Reddit reviews Career Diplomacy: Life and Work in the US Foreign Service, Second Edition

Some General Advice Here:

• Talk with your academic adviser or career adviser
  

• They will probably have information about student programs, such as Pickering/ Rangel, or they might be able to get you in touch with an Alum
  
  

• Get in touch with the Diplomat-in-Residence (DIR) in your area
  

• The DIR is always a great resource for an FS-related Qs, but they can also give really great insight on the career. See if they will plan a visit to your university
  
  

• Maintain relationships with faculty and directors
  

• Works wonders when you can get a letter of recommendation later on from a supervisor/ faculty that can strongly advocate for you
  
  

• Apply for a U.S. Department of State internship
  

• The deadlines for the summer are released very early (i.e. OCT/NOV 2016 for Summer 2017), but this is the best way to get experience and make connections for a future career in the FS
  
  

• Pick up a language (ESP a Critical Language)
  

• http://clscholarship.org/
  
  

• Read up on the career
  Career Diplomacy
  
  Inside a US Embassy
  
  *Look into Fellowships
  Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
  
  Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program
  
  Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship
  
  Payne is for the FS with USAID
  
  I hope that helps!

>The last one had far less controversies than the current administration.

By what objective standard do you make that assertion?

> Russia collusion, pornstar relations, controversial statements regarding ethnicities, xenophobic groups, and other countries only start the laundry list of controversy surrounding the administratio

As opposed to destroying libya for no good reason, fast and furious, the affordable care act's many debacles, the IRS targeting conservative groups...... I could on on, but you get the point. just listing scandals tells you nothing unless you make a rigorous effort to actually compare and contrast.

>. Somewhat unprecedented amounts of high level officials have resigned from the administration within the first two years which leads others to believe that Trump may not have the most sound leadership and control in his own White House.

"which leads others to believe" talk about weasel wording. that's a vague, meaningless phrase. I could just as easily say that the Obama administration's refusal to replace people at senior cabinet posts despite their abject failure leads others to believe that obama isn't in charge of his own white house.

>contrasting economy and energy policies refer to Trumps stance on NAFTA and the Paris Climate Agreement.


>The US doesn't have ambassadors who ultimately make the calls for foreign policy missions and meet with the heads of countries regularly in these countries. Having no official ambassador is unprecedented and a real issue.

It is neither.

>The chief of mission is second to the ambassador. Any simple google search or history textbook can tell you that.

When there's an ambassador he is. When there isn't he's effectively the ambassador. I'm a published expert on the state department, lacking an ambassador changes nothing. but if you don't believe me, try actually reading about subject you're opining on

>China's clearly stepping up in the face of doubts regarding US leadership around the globe.

Yes. that's why, for example vietnam just refused to allow a US carrier to visit! Or why north korea just announced it was refusing to give up nuclear weapons! Or NATO countries are refusing to increase their military spending!

Oh, wait......