Career-Entry Program

Originally posted by kyle reese They would be really low class if they took those only with a min of 98. Those are the dishonest people with that score.  I wonder where that guy got his source since no link was posted. Anyone above an 85 deserves to be interviewed. I got a 93. I think you were awarded 2 points more than me because you already work for the Feds.

Hi there,

My source was an e-mail sent to me after the last CEP opening closed and all the decisions were made. Since the number of applications for this opening seem to have increased, I suppose it's unlikely that the minimum scores for referral have lowered. I received a 95 myself for the Program Specialist and Foreign Affairs Officers positions, still waiting on the Passport Specialist results.

MNgirl, since you asked before, I recently graduated with an MA from a top IR school and previously interned for State Department on two separate occasions working on peacekeeping and sanctions issues. I'm also a former National Security Education Program Boren Fellow and a Presidential Management Fellowship finalist. While State Department has been and will continue to be my top choice of employment, the number of PMF openings at State were quite small this year. One PMF opening in particular caught my eye but the hiring experience has been quite lengthy, so I've been investigating my other options by applying for programs like the CEP. I've been told this program has really become enormously competitive over the last several years.

I'll probably be joining you as an FSO exam taker this October, too. I took the FSOT exam before in November '08 and October '09 and passed on both attempts, but unfortunately did not make it past the QEP process  (which is when State reviews candidates' personal narratives to determine whether to invite them to the Oral Assessment; I've heard this part is particularly competitive for Political coned applicants like myself). Now that I have a Masters degree I'm eligible for the "Diplomacy Fellows" program which allows candidates to move directly to the Oral Assessment, but would have to wait until next July for the program to open. A long time to wait...

Anyway, good luck everyone!


Edited by jbrw85 - 03 Sep 2010 at 1:25pm

Originally posted by jbrw85 Originally posted by kyle reese They would be really low class if they took those only with a min of 98. Those are the dishonest people with that score.  I wonder where that guy got his source since no link was posted. Anyone above an 85 deserves to be interviewed. I got a 93. I think you were awarded 2 points more than me because you already work for the Feds.   Hi there, My source was an e-mail sent to me after the last CEP opening closed and all the decisions were made. Since the number of applications for this opening seem to have increased, I suppose it's unlikely that the minimum scores for referral have lowered. I received a 95 myself for the Program Specialist and Foreign Affairs Officers positions, still waiting on the Passport Specialist results. MNgirl, since you asked before, I recently graduated with an MA from a top IR school and previously interned for State Department on two separate occasions working on peacekeeping and sanctions issues. I'm also a former National Security Education Program Boren Fellow and a Presidential Management Fellowship finalist. While State Department has been and will continue to be my top choice of employment, the number of PMF openings at State were quite small this year. One PMF opening in particular caught my eye but the hiring experience has been quite lengthy, so I've been investigating my other options by applying for programs like the CEP. I've been told this program has really become enormously competitive over the last several years.

I as well quite  recently received my MA in IR/Government/Diplomacy. I also have a BS in Business. During my grad studies I did an overseas internship at an embassy's trade section in Europe, the UN, and  local city government.  Your extra 2 points might have come since you did two internships with  state department I will guess. If the scores are not lowered to reasonable(between 85-90) level, then the whole process is a joke.


Edited by kyle reese - 03 Sep 2010 at 2:35pm

Welcome to the inane and senseless process that is public sector hiring.  Somehow, the answers to 70 vague yes-or-no questions are supposed to determine if you are eligible to even be interviewed for a job.

It doesn't matter where or how you got your degrees (University of Phoenix or Harvard?), what you actually did at your last job/internship (but did you get a "favorable performance rating"?), or if you have general intelligence that could translate to success in any position. Sigh.