I have taken and passed the FSOT twice, and I interned at an embassy abroad. The real challenge of the process comes after the written test, where you submit your personal narratives and hope for a shot at the oral exam. I speak a few languages and have a really solid education but have never continued the process to that level. It's my eventual dream to be a great diplomat but the timing is not right for me just yet.
The FSOs I have met are all extremely smart, very nuanced in that they all had very interesting backgrounds, and just a little weird. For example, one of the diplomats I met had just finished assignment in Afghanistan and spent part of his 20s traveling with Central Asian nomads. If your eventual goal is to be a diplomat then you should enrich yourself with as many international and multicultural experiences as time and opportunity allow.
My personal plan is to develop experience in the field of business/finance and then transition to the Economic track once I have some cash and awareness of how business works. It doesn't seem wise to join State without real industry experience, for three reasons. First, your local counterparts will respect you more if you have firsthand experience with what they do day-to-day. Second, your State counterparts will think of you in the context of your skill set. Third, internal politics are a part of the job, and you learn how to play that game by necessity in the corporate world.
The FSOs I have met are all extremely smart, very nuanced in that they all had very interesting backgrounds, and just a little weird. For example, one of the diplomats I met had just finished assignment in Afghanistan and spent part of his 20s traveling with Central Asian nomads. If your eventual goal is to be a diplomat then you should enrich yourself with as many international and multicultural experiences as time and opportunity allow.
My personal plan is to develop experience in the field of business/finance and then transition to the Economic track once I have some cash and awareness of how business works. It doesn't seem wise to join State without real industry experience, for three reasons. First, your local counterparts will respect you more if you have firsthand experience with what they do day-to-day. Second, your State counterparts will think of you in the context of your skill set. Third, internal politics are a part of the job, and you learn how to play that game by necessity in the corporate world.