Path to working as a Dimplomat/in an embassy (1 Viewer)

[Zak Ambrose]

hi. im finishing my hsc this year and am seriously considering a career as a dimplomat or to working in an australian embassy, i just have no idea where to begin as far as university courses go. im going on exchange next year to norway so i will become fluent in a foreign language and culture so im sure thats a good start.

so my question is, what university and courses should i be looking at?



cheers.

 

[merillem]

An international studies degree will take you in the right direction. Politics, international business, Asian and Europe studies, and languages are all good too.

If you want to get into one of the 'Graduate Programs' offered through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade you'll generally need a Masters degree, amazing marks or significant international experience.

The Australian Government has an international internship program going on in Malaysia at the moment - www.internshipsoverseas.com.au - something like this is invaluable in getting your foot in the door.

 

[Andi0390]

Be aware you don't just leave university and become a diplomant. You will probably spend a while working at DFAT until you are even considered for such a position. Also, you don't often get to choose where to go, and in the beginning may be lumped with some less than desirable places (I have heard).

A lot of people want to get into this line of work, so don't enter just for this. If there are other jobs you would like to do in foreign affairs then join, do that and as a bonus you may get into that kind of work.

I guess a Bachelor of Arts in International Relation, Bachelor of International Studies, Arts/Law with a focus on international subjects, or even a bachelor of Asian studies.

 

[Borbor]

Re: Path to working as a Dimplomat/in an embassy

hi. im finishing my hsc this year and am seriously considering a career as a dimplomat

cheers.

Even if you could you wouldn't be able to google any matches. Help us all if you do end up representing Australia!!

Be aware you don't just leave university and become a diplomant.

Yes you too.

 

[kevinx2]

Most of those in the DFAT graduate program have combined degrees and excellent marks

So says DFAT website

 

[xeuyrawp]

im going on exchange next year to norway so i will become fluent in a foreign language and culture so im sure thats a good start.

Sorry to tell you, but if you're only going there for a year, you're not going to become anything near fluent unless you already have background in the language.

As for your question, have a look online (eg google).

 

[moc2009]

As one poster said above, you don’t actually finish Uni and get a job as a diplomat, you work your way up... most diplomats are in their 40’s and 50’s.

You will start at the bottom (usually a graduate program) which you will then spend years working your way up. And as someone else said, you don’t always get to choose overseas postings.

Also, while Norway would be good experience and you might learn Norwegian, it’s not much use outside of Norway and can’t really help in the EU either (as Norway is not in the EU).

If you want to work in an Embassy you can get an LE position (Locally Engaged), which in a lot of cases doesn’t require you to have the local language, LE positions will be simple, but it will get your foot in the door.

All you have to do is go to the Australian Embassy websites in whatever country you are thinking of and click on the “About us” section, at the bottom they have positions available, most LE positions also don’t require a degree so usually take on students, sometimes on temp.

Good luck.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Also, while Norway would be good experience and you might learn Norwegian, it’s not much use outside of Norway and can’t really help in the EU either (as Norway is not in the EU).

1. Just because Norway isn't part of the EU doesn't make Norway a passive member of Europe. It's far, far more active in European affairs than other countries which are part of the EU.

2. Norwegian is very similar to Danish and Swedish, and both Denmark and Sweden are part of the EU, although like it said it doesn't really matter. I guess this is about 20 million speakers, then, but most of them speak English. That being said, Scandinavians are pretty awesome people, and I think learning a Scandinavian language is good. But I'm biased of course.

3. Like I said, 'usefulness' shouldn't really be a criterion for learning a language. Going to Scandinavia for exchange is a good idea, and is popular amongst westerners for obvious reasons. Learning the local language is fantastic and adds a lot of credibility of you want to work in foreign affairs.

Put it this way, Arabic has around ten times the amount of speakers than Danish-Swedish-Norwegian. So, you might say to yourself 'I should learn Arabic as it's more useful'. The problem is that not only do lots of non-Arabic speakers think that and learn the language, but remember that since the percentage of truly competent English speakers is (essentially) the same across all non-English-speaking cultures, the amount of competent speakers in the culture also increases.

So you're really competing against a larger pool of people for a proportionately larger pool of jobs. = There's no point taking that approach to learning a language, unless you can learn one quickly and proficiently enough to suit a random job advertisement you see.

To become 'fluent' for business/academic purposes in a language like German, you really need to learn the language consistently for a good 3-5 years, with at least a large block (ie a semester or year) of which are in that environment communicating solely in that language. If you don't reach this level, places like the DFAT, ASIO/ASIS, AFP, hotels, etc, simply won't want you translating and interpreting. What anyone else says is effectively wrong, I'm afraid, and generally stems from people who have no real experience with languages, have started learning a language and think that language learning doesn't plateau (false), or people who are misinformed by film and TV representations of spies who can speak like 20 languages by reading a book and taking a short intensive course.