Patrick T. Slowinski, Ed.D., Ph.D., is a recently retired career member of the Senior Foreign Service. His last assignment at the State Department was as deputy director for policy and planning at the Board of Examiners (GTM/TAC/BEX), where he led BEX’s modernization and innovation e orts. He holds doctoral degrees in education administration and advisement as well as industrial and organizational psychology, and is an adjunct faculty member of psychology at Liberty University. To compete effectively with the private sector and attract the best candidates, the State Department must continuously improve processes. BY PATRICK T. SLOWINSKI The Foreign Service Officer Assessment (FSOA), formerly the Foreign Service Oral Assessment, moved to a virtual platform in May 2024. This change represents the completion of a historic move from the long-established in-person assessments, which often required candidates to travel to Washington, D.C., at their own expense to complete the exercises in one day. Reducing this candidate burden, and thereby expanding access to the Foreign Service career, was the primary driver in moving the FSOA online. The modification will increase the diversity of the applicant pool by leveling the playing field for candidates of all socioeconomic groups and geographic Modernizing Foreign Service Assessments The Move to Virtual Platforms STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE 46 JULY AUGUST 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=