The Foreign Service Journal, June 2004

By far the most frequently stated factors in determining whether or not an employee will stay in the FS were tied to family concerns and spouse employment. “Spousal employment options make up the single most important factor in deter- mining how long I stay in the Foreign Service,” says political officer Shannon Nagy. Unmarried respon- dents with partners want recognition and benefits for their partners. Other issues and concerns raised were the need for: better manage- ment and leadership, less bureaucra- cy, transparency in the assignment process, a good promotion system, the ability to make a positive contri- bution, intellectual stimulation and challenge, respect, and adequate liv- ing and working conditions. Several employees who joined the FS fol- lowing a full career elsewhere point- ed out that the retirement age would be the limiting factor for their FS career. No respondent indicated that money was the most important factor, though many did point out that they had taken a pay cut to join the Foreign Service. Many State generalists and USAID officers said they want to see a better use of their skills earlier in their careers. Many disagree with the current norm of serving for two to four years outside their career cone before being assigned a posi- tion in their cone. “The idea of ‘paying dues’ needs to be changed,” says political officer Douglas Sun. “Those of us with 10 to 15 years of work experience and education in the real world outside the FS need to be matched with jobs that are more commensurate with our level of ability. Life, including one’s career in the FS, did not begin on the first day of A-100. A more reasonable and equitable assign- ment process, particularly for enter- ing FSOs, would serve the country much better than the current ‘boot camp’ mentality.” Echoing that sentiment, a female consular officer writes that, “The number-one issue is making good use of the talents, skills and interests of FS officers, especially the new hires who need to have a good expe- rience early in their careers in order to stay committed to a life in the FS.” And a male economic officer writes, “I wish the FS would do a better job of getting people with experience into positions where they could use that experience. I can’t believe I will be doing two years of consular work when I have so much experience with economic develop- ment in the developing world.” Fairness and equity were other themes raised by many respondents. USAID employees expressed con- cern about the plans to bring in mid- level “limited-term appointment” employees. The worry is that this group will be able to convert to career status without going through the regular, slow promotion process to get to mid-level positions. Following are some representa- tive comments: “My spouse’s employment options will be the main factor in determining how long I will stay in the FS,” says a male consular officer in Europe. “As in the private sector, if some- one is capable and promotable, they should be promoted at the earliest possible opportunity,” writes an eco- nomic officer who came to the FS from the private sector. “They should not be subject to somewhat arbitrary time-in-grade require- ments. … If someone is a capable 48 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 0 4 Single employees support a strict interpretation of worldwide availability, and those with families want more flexibility. A Family Decision I believe that the State Department is trying to be more family-friendly and has made significant progress. However, it still has a long way to go. The gov- ernment must understand that the commitment to be in the Foreign Service is a family decision. We make that commitment knowing the challenges that the Foreign Service lifestyle presents to families, but at the same time, we expect the State Department to try and alleviate some of those challenges to the maximum extent possible. Instead, we often find that the department is slow to react and does not place a priority on family issues. A standard delay of three to six months for a spouse to start working at post places a heavy strain on a Foreign Service family and negatively contributes to overall post morale. I absolutely believe that the State Department has a responsibility to assist spouses with employment. Many Foreign Service families consist of two working profes- sionals who are both seeking satisfactory employment and compensation. … They expect a certain sensitivity on the part of the State Department and an effort to provide meaningful opportunities at post. — Political officer Shannon Nagy