Post Foreign Service Career Options

[Anonymous]

I am 51 years old and have been a Foreign Service Officer for the past sixteen years. I will first be eligible to retire in five years, which is near the end of my current assignment, and have started thinking about post FS career options. My overseas career is split into two phases: the first half I worked for USAID as a Program/Project Development Officer managing mission budgets and strategic planning and performance reporting. I joke that I know the Federal Acquisition Regulations like the back of my hand and can find a place to quickly program $1 million while avoiding "free and fair competition;" the second part of my career I have been a Commercial Officer with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, where I have been responsible for helping U.S. companies find sales and marketing channels in overseas markets, defending U.S. business interests abroad, ensuring compliance with U.S. export control regulations and working to ensure a level playing field for U.S. exporters. Overall, I have had a lot of career satisfaction.

I have key skills in managing human and capital resources, project planning and execution, analyzing commercial and political risks, advocacy and commercial diplomacy. I am very comfortable and have experience working with business and government at the highest levels. Prior to joining the FS, I worked in academia managing international relationships between a top U.S. university (AAU member) and in politics working on Capitol Hill as a campaign manager and staffer. I also spent several years working overseas as a political consultant.

I am thinking that my skills would be best put to work managing international government relations for a multi-national company or trade association. I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I would just be a WAE and roll around in my pile of money each night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would just be a WAE and roll around in my pile of money each night.

LOL +1 or go to State/USAID as a PSC.

[Anonymous]

What is a WAE?

[Anonymous]

When Actually Employed

[Anonymous]

I'd look at the oil and gas industry -- specifically, companies that are building liquified natural gas export terminals, and large independent oil producers. The large multinationals, too, but they already have people like you, for the most part. The former are growing new markets, as natural gas exports are relatively new for market reasons, and oil exports are new because the law was only recently changed to allow them.

[Anonymous]

Actually, just assisted three U.S. LNG exporters enter my market!

[Anonymous]

You will be too old by then for someone new to hire you...especially if you happen to be a female

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will be too old by then for someone new to hire you...especially if you happen to be a female

Nope. That's one attractive skill set.

[Anonymous]

Yes too old. I am a retained executive search managing director. No client wants anyone that old

[Anonymous]

Why don't you stay until 65?

[Anonymous]

I think the maximum I can stay is until 62. Then we "age out."

[Anonymous]

PP who suggested the oil industry. I don't know if it's too old to go in house (I'm that age, and people reach out to me all the time), but I would suggest thinking about going into consulting, anyway. You'll have government health benefits and pension, so you don't need that, and you can make as much or more money and have a much more flexible schedule (do a lot of work from home, etc). Firms love people like you.