If you’re thinking about leaving the Foreign Service—whether by choice or otherwise—it might be time to figure out how to start your next career. These tips can help.

BY EILEEN SMITH

istockphoto.com / wenich-mit

Thousands of federal employees are suddenly out of work. For most, it wasn’t a choice. When I left, it was. After more than 20 years of federal service—and nine years before my minimum retirement age—I took a rare leap. I walked away from my cherished diplomatic career to start my own business as a public speaking coach.

Over the last seven years, my business grew to replace and then exceed my previous income. It also gave me flexibility to make time for my family, friends, and even myself. If you’re worried you might abruptly find yourself out of work or if you are simply considering changing fields at some point, it’s worth developing a plan for what comes next.

Identify Transferable Skills

Many feds have not only found themselves out of a job but have also found their field of work has dried up—and their contacts are in the same boat. If that is your situation, it might be time to find a new, tangential industry. For me, as I let my mind wander over my options, I remembered that when I was senior adviser to the deputy secretary of State, I regularly coached her ahead of important speeches, and she had said I could do it professionally.

That was one tiny moment in the span of my career. For the most part, I traveled the world in pursuit of U.S. policy goals, duked it out in strategy scuffles at the White House, addressed members of Congress, and managed billions of dollars in foreign assistance. Yet this one comment propelled me in a new direction.

How do you find your new path? Start by listing all the skills you used in each job during your government career. Dig deep. Some skills will transfer well, and some won’t. Using artificial intelligence (AI), you can pop your list into the computer and see which skills are most in demand in growing industries. Before you decide, remember which of those skills you enjoyed using most. Your sweet spot is in the Venn diagram of what you’re good at, what you like to do, and what will earn you money.

Do Your Research

Once I identified becoming a public speaking coach as my new business idea, I went on a coffee crusade. I reached out for introductions to people who had their own businesses and asked about their journeys. How did they start? How did they find clients? Was my idea viable? How would I even begin?

The people who spoke to me were incredibly generous with their time and advice. I won’t forget the woman who, at the end of our conversation, told me there was plenty of room in this industry. I didn’t imagine such a welcoming response from someone who could see me as a potential competitor. The owner of a large public speaking coaching firm was equally generous. I took this as a lesson in the blessings of paying it forward.

Before taking the leap, I wanted to actually try coaching a client. I had coached the deputy secretary of State. I had read so many books about public speaking, executive presence, and body language that they all began to repeat one another. But what would it feel like as a career?

A friend introduced me to the leader of a large think tank. I offered several free sessions and left them walking on air. My participants were asking for more. The think tank gave me invaluable testimonials to use when I started my business—and became my first paying client.

Launch

There’s so much to do to get started. There’s the nitty-gritty of incorporating, setting up your bank account, taxpayer ID, and local and state registrations. There are wonderful resources now to help with your branding, logo, and website (see sidebar).

You also might want to invest in some training. I know—this doesn’t feel like the time to spend money. I waited a couple of years into my new venture before joining a business development program and realized I should have done it at the beginning.

It covered the arc of starting and building a business, including marketing and sales training. These skills were so removed from what made me successful in government that I didn’t even know I didn’t have them. I also took public relations training so I could replace my expensive PR company with my own sweat equity.

When it comes to clients, go big early. Landing the large think tank as a client gave me credibility. Ask your network for introductions in your new field. Even the smallest job with a known entity can make a difference. My client list now includes some of the biggest names in banking, commerce, publishing, and sports. Don’t start too small.

This isn’t easy. Expect your new business to be a slow build. Give yourself breaks. You won’t do your best work if you do a full court press like you did in your diplomatic career. Build in time to take care of yourself so you can show up at your best to your new clients.

You’ve already built stronger partnerships, saved lives, created strategic alliances, and wrangled the interagency. Starting your own business is different, and it can be lonely. It’s also the beginning of a wonderful new adventure.

Eileen Smith’s career at State and USAID spanned more than 20 years. Now she’s bringing her lessons learned on the international stage to her business as a public speaking coach. Find her free job search offering at www.spokesmith.com.

Read More...

• “What We’re Doing Now,” The Foreign Service Journal, May 2016
• “Consular Skills Put to Use in Rural America” by Sarah Wardwell, The Foreign Service Journal, March 2022
• “Life After the Foreign Service: From U.S. Diplomat to Diplomatic Educator” by Richard W. Mueller, The Foreign Service Journal, September 2024