Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: And a lot of ambassadors wind up spending their own money while running big embassies. That's why the plum jobs in London and Paris are almost always big donors - they can entertain and travel in a style that the standard FSO or political hack often cannot afford.

No.

The plum jobs go to big donors because for the most part the DCM can handle the running of the actual embassy, and our relationships with those countries are solid enough that we don't need an exceptional ambassador on the ground to advance things. So, a big donor who is appointed isn't going to negatively impact the mission.

This is true.

Anonymous wrote: And a lot of ambassadors wind up spending their own money while running big embassies. That's why the plum jobs in London and Paris are almost always big donors - they can entertain and travel in a style that the standard FSO or political hack often cannot afford.

No.

The plum jobs go to big donors because for the most part the DCM can handle the running of the actual embassy, and our relationships with those countries are solid enough that we don't need an exceptional ambassador on the ground to advance things. So, a big donor who is appointed isn't going to negatively impact the mission.

Anonymous wrote:I know a number of former Ambassadors, all career civil service, who are now at think tanks or universities. Agree that the post-ambassador career path is different for a career foreign service person than for a big donor political appointee (e.g. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg).

Career civil service?

I've known many ambassadors who came up through the foreign service, and some who were political appointees, but while I know some career civil servants who would probably make fine ambassadors, I don't know any who were appointed.

Many become law partners or lobbyists (sometimes with a think tank or university gig on the side). But it's not always a ticket to ride. I know one ambassador who really struggled to find a job that would pay sufficiently to keep his family anywhere near the same lifestyle they had while running the embassy. And a lot of ambassadors wind up spending their own money while running big embassies. That's why the plum jobs in London and Paris are almost always big donors - they can entertain and travel in a style that the standard FSO or political hack often cannot afford.

I know lots who now work in international development, either for profit or non profit. Especially if they are a regional specialist.

I know a number of former Ambassadors, all career civil service, who are now at think tanks or universities. Agree that the post-ambassador career path is different for a career foreign service person than for a big donor political appointee (e.g. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg).

Not sure ambassadors actually know a lot about international relations theory. There's a big difference between someone who fixes cars and someone who builds them.

Anonymous wrote:Whatever you did before, but at a more prestigious place and with more money.

This. Or you have enough money to not work at all (probably how you bought the ambassadorship to begin with).

Whatever you did before, but at a more prestigious place and with more money.

Politics

Depends their career track. Some come from the foreign service stream and can do more policy work/teaching gigs when they retire. Some are big money donors to the ruling party being awarded with plum postings. The latter would probably go back to their private sector gigs or get board positions or something.

Anonymous wrote:What kinds of jobs can ex- Ambassadors do?

international relations professors?

Gov Relations at lobby shop, hedge fund/pe/high finance sovereign advisor

What kinds of jobs can ex- Ambassadors do?

international relations professors?