The Foreign Service Journal, September 2015

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2015 49 O f the myriad changes that moving with the Foreign Service causes, FS spouses are most often startled by having to give up their careers. Some spouses have the opportunity to telework—if you do, don’t let it go! The rest of us are catapulted into a new country, culture and, sometimes, language, unaware of how the local job market works. We may feel that the skills and certifications or licenses that we have will be worthless in our new home. Because of the incredible upheaval and transition that moving to a new country implies for us and our families, many make the decision to stay out of the workforce for a time—to raise children, to explore the new country we are living in and to give our time to other pursuits. Sometimes we don’t actu- ally have a choice. According to a 2008 study by the Permits Anna Sparks is a career coach and Foreign Service family member who helps expats find the job of their dreams. She’s lived in six countries in the last 15 years and worked in all of them. Sparks currently lives in Quito, Ecuador. FS KNOW-HOW Going Back toWork: A Step-by-Step Guide for Foreign Service Spouses One of the great challenges of Foreign Service life is how an FS spouse can maintain or develop a career. Here are some practical tips. BY ANNA SPARKS