The Foreign Service Journal, March 2007

MA R CH 2 0 0 7 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 77 A F S A N E W S V.P. VOICE: STATE BY STEVE KASHKETT Overhauling the Foreign Service Exam A larms sounded throughout the Foreign Service when word leakedout severalmonths ago that theDepartment of Statewas considering far-reaching changes to thewrit- ten examand the entry process for FS generalists. The rumors spread quickly: the test would be shortened, standards would be lowered, the personality traits and political connections of applicants would be factored in, etc., etc. This reaction inmany quarters highlighted the deep attach- ment that most of us feel to the notion of the Foreign Service as an elite, high-caliber group of people whomust win a tough competition in order to join our ranks. It also revealed suspicion that short-term concerns about staffing Iraq and other unac- companied and “transformational diplo- macy” posts might drive the department to create a test designed to bring inmore peo- ple whose primary qualification is eagerness to fill those particular types of jobs. AFSAhas been involved from the begin- ning in the consultations surrounding these proposed mod- ifications to the FS generalist exam/entry process, and we are convinced that these fears are exaggerated. The department, in developing these proposals, drewon the recommendations that emerged froma careful study conducted by a privateman- agement consulting firm. The underlying idea is tomodern- ize the system for joining the Foreign Service, to streamline it, and to make sure it attracts the best and brightest people who can handle the unique challenges facing us overseas today. The twomost significant changes being implemented will address those goals. First, the Foreign Service written exam will be administered at electronic testing centers on a more frequent basis throughout the year. This makes a lot of sense. Under the current system, a prospective candidatewho decides in May to take the exammust wait 11 months before having the opportunity to take it the following April. This cumber- some, one-shot-per-year approach costs us good people. Second, the written exam score will now be accompanied by a standardized electronic resumé in which applicants can describe their educational background, work history and over- seas experiences that might be relevant to a Foreign Service career. In principle, it certainly seems logical to factor in these per- sonal attributes along with the applicant’s examscore. We are the only country in the world that hires our diplomats with almost no special regard for their expertise and experience in foreign affairs, but instead on the basis of their tested score on a gen- eral knowledge exam. It makes sense to give people a certain amount of credit for, say, possessing a Ph.D. in internation- al relations, speaking three obscure foreign languages or hav- ing spent five years working successfully in a difficult overseas environment. What we at AFSAandmost of ourmembers are determined to avoid is any politicization of the process. We must make sure that the selectionpanels that review these standardized resumés take no account of an applicant’s political leanings, connections to certain partisan institutions, or recommen- dations from“prominent” people. Wemust never return to the days when entering the diplomatic service depended on coming from the right family, the right university or the right political milieu. The one proposal which AFSA rejected — and which we understand is not being developed at this time— is to create a mid-level entry program for applicants with certain special skills or foreign languages that happen to be in short supply within the Foreign Service at the moment. We believe that bringing certain people in at a higher grade than others to address short-termneeds would be detrimental to our Service and our esprit de corps. As FS generalists, our career is highly hierarchical. We acquiremany of our special diplomatic skills through on-the- job training during our apprenticeship years as entry-level offi- cers. Performing important consular work, serving as con- trol officers for high-profile visitors, experiencing the pleasures of late-night embassy duty, handling our first representational responsibilities at diplomatic events—these are all rites of pas- sage for all FS generalists during their entry-level years. Bringing in people at higher levels who have not had these crucial devel- opmental experiences, but who would presumably be super- vising more junior but more seasoned officers, would erode morale, fairness and efficiency within the Service. We can be proud of the extremely high caliber of those entering the Foreign Service today. Considering that out of tens of thousands who take the FS written exam every year only a fewhundred join our ranks, there is little danger of los- ing the elite quality of our Service. Let’s keep it that way. What we at AFSA are determined to avoid is any politicization of the process.