The Foreign Service Journal, October 2022

40 OCTOBER 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL W hat qualities do we seek in a Foreign Ser- vice Officer (FSO) candidate? The success- ful candidate will demonstrate the following dimensions that reflect the skills, abilities, and personal qualities deemed essential to the work of the Foreign Service at the United States Department of State. 1. Composure. To stay calm, poised, and effective in stressful or difficult situations; to think on one’s feet, adjusting quickly to changing situations; to maintain self- control. 2. Cultural Adaptability. To work and communicate effectively and harmoni- ously with persons of other cultures, value systems, political beliefs, and economic circumstances; to recognize and respect differences in new and different cultural environ- ments. 3. Experience & Motivation. To demonstrate knowledge, skills, or other attributes gained from previous experience of relevance to the Foreign Service; to articulate appropriate motivation for joining the Foreign Service. 4. Information Integration & Analysis. By absorbing and retaining complex information drawn from a variety of sources; to draw reasoned conclusions from analysis and synthesis of available information; to evaluate the importance, reliability, and usefulness of information; to remember details of a meeting or event without the benefit of notes. 5. Initiative & Leadership. To recognize and assume responsibility for work that needs to be done; to persist in the completion of a task; to influence significantly a group’s activity, direction, or opinion; to motivate others to partici- pate in the activity one is leading. 6. Judgment. To discern what is appropriate, practical, and realistic in a given situation; to weigh relative merits of competing demands. 7. Objectivity/Integrity. To be fair and honest; to avoid deceit, favoritism, and discrimination; to present issues frankly and fully, without injecting subjective bias; to work without letting personal bias prejudice actions. 8. Oral Communication. By speaking fluently in a concise, grammatically cor- rect, organized, precise, and persuasive manner; to convey nuances of meaning accurately; to use appropriate styles of communication to fit the audience and purpose. 9. Planning & Organizing. As prioritizing and ordering tasks effectively, to employ a systematic approach to achiev- ing objectives, to make appropriate use of limited resources. 10. Resourcefulness. To formulate creative alternatives or solutions to resolve problems; to show flexibility in response to unanticipated circumstances. 11. Working with Others. To interact in a constructive, cooperative, and harmonious manner; to work effectively as a team player; to establish positive relationships and gain the confidence of others; to use humor as appropriate. 12. Written Communication. To write concise, well- organized, grammatically correct, effective, and persuasive English in a limited amount of time. 13. Quantitative Analysis. To identify, compile, analyze, and draw correct conclusions from pertinent data; to recognize patterns or trends in numerical data; to perform simple mathematical operations. —U.S. Department of State THE 13 DIMENSIONS ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/DMITRYKOVALCHUK