This comprehensive guide outlines the steps to becoming a diplomat, including eligibility requirements, relevant education, gaining experience, mastering multiple languages, and staying informed on global issues.
A career in the foreign service provides opportunities to travel the world, meeting high-ranking dignitaries, representing and protecting your nation state’s interests abroad. Whether you specialise or become a generalist diplomat, your assignments could include anything from foreign policy on finance and trade, to matters of security or supporting citizens in-country. Here’s how to get your diplomatic career started.
Check your eligibility
The first thing to do is check that you will be able to fulfil any requirements to serve your country. This is likely to include your citizenship, length of residency within your country, education, preferred fields of study, language proficiency, and age. For example, applicants in the United States must be between the ages of 21 and 59. You should also be aware that governments will perform background checks not only to confirm you are who you say you are, but also that you have no criminal background, are financially responsible and have not abused drugs or alcohol. In the UK, there is standard pre-employment screening for all civil servants.
Study a relevant degree
To work as a diplomat, you need to demonstrate your intellectual abilities, interest in and understanding of politics and foreign relations. You’ll need an undergraduate degree and ideally a master’s if you wish to progress to more senior positions. It makes sense to study a relevant subject, for example, international development, international relations, foreign policy, political science, sociology or cultural anthropology.
The King’s online International Development MSc teaches you about the theories and concerns of international development and introduces you to key global governance issues in areas such as security challenges, climate change, trade policy and development aid.
Gain work experience
As when to applying to any role, it helps to have some relevant work and life experience. You could focus on gaining work experience that will equip you with the transferrable skills that would benefit a diplomatic role, for example, in project management, contract management, accountancy, economics or change management.
Alternatively, you can look to gain direct experience working abroad or for your government. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which employs diplomats in the UK and overseas, participates in the Leonard Cheshire Intern Programme and the Summer Diversity Internship Programme to give British citizens a better insight into what it’s like to work in the Civil Service.
The Government of India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) offers an MEA Internship for under 25s. Meanwhile, France’s International Internship Programme (VIE) offers young people, aged 18-28, assignments abroad working with participating French companies.
Become a multilinguist
Diplomats will often work and travel abroad, so need to adapt to living among people of diverse cultures, customs, languages and policies. Being able to speak and write clearly in multiple languages will help you assimilate within a country and ensure you relay accurate information to and from foreign leaders.
While English is the most spoken language in the world with nearly 1.13 billion speakers, there are six official languages of the United Nations (UN) – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Since immersion is arguably the most effective way to learn a language, you could consider spending time in country, on holiday or gaining relevant voluntary or professional experience.
Follow current affairs
Staying up-to-date on foreign affairs and current international events is essential if you intend to have meaningful and productive conversations with foreign dignitaries. It pays to be able to demonstrate your interest when applying for such roles.
One of the advantages of studying a specialist master’s, like the International Development MSc, is that you’ll have the chance to discuss and debate matters of global climate crisis, inequality, poverty and development aid while you learn. At the same time, you’ll also develop essential skills in communication, problem-solving, critical analysis and thinking – all vital for work which is underpinned by discourse, persuasion and negotiation.
Search for vacancies
It may be stating the obvious, but clearly in order to apply for a role you’ll need to identify where and how to for appropriate vacancies. This is typically accessed via your government’s website and any specific department for foreign relations, for example, the African Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. Citizens of Great Britain should apply for roles via with the FCDO with current vacancies listed on the Civil Service Jobs website. For Americans, there is a dedicated Job Seekers page run by the US Department of State.
Why study our International Development MSc?
Our International Development MSc explore key questions relating to international development. The course combines interdisciplinary training in subjects including development theory, political economy, and social policy, with applied country and region-based case studies.
You’ll develop a diverse set of transferable skills applicable to roles in foreign service, other government and policy positions, as well as roles within NGOs and the broader development sector. Find out more:
