Top Tips for Career Transition Even those who quickly find a role after being laid off may not have found their dream job. So how do you make such a big transition successfully? Do an identity check. Find your new mission. Expect a feeling of loss when the official mission no longer defines your days. Be intentional about creating a new mission, whether through teaching, entrepreneurship, advocacy, or simply deepening personal pursuits. Ask yourself: What brought you to public service, and how will you translate that mission to a new professional vision? Translate your skills. Speak a new language. Don’t assume others understand the value of your Foreign Service work. Learn to describe your accomplishments in private sector terms. Instead of “drafted cables,” say “produced analytical reporting that shaped senior-level decision making.” Instead of “served as control officer,” say “managed high-stakes visits under intense logistical and political pressure.” Use numbers and metrics, not job descriptions with no clear results. Continue learning. Curiosity and constant learning drew many of us to our careers in foreign affairs. Your intricate work knowledge will grow stale or become less relevant over time. Take the opportunity to continue learning and stay up to date on emerging issues like artificial intelligence. Network widely. Relationships are the currency of reinvention. Reconnect with former colleagues, professional associations, think tanks, and mentors before THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY-JUNE 2026 75 The author at the APEC Leaders Summit in Papua New Guinea, 2018. COURTESY OF DAWSON LAW you need them. Be clear in your asks, thank people for their time, always ask who else you should talk to, and follow up promptly. The AFSA community itself is a powerful network. Experiment and pivot. Explore your options. Talk to industry contacts to learn about their work, company culture, and good supervisors. You may find yourself in a role that isn’t a great fit, but each experiment builds clarity. Know geographic focus matters. Decide whether Washington, D.C., should be your base. The capital may have jobs relevant to your experience, but it is saturated with talent, making you a small fish in a very large pond. Positioning yourself in a regional U.S. hub, university town, or overseas market can make you stand out. Consider opportunities in different locations. Nothing beats a networking trip to the places you are contemplating living. Use your voice. When you leave the government, you’ll be able to speak and advocate without clearance or institutional limits. Whether through writing, public speaking, or joining cause-driven organizations, you can build a public presence in ways that were not possible while you were in the Foreign Service. Remember resilience above all. Careers after government service rarely follow a straight line. Layoffs happen, business ventures falter, opportunities vanish. What matters is the ability to adjust course. The same resilience that carried you through difficult assignments or overseas tours will carry you through this chapter too. Finally, it’s time for the long view. The one lesson I want to share with recently RIFed colleagues is this: Leaving government is not a downgrade. It is not the loss of relevance. It is an invitation to reinvent yourself, apply your skills in new ways, and rediscover what drives you beyond the mission. That first morning in London, I feared my ability to make an impact on the world had ended with my government service. I see now that it was only the beginning of a career advising companies on how to integrate new geopolitical realities into their strategy, helping them comply with complex sanctions and export controls, and offering career coaching to foreign policy professionals making career transitions. Your story does not end when you leave the Service. The mission continues. But now, you get to define it for yourself. n
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