Travelling the world is often what comes to mind when thinking about a career in the foreign service.
Being a diplomat or working in foreign affairs does not come easily.
“There’s a difference between studying international affairs and getting involved in the government,” says Jean Daudelin, a professor at Carleton’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs.
“People working in other countries can have access to significant resources and influence.”
For a job with so much responsibility, applying to work in foreign affairs is much more than pulling together a CV and cover letter. It’s a process involving interviews and screenings to pick out the best of the group.
In fact, only one out of 800 applicants is hired, according to Barry Yeates, a former diplomat and current director of Foreign Service Examination and Career Counselling.
“It’s a tough competition,” he says. “They need to learn about how the process works, and to prepare properly at all stages, not only at the entry-level.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s (DFAIT) recruitment website offers applicants three different streams to which they can apply: international trade, political economy, and management consular.
The international trade sector supports Canada’s economy and helps negotiate trade agreements, the political economy sector promotes Canada’s stance on human rights, environment issues and peace building, while the management consular helps manage embassies around the world.
DFAIT recruits new graduates annually and bi-annually through a rigorous application process.
Applicants have to pass a written test and an oral assessment that judges the competency of eight different skills-sets, such as communication or analytical skills, according to Yeates.
Like applying to law school or medical school, the written test must be taken by applicants first, and can be taken more than once. It is the same exam as the general entry process into a government job.
“The exam is a real grind,” says Yeates. “It begins at 8:30 a.m. and goes until 6 p.m. It’s a grueling day.”
Offered once a year, it involves a situation judgement test, which looks at the applicant’s behaviour in different circumstances, a cognitive test, and a written communication proficiency test.
The exam is not difficult, but the diversity of the types of questions causes problems.
“Most people are good at only one or two different facets,” says Yeates.
The interview process is mostly based on personal experience and how an applicant answers behavioural-based questions.
The interviewers may ask about past life experience, situational and problem solving questions, and judge the applicant’s ability to make sound decisions. All of this is rounded out by a security screening and a background check, according to the Foreign Service Examination and Career Counselling website.
The recruitment website says that DFAIT accepts applicants with only a bachelor’s degree, however, a master’s degree or higher doesn’t hurt.
Certain qualities can help someone succeed as a diplomat.
“Qualities like knowing other languages, openness to other ways of doing things, and humility are useful for people interested in international affairs,” says Daudelin.
“Humility is necessary because it is the real world out there, and we’re very ignorant to how it actually works.”
