-country representation, and disaster assistance.
- acquire expertise in local laws, economic conditions, political situation, and culture to make informed and rapid decisions affecting U.S. citizens abroad
- help American citizens obtain emergency medical assistance
- evacuate American citizens as disasters or armed conflicts require
- visit arrested Americans and ensure they have access to legal counsel
- screen foreign visa applicants and decide whether to issue or deny them entry into the U.S.
- lead a diverse and highly qualified staff in developing innovative practices to protect American Citizens and keep America's borders safe
To excel in this challenging and rewarding position, Foreign Service Officers must demonstrate a sharp attention to detail and exhibit keen managerial skills and a strong sense of public service. In return, the Bureau of Consular Affairs is committed to the importance of leadership and to helping officers develop the skills they will need to model and adhere to our consular leadership tenets. To learn more about these tenets, please visit travel.state.gov/about/about_304.html.
Bring your proven leadership skills, solid team-building and interpersonal skills, and commitment to serving our nation and its citizens to the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Consular Officer and help us as we touch the lives of others and show the world a side of America it has never seen.
Download and read all about Consular Officer Career Development. (40kb, PDF)
Economic Officer | |
Help America Protect U.S. Interests Abroad
Foreign Service Officers who choose the Economic career path will address a variety of challenges as they seek to advance U.S. interests, including: helping foreign countries develop free market economies, negotiating trade agreements to open foreign markets; interdicting terrorist and drug financing; and protecting intellectual property rights. As an Economic Officer, you may choose to work in economic, trade, environmental, scientific, financial or agricultural affairs, and will:
- Develop contacts in foreign and U.S. institutions, businesses, press, and international organizations, to promote U.S. economic goals
- Advocate directly with foreign governments on behalf of U.S. interests and promote open trade and investment regimes
- Resolve bilateral trade disputes and negotiate with our trading partners to liberalize world trade
- Advise officials and business leaders on policy developments and make recommendations for U.S. action
- Negotiate trade-related agreements and treaties
- Coordinate financial assistance to troubled areas; work with development partners to raise standards of living
- Develop trade and investment policy
- Enforce export controls and international trade sanctions
- Advocate U.S. policies and interests in international and bilateral scientific, environmental, and technological forums
With diverse backgrounds and knowledge and exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, Economic Officers represent America to the world as they work with U.S. and foreign governmental officials, business leaders, and opinion makers. They promote national security through economic security. In addition, Economic Officers work on challenging business, environmental and health issues, in an overall effort to help build and maintain worldwide economic stability. They influence and implement trade policy, in addition to helping American businesses identify global expansion opportunities and ensuring that American workers, business people, and farmers can fairly compete for foreign investment and trade.
On a daily basis, Economics Officers are responsible for researching, advising, analyzing and interpreting the economic policies and business practices of foreign countries. They identify and work to resolve market challenges to U.S. interests before they become bilateral or multilateral trade disputes. Much of this is accomplished through building solid contacts, relationships and links to all the appropriate policy and opinion leaders both in the United States and abroad.
While maintaining economic stability on a global scale may sound a bit daunting, there are several key qualities that successful Economic Officers should possess:
- Sound judgment and versatility
- Capacity to write and speak concisely to report on developments and their potential impact on U.S. policies and programs
- Ability to solve complex problems through an understanding of economic analysis tools
- Strong interpersonal skills
Bring your proven leadership skills, relevant overseas experience, solid team-building skills, and achievement in problem-solving to the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Economic Officer and show the world a side of America it has never seen.
Download and read all about Economic Officer Career Development. (39kb, PDF)
Management Officer | |
Management Officers are creative, action-oriented leaders who think on their feet and respond with efficient, on-target solutions in fast-paced — sometimes mission-critical — situations. Their responsibilities include developing personnel; negotiating bilateral work agreements; establishing or implementing reciprocal tax treatment; managing a multi-million-dollar real estate portfolio; managing financial assets; coordinating with other U.S. agencies at post on shared administrative costs, and providing supervision at U.S. embassies, consulates and other diplomatic posts.
Your professional, corporate background is the perfect foundation on which to build your career as a Foreign Service Officer. You'll be on your way to the everyday challenges that await you in serving the United States at one of more than 250 diplomatic posts worldwide. This may require frequent travel, but that's part of what motivates you. One minute you might direct a Congressional visit, while handling foreign real estate deals the next. Switching gears and adapting to exciting changes come easily to you.
While you're enjoying the diverse challenges of your job, you'll also be learning new skills and broadening your natural abilities. A Foreign Service career will provide you with exemplary training, career growth opportunities, and the distinction of serving your country in a highly visible position. And, our benefits package is hard to beat, offering a competitive salary, overseas housing, family allowances, utilities, and school tuition.
This opportunity is too good to pass up. We are eager for someone like you to join us!
Download and read all about Management Officer Career Development. (37kb, PDF)
Political Officer | |
The career of a Political Officer lies in developing expertise and analyzing political events in the country or region of his or her post. Political Officers are sensitive to political climates abroad, and interpret events and situations as they relate to U.S. interests. They apply their expertise to the situations at hand, making recommendations on foreign policy. These members of the U.S. Foreign Service engage in negotiations, influence the judgments of decision-makers, and advise on international affairs.
Political Officers:
- develop a wide range of foreign contacts in and out of politics and government to advance U.S. political interests
- assess the impact of political developments on the U.S. and make recommendations on U.S. government action
- communicate with foreign governments seeking support for shared foreign goals, including votes in multilateral forums such as the U.N.
- support high level visits
- advise policy makers on how to communicate effectively with foreign governments
- implement, and also participate in developing, U.S. foreign policy
Download and read all about Political Officer Career Development. (36kb, PDF)
Public Diplomacy Officer | |
As the voice of the U.S. to the hosting country, Public Diplomacy Officers strive to broaden the understanding of American values and concerns. They are congenial, diligent relationship-builders who conduct public awareness services, via press and media outlets, to promote U.S. interests overseas. It's a significant responsibility that presents opportunities unique to educating foreign cultures about our nation, while offering unrivaled experiences around the world.
Public Diplomacy Officers:
- manage creative cultural and information programs
- explain to foreign audiences how American history, values, and traditions shape American foreign policy
- explain and defend the substance of American foreign policy to ensure that U.S. positions are well understood and that misrepresentations are corrected
- orchestrate a variety of exchange programs to enhance personal, institutional, and governmental links which deepen foreign understanding of American society
Download and read all about Public Diplomacy Officer Career Development. (39kb, PDF)
