Stranger_On_A_Train:
I’ll just add that Foreign Service Officers are actually commissioned officers in the United States Foreign Service in the US Department of State who do all of the ‘heavy lifting’ when it comes to overt interactions with foreign nations. From arranging visits by US government personnel and ‘official’ representatives to assisting Americans abroad in need, FSOs are the largely unseen and uncelebrated corp of diplomatic professionals that navigate foreign laws and customs for presidents, congresspeople, and other visitors while keeping the State Department informed about local conditions and issues.
That explains why the Foreign Service Officer Practice Exam I took last fall was so challenging. My results showed an overall 91% chance of passing the real exam, but man, it was tough.
Pondering possible post-retirement jobs in Japan, last summer I wondered about working in the US embassy there. Turns out if you want to be a Foreign Service Officer, you’ll need to take the FSO test before they can hire you. Was pleased to discover that you can actually take a practice exam online, no charge:
All multiple choice, I think it took me about 45 minutes. Included sections on US history, English language proficiency, ethics, and other stuff. Quite challenging, but I scored wel…