IPDGC Career talk with senior U.S. diplomats
By Alexis Posel, IPDGC communications assistant.
At the recent career talk held on September 13th, GW students had many questions to ask: “Does having a graduate degree improve employment prospects at the Department of State?”
“What are your recommendations for making yourself a good candidate for an FSO position in undergrad?”
“How did you end up specializing in economics?”
“What is it like working for different presidential administrations?”
Senior Foreign Service Officers Chris Teal (left) and Michael Newbill spoke to over 50 undergraduate and graduate students about a variety of career opportunities available to them at the US Department of State.
The two senior diplomats are currently on detail at the George Washington University. Chris is the Public Diplomacy Fellow at IPDGC and teaches public diplomacy, and Michael teaches classes in communication and global strategies.
Apart from giving information about programs available for students wanting short-term involvement with the State Department – internships, fellowships, study abroad – both also shared their experiences in overseas postings and how they prepared for the professional and personal challenges. Michael and Chris spoke about having the mindset to advance national interests abroad and handling the challenge of being questioned about everything that happens in the U.S.
“When you are representing the US, you have to be ‘on’ 24-7. This is not a 9-5 job,” Chris added.
Some takeaways from yesterday were: State jobs don’t always require a graduate degree; YES to studying languages; and explore both the diplomatic and civil service positions to better understand what works for you. The Department publishes information on paid internships and fellowships, and those students who want to get on the career path to a State Department role, they can learn more about the Pickering, Rangel, and Clarke fellowships.