Thanks for writing this! I’d be curious to hear you expand on a few points.
If you’re holding the biosecurity portfolio in China when a crisis strikes, you might suddenly find yourself directly shaping the decisions of the president.
My naive guess would have been that, when a crisis strikes and senior national security officials put their eye on something, junior staff get mostly swept aside (i.e., might get listened to for information about what’s happening locally but wouldn’t have much room to set priorities or policy goals), because they’re (perhaps inappropriately) seen as insufficiently aware of broader political/geopolitical/intelligence considerations, as insufficiently aligned with the President’s priorities, and/or as rivals in an opportunity to show impressive leadership ability.
But it sounds like that’s not what happens—which of my above assumptions are mistaken, or what are they missing?
Third, a career in the Foreign Service offers you the best possible crash course in international affairs.
Why do you see it as a better crash course than working in U.S.-based international affairs roles (e.g., some U.S.-based roles in the State Department or National Security Council)? (As you mention, there are upsides from being on the front lines, but I could also imagine some U.S.-based roles offering more breadth and more insight into high-level foreign policymaking?)
Also, could you share a bit about how you see the network benefits of working in the Foreign Service comparing to the network benefits of U.S.-based policy roles? Is this a significant upside/downside?
I think your assumptions are generally right, but I’d add one: One’s authority in a policy space is somewhat proportional to the number of other people claiming expertise. The junior staffer who’s been laboring on an otherwise ignored issue will skyrocket in value at the moment of crisis. For example, how many Ukraine experts were there last year compared with today? If that junior staffer can rise to the moment, they can launch their career on a new upward trajectory. Meanwhile, comparably few officials are working on the war in Yemen right now, which the UN has described as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
US Diplomats spend an average of a third of their career in DC and two-thirds abroad. In this manner, the foreign service offers you multiple perspectives. You’ll understand issues not only through the DC-centric lens, but also Beijing, Brussels, and Buenos Aires. The power lies in DC, but it’s harder to build real expertise and relationships sitting behind a computer screen in DC.
Building on the above answer, I’d ask: What’s your network for? Building expertise and influence are sadly not always the same thing. If you want to build expertise on an international issue, it may be a significant advantage to build a great international network on that issue. That’s not something you can build easily from home. Living/working in DC is a significant advantage for building influence in DC, but that game is much easier if you also have recognized expertise. The foreign service isn’t the only way to build up expertise and influence, but it’s a great one, and it’s more accessible the most other pathways. But hey, if someone offers you a job on the NSC, go ahead and take it!
Thanks for writing this! I’d be curious to hear you expand on a few points.
My naive guess would have been that, when a crisis strikes and senior national security officials put their eye on something, junior staff get mostly swept aside (i.e., might get listened to for information about what’s happening locally but wouldn’t have much room to set priorities or policy goals), because they’re (perhaps inappropriately) seen as insufficiently aware of broader political/geopolitical/intelligence considerations, as insufficiently aligned with the President’s priorities, and/or as rivals in an opportunity to show impressive leadership ability.
But it sounds like that’s not what happens—which of my above assumptions are mistaken, or what are they missing?
Why do you see it as a better crash course than working in U.S.-based international affairs roles (e.g., some U.S.-based roles in the State Department or National Security Council)? (As you mention, there are upsides from being on the front lines, but I could also imagine some U.S.-based roles offering more breadth and more insight into high-level foreign policymaking?)
Also, could you share a bit about how you see the network benefits of working in the Foreign Service comparing to the network benefits of U.S.-based policy roles? Is this a significant upside/downside?
Good questions. A few thoughts:
I think your assumptions are generally right, but I’d add one: One’s authority in a policy space is somewhat proportional to the number of other people claiming expertise. The junior staffer who’s been laboring on an otherwise ignored issue will skyrocket in value at the moment of crisis. For example, how many Ukraine experts were there last year compared with today? If that junior staffer can rise to the moment, they can launch their career on a new upward trajectory. Meanwhile, comparably few officials are working on the war in Yemen right now, which the UN has described as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
US Diplomats spend an average of a third of their career in DC and two-thirds abroad. In this manner, the foreign service offers you multiple perspectives. You’ll understand issues not only through the DC-centric lens, but also Beijing, Brussels, and Buenos Aires. The power lies in DC, but it’s harder to build real expertise and relationships sitting behind a computer screen in DC.
Building on the above answer, I’d ask: What’s your network for? Building expertise and influence are sadly not always the same thing. If you want to build expertise on an international issue, it may be a significant advantage to build a great international network on that issue. That’s not something you can build easily from home. Living/working in DC is a significant advantage for building influence in DC, but that game is much easier if you also have recognized expertise. The foreign service isn’t the only way to build up expertise and influence, but it’s a great one, and it’s more accessible the most other pathways. But hey, if someone offers you a job on the NSC, go ahead and take it!
That’s helpful, thanks!