Information Guide to the 
                     Foreign Service Officer 
                     Selection Process 
                      
                     INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 
                       What is the Foreign Service Officer Selection Process? .................................. 1 
                       Purpose and Use of this Guide ........................................................................... 2 
                       What is the FSOT? ............................................................................................. 2 
                       Test Dates ............................................................................................................ 2 
                       Disability Accommodations ............................................................................... 2 
                     8 STEPS TO A FOREIGN SERVICE CAREER ............................................... 3 
                       Step 1:  Choose a Career Track .......................................................................... 3 
                       Step 2:  Register for the FSOT ........................................................................... 3 
                       Step 3:  Take the FSOT ...................................................................................... 5 
                           On the Day of the Test .............................................................. 5 
                           Procedures at the Test Center .................................................... 6 
                           Computer-Based Testing Procedures ........................................ 7 
                           What to Expect During the FSOT ............................................. 7 
                           FSOT Knowledge and Skill Areas ............................................ 9 
                           Related Areas of Study ........................................................... 10 
                           Once the Test Session is Over ................................................. 11 
                       Step 4:  Submit Personal Narratives for QEP Review ................................... 12 
                       Step 5:  Take the Oral Assessment .................................................................. 14 
                           Before the Oral Assessment .................................................... 14 
                           Oral Assessment Procedures ................................................... 15 
                           The Oral Assessment .............................................................. 17 
                       Step 6:  Obtain Security and Medical Clearances .......................................... 21 
                       Step 7:  Pass the Suitability Review ................................................................ 21 
                       Step 8:  Go On The Register ............................................................................ 22 
                       FSOT Non-Disclosure Agreement .................................................................. 23 
                       FSOA Non-Disclosure Agreement .................................................................. 23 
                     SAMPLE FSOT JOB KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS ...................................... 24 
                     SAMPLE FSOT BIOGRAPHIC QUESTIONAIRE ITEMS ........................... 28 
                     SAMPLE FSOT ENGLISH EXPRESSION QUESTIONS ............................. 29 
                     SAMPLE FSOT WRITTEN ESSAY TOPICS ................................................ 39 
                     SAMPLE FSOA GROUP EXERCISE ............................................................. 40 
                     SAMPLE FSOA STRUCTURED INTERVIEW HYPOTHETICAL 
                     SCENARIOS .................................................................................................... 64 
                     SAMPLE FSOA CASE MANAGEMENT EXERCISE .................................. 65 
                     SUGGESTED REFERENCE MATERIALS ................................................... 83 
                      
      
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
          Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication.  If, however, you 
          should find any discrepancy between the information here and the information on 
          careers.state.gov, please assume that the website has the most accurate and up-to-date 
          information.  If you have any questions or comments about this Guide, please write to:  
                      
                     Information Guide to the Foreign Service 
                     Officer Selection Process 
                     Human Resources Research Organization 
                     66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 700 
                     Alexandria, VA 22314-1591 
                      
                       ©2016 by HumRRO All rights reserved. 
                   66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 700, Alexandria, VA 22314-1591 
              
          No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or distributed in any form, including without 
          limitation through electronic networking, distribution or retrieval systems, without the prior written 
          permission of HumRRO. 
           
           
           
       
                                                                                            INTRODUCTION 
                                                                            In other words, it is a hiring process.  Therefore, the 
                 What is the Foreign Service 
                                                                            nature and purpose of this assessment process are 
                 Officer Selection Process? 
                                                                            different from those of educational testing.  
                  
                                                                             
                 The Foreign Service Act of 1980 tasks the U.S. 
                                                                            In education, assessment focuses on “mastery 
                 Department of State – and the Board of Examiners 
                                                                            testing” and the goal is to determine if the student 
                 (BEX) specifically – with responsibility for the 
                                                                            possesses sufficient knowledge or skill to pass a 
                 evaluation and selection of candidates for the 
                                                                            course or to practice a profession.  The assessments 
                 Foreign Service.   
                                                                            are usually comprehensive, covering the entire body 
                  
                                                                            of required knowledge or skill.  The scores verify 
                 The Department takes this charge seriously and has 
                                                                            current competence and command of a definite skill 
                 devoted significant resources to the development of 
                                                                            set.  Such assessments are often accompanied by 
                 a Foreign Service Officer Selection Process with 
                                                                            extensive feedback, and possibly remedial training 
                 the goal of providing all candidates, regardless of 
                                                                            and reassessment, with the ultimate objective of 
                 socioeconomic background, education, or 
                                                                            passing.  Education assessments are not a 
                 experience, a chance to demonstrate their potential 
                                                                            competition; the objective is for everyone to pass. 
                 to be a Foreign Service Officer.   
                                                                             
                  
                                                                            In employment selection, the goal is to determine 
                 Candidates who participate in the selection process 
                                                                            which candidates are the most qualified because an 
                 will find that it is designed to challenge them and to 
                                                                            organization wants to hire the best.  Employment 
                 give them the opportunity to demonstrate qualities 
                                                                            assessments only sample a job-related body of 
                 that have been identified as necessary to become a 
                                                                            knowledge or skills because assessment time is 
                 successful Foreign Service Officer.  Thus, the 
                                                                            limited.  The scores are used as predictors of 
                 Board of Examiners stands by the validity and 
                                                                            prospective job performance, rather than indicators 
                 integrity of the assessment process as being a fair 
                                                                            of current competence.  Thus, tests like those used in 
                 and accurate selection method for Foreign Service 
                                                                            the Foreign Service Officer selection process are not 
                 Officers.  Indeed, it is vital to the U.S. Department 
                                                                            accompanied by extensive feedback or remedial 
                 of State’s mission and purpose. 
                                                                            training because they are not meant to measure an 
                  
                                                                            entire body of knowledge or skills.  Moreover, the 
                 To ensure no bias in favor of any candidate, the 
                                                                            organization’s hiring process is meant to be highly 
                 Board of Examiners periodically revises its testing 
                                                                            selective given the limited number of openings 
                 materials.  It also asks all candidates to sign non-
                                                                            available. 
                 disclosure agreements before beginning portions of 
                                                                             
                 the assessment, and has implemented other 
                                                                             
                 safeguards.  Please note that BEX will terminate the 
                                                                             
                 candidacy of anyone found to have violated the non-
                                                                             ALERT: Candidates should thoroughly read the 
                 disclosure agreement. 
                                                                             Eight Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service 
                  
                                                                             Officer on careers.state.gov before they submit 
                 The Foreign Service is a unique career and, perhaps 
                                                                             their applications. 
                 unsurprisingly, the selection process is also unique.  
                 The Foreign Service selection process, including 
                                                                             
                 the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), the                
                 Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP), and the              
                                                                             
                 Foreign Service Oral Assessment (FSOA), is an 
                                                                             
                 employment selection tool used by the Department 
                                                                             
                 of State to identify the most qualified candidates for 
                                                                             
                 Foreign Service positions.   
                                                                             
                  
                                                                             
                  
                                                                             
                  
                                                                             
                  
                                                                             
                                                                             
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