THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY AUGUST 2024 41 come, we have now taken that score plus the essays that applicants write known as the QEPs [Qualifications Evaluation Panels], and whatever background and experience and skills our amazing applicants are bringing to the table. We look at the whole person. It doesn’t favor you simply for being a good test-taker but rather also makes sure that we’re giving due weight right from the beginning to foreign language skills, having lived and worked overseas, any number of other skills and experiences that our applicants bring to make sure that we’re not losing them simply because someone may not score as high on the written test. We are taking a leap that we took during COVID with Foreign Service specialists to have everyone take the assessment in a fully virtual format. Imagine the number of people who can’t afford to come to Washington and/or just can’t afford to take that much time away from work. By offering everyone the assessment virtually, we are eliminating, again, another barrier to make sure that we’re getting the best and brightest candidates we can. The other thing that really excites me is the fact that we are the first federal agency to offer all our internships on a paid basis. The ability to participate in an internship here in Washington or overseas was out of reach for so many people. Now we pay the round-trip fare, we pay a salary, and we provide housing because otherwise the salary would be completely eaten up in rent. So we take all of that out of the calculation so that, again, we can get the most competitive candidates to come here, try us on. We get a chance to see what their skills are. I’m very excited about not only those two innovations but the fact that they are widening our ability to ensure that we’re getting the best candidates possible. AFSA: On the paid internships—AFSA was a strong proponent, because it really does make a difference. We support that 100 percent.
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