The Foreign Service Journal, April 2012

Help Wanted • PROFESSIONAL WITH INTERNATIONAL EXPERI- ENCE; self-starter; com- fortable and effective in multicultural settings; English-speaking, bilin- gual a plus; advanced de- gree; resourceful; com- posed; organized; un- flappable; adaptable; patient. • Your schedule will be flexible if your salary re- quirement is flexible. F OCUS ON FS F AMI LY M EMBER E MPLOYMENT FS S POUSAL E MPLOYMENT : S LOW BUT S TEADY P ROGRESS 18 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / A P R I L 2 0 1 2 irst the bad news. Finding rewarding work while accompanying a Foreign Service employee overseas remains an incredible challenge. Many chiefs of mission do not make it a high priority to help spouses and part- ners find work, and many of the jobs within posts are clerical or short-term. Jobs on the local economy are hard to come by and often pay wages far lower than similar jobs in the United States. American companies have yet to fully embrace teleworking, and starting your own business carries all the perils it does I T ’ S GETTING EASIER FOR F OREIGN S ERVICE FAMILY MEMBERS TO FIND MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT OVERSEAS , BUT THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO . B Y S HAWN Z ELLER F