Find a job at the embassy. About the competition for filling vacant positions in foreign schools of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. — Olga, what are the chances of finding a job in your profession?
Working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a long-awaited job for many people. In this article I will tell a story that happened to me in 2015. When I myself became convinced that getting a job as a teacher at foreign schools of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not at all difficult.
Sultry September, the sun was slowly setting. I walked through the quiet courtyard and returned to the school building. I came to this school quite recently, not even a month had passed since my promotion, when the phone rang, just as ordinary as thousands of calls before it. But after taking a closer look, he noticed that the number was somehow strange, as if it was from Moscow.
A calm male voice rang out: “Hello, my name is Maxim Olegovich, I am from the personnel department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You submitted an application for a replacement competition teaching staff at the foreign offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We offer you and your spouse a contract to work at a school at a diplomatic mission in Kuwait. You have a very rare combination of professions: your wife is a physical education teacher and a foreign language teacher.”
And only after that I remembered that day, quite ordinary like all the others, when, working as a physical education teacher, I got acquainted with the next telephone messages from the education department. When the secretary suggested, rather jokingly, knowing my very active nature: “Denis, here a questionnaire came through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the formation of a pedagogical reserve, if you want, you can fill it out, in case they send you to some Africa.
Of course, I laughed, but my eyes lit up, and I could already imagine teaching children volleyball in a hot gym overlooking the sands and African palm trees. I was happy to take these papers, which I filled out over the course of a week together with my wife, discussing the countries in which we would like to work. But all this action was not taken seriously, as a joke, they gave the documents and forgot, this does not happen...
That call changed everything. Believed in miracles. Of course, I was very alarmed by the escalation of the conflict in Syria, when ISIS (banned in the Russian Federation) was raging there with might and main. However, he immediately said that everything has changed a little since we submitted the questionnaire. A son was born, who was 1.5 years old at that time, to a wife who did not go to work at school. Maxim Olegovich said that he would consult with the diplomatic mission and call me back tomorrow.
Shock, blood pounding in my ears, nervous trembling gave no rest. I called and told my wife about the call, it became a little easier. But for the rest of the evening I walked around like I was delirious, not myself, not here...
I was eagerly awaiting information, it was one of the longest days of the year. Well, here's the long-awaited call. Maxim Olegovich said that they were ready to take him and his son, but the amount for the maintenance of a nanny for the baby would be deducted from the wife’s salary, respectively, they promised me 2,500 dollars and my wife 2,000 dollars. To my question: dollars? Maxim Olegovich just laughed: “Of course dollars!” The roof was blown off, a decision had to be made within 24 hours, time had passed.
Before making a final decision, I decided to consult with my loved ones and open my cards, so to speak. First I called my father-in-law, he was surprised, but took the information correctly. He said that he did not agree to let us go due to the current geopolitical situation. I went home, and on the way I stopped by the work of a school friend, an accountant. We sat and chatted for a long time and told him about the idea. She, in turn, said that we should go without hesitation. But the most powerful argument for me was the advice of my classmate, a teacher at the Military University of the Ministry of Defense, who said that there was no need to be afraid of anything, because there was good security at the embassy, and he even gave the phone number of a friend who had recently returned from a business trip from there. And in the evening my father-in-law called back and said that he was wrong and changed his mind. In turn, the head of the district education department did not recommend giving in to temptation and going on a business trip.
There were no doubts left, I made up my mind, but on the graying day, in order to dispel all my doubts, I dared to write a letter to the embassy, probably this letter was a mistake, the second after consultations...
Verbatim text of the letter, Don't take such rash steps! And you don’t have to call everyone and tell them, make the decision yourself!
“I have two children, and they are both with me. Yes, it’s hot here (in terms of temperature), reaching 50 in the summer. You should be told about all this in the footage.
Hello, my family and I have been offered a job in Kuwait as teachers (through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), I really want to take the risk of going, but I am concerned about the safety of the family (ISIS, as well as the acclimatization of a 1.5-year-old child), I would like to clarify whether my risks are justified? If so, does the embassy provide any security guarantees? Sincerely, Denis Vasilievich Melnikov.
Consular Section
Russian Embassy
Kuwait
The Consular Section
Russian Embassy in Kuwait
To one of the educational institutions supervised by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These are MGIMO, VKIYA, College under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. During your internship, try to establish yourself with best side so that your manager notices you and recommends you for further work at. Be sure to participate in conferences, seminars, take part in scientific and practical work.
Please note that some Russian universities (not necessarily Moscow) may also have agreements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (for example, Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University - the leading university in Nizhny Novgorod). For graduates of such MFAs, additional qualification tests are also arranged.
According to the law, government agencies must hold a competition for replacement vacant positions. Go to the page http://www.mid.ru/nsite-sv.nsf/gosslz and read the competition regulations. This information is updated from time to time, so please check this page regularly.
Collect everything Required documents to submit them to the personnel department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The package of documents includes: - passport (copy and original);
- a copy of the income statement;
- medical certificate of health;
- diploma of education (copy and original);
- SNILS and INN;
- 2 photographs 3x4 cm;
- a certificate of no criminal record in Russia and abroad (if you lived there);
- application form (the form is provided directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Prepare for the interview. If you indicated in your application form that you are fluent in a foreign language, be prepared for the fact that the interview may take place in that language. In addition, brush up on your knowledge of Russian legislation and regulations that you will need to work in the ministry.
Sources:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
The profession of a diplomat implies a prestigious and honorable duty to represent one’s country abroad, to defend the interests of fellow citizens who find themselves in difficult situations, to create positive image states in the international arena. But how difficult is it to become a diplomat?
Who are diplomats?
The job isn't just about attending official receptions and banquets. This is quite a lot of work, constant responsibility, control of one’s behavior, actions and words, because the entire country is judged by the official representative. That is why the prestige of the diplomatic profession has at all times been quite high, since it was interested in having its interests represented the best people countries.
At the same time, diplomats are also engaged in collecting information about the host country, especially that which may affect the interests of their own state. Consequently, a lot important quality for a diplomat is the ability to think analytically. It is also obvious that there is nothing to do in the diplomatic service without outstanding ability in foreign languages. Presented high requirements to candidates become a way of selecting the most suitable people for the job.
The profession of a diplomat is not only difficult, but also associated with various risks. In total, in Russian history there have been six cases of kidnapping and murder of Russian diplomats.
Where are ambassadors trained?
The most likely way to get a job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation is to receive higher education majoring in International Relations. In Russia, several universities train specialists in international relations, but the most famous educational institution certainly considered Moscow State Institute international relations– MGIMO.
Despite numerous legends about the “closedness” of this institution, claiming that only someone’s protégé can become a MGIMO student, getting there is not much more difficult than at any other university. Certainly, big competition means high entry requirements, but for the sake of civil service Abroad, you can put in some effort and prepare properly.
One of the most significant privileges of a diplomat is diplomatic immunity, which means personal inviolability and exemption from customs inspection.
In addition, MGIMO also offers paid training, the cost of which is approximately
— Olga, tell me, where can I study to become a diplomat? Where did you study? Is there a lot of competition for this specialty?
— There are only two universities in Russia that provide graduates with direction and characteristics at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is MGIMO and my alma mater - the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry. At the same time, not only a graduate of a specialized university can apply to participate in the competition to fill a vacant position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The candidate must speak at least two foreign languages, have knowledge in the field of international relations and have a driver’s license, without which it is difficult to get on a business trip abroad.
As a rule, only those with knowledge of rare languages, such as Indonesian or Hindi, have a chance to get a job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from a non-core university. By the way, I note that the Chinese language has not been rare for a long time. Many guys with Far East they come to Moscow with a good knowledge of the Chinese language and compete with Muscovites who have nowhere to practice the language.
When I applied, there was a lot of competition for budget places; I needed to score 170 points out of a possible 200 to get into the budget place. Those who score slightly less points are offered to enroll in a paid department; in 2017, the cost of a full-time master's degree in my Faculty of International Relations is 332 thousand rubles.
— Quite an expensive education! How much time and money do you need to spend to get a specialty?
— After graduating from school, I was so unsure of my knowledge and abilities that I didn’t even consider the options of entering the budget. But in vain! I completed my specialty at the paid department of the Moscow Humanitarian University, Faculty of International Relations. Then it cost about 180 thousand rubles per year, multiplying this amount by five, you can understand that it is not cheap at all. Therefore, I entered the Diplomatic Academy only on a budget, realizing that if I was unworthy, then my direct path was to become a translator. But the Diplomatic Academy accepted me and gave me two incredible years of study, the opportunity to participate in conferences, visit foreign missions and enormous experience intercultural communication, because approximately 20% of the academy’s students are foreigners.
— Olga, what are the chances of finding a job in your profession?
— The less common the language you speak, the greater your chances of getting a job in your profession. And if you have two rare languages plus English at a level not lower than Intermediate, you are almost on the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs! When applying for a job, a mandatory test is an exam to determine your level of proficiency in the languages you apply for. It is taken at the Higher Courses foreign languages MFA and consists of oral and written parts.
— You are in the Foreign Ministry reserve, what are the chances that you will one day be called to work?
— A significant number of graduates of specialized universities fall into the “reserve”. As a rule, there are not enough places for everyone, and this is not surprising, because every year more than one hundred specialists in the field of international relations graduate from Moscow. Over the course of the year, the “reserves” are slowly finding places in seemingly unattractive regions: Africa and Central Asia. But you can be stuck in reserve forever, and that’s what happened to me, for example. My absolutely “standard for a girl” set of languages - English and Spanish - played a cruel joke on me. Latin America, which I had hoped for, turned out to be extremely popular among boys, who are still preferred to girls in diplomacy. There is nothing to be done, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs still remains a “men’s club”, despite the fact that there are more and more women in the structure every year.
—Aren’t you upset that you became a specialist, but didn’t get a place?
— At first, when dreams of a diplomatic career and patriotic impulses are dashed on the rocky shore called “reserve,” it seems that no other job will give you happiness and satisfaction. But that's not true. The knowledge and skills that I acquired at the academy were in demand in Public Relations. First of all, this is an understanding of how communication should be structured in general, how to write business letters and process large amounts of text. If you're lucky, then languages won't turn out to be extra baggage - in an international company they will find a use.
— How many years can you wait for a position? And what position exactly? You don’t want to become an intern at 40 years old.
— The structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very similar to the army: in order to achieve high position, you need to go through all the steps of the career ladder - diplomatic ranks. Graduates of specialized universities with honors diplomas, as a rule, start with the rank of attaché, without honors diplomas - with the rank of assistant secretary. Then they go through the path of the third secretary, second secretary, up to the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador. In this case, the position may be called completely differently, for example, director of a department or head of a department. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is also a position, not a rank.
— Why are so many diplomats being trained if there is not enough work for everyone?
— In the early 2000s, work in the civil service was not so prestigious, salaries were extremely low, and the ministry often had problems replacing personnel. Now salaries in the department have increased, and it is not for the sake of salaries that students are eager to enter the civil service. And so, it so happened that if previously graduates of MGIMO and the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went anywhere, but not into the civil service, now young guys turn their gaze towards the ministry. The worthy and lucky ones end up in the central office, the guys who are patient and well-connected go on a business trip, and everyone else goes into the reserves.
— Where, besides the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, can a diplomat get a job?
- I think there are many options here. Press services and PR departments of international companies may well be interested in such a specialist. I would also advise you to consider news agencies, news departments that search, translate and rewrite news from international agencies. There, a graduate with knowledge of two or more languages will be in great demand.
— Why did you choose this profession for yourself?
— I always wanted to work in the field of communications. And diplomacy directly relates to this area; it only implies the highest responsibility for one’s words and actions. I didn’t look for easy ways, plus I had knowledge of two languages and a high degree of patriotism, and that’s how it all turned out.
— Don’t you regret that you became a diplomat, because you still can’t work in your profession?
- No, I didn’t regret it, it was a great experience. You move away from particulars and begin to think globally, realizing that in fact a lot depends on you. This creates a responsible attitude towards everything you do.
— Olga, what is the essence of a diplomat’s work, what are his tasks?
— It all depends on the department. Diplomats work not only in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but also, for example, in Rossotrudnichestvo, this Federal agency on affairs of the CIS, compatriots living abroad, and on international humanitarian cooperation. The work of a diplomat, no matter where he is, usually consists of large quantity paperwork. But if you were happy to write your thesis on a topic like: “The role of the individual in the process of forming a new world order,” then working with the materials will not be difficult for you.
There are two areas of work: in the central office and on a business trip. Working and living abroad can bring both great happiness and disappointment. Some of my friends had difficulty overcoming the hardships of living independently without loved ones and friends in a foreign country. But it all depends on the person.
Most graduates strive to immediately go on a business trip to get real language practice and see how the work of foreign institutions is structured. Some people also dream of rich diplomatic receptions, but for a diplomat a reception is even more stressful work than fussing with documents. Here is a diplomat, an event manager, a PR specialist, and a hostess rolled into one. Initially, a business trip through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is formalized in the form of a contract for a year, so after a year the contract with the employee may not be renewed and, in fact, he will be left without work. True, I have not heard of such cases.
— What qualities should a person have to become a good diplomat?
— I think the main qualities, both in diplomacy and in any other profession, are decency and responsibility. But in diplomacy, the factor of restraint is also important. Here you cannot lose your temper, slam the door, or quarrel with the “client”. Essentially, your client is the reputation of the country, and this is not something to joke about. To restraint, I would also add patience and lack of fear of communicating with people, but this can already be cultivated and developed. In diplomacy, you quickly understand that no matter what country a person is from, he is first and foremost a human being, which means your attitude towards most everyday things will be similar. I remember how at a reception at the residence of the British Ambassador when I was studying at the Diplomatic Academy, we discussed cooking with a representative of the English Parliament, and this is normal, everyone loves to eat.
— How did you end up in the PR chair?
— After it became clear that the status “in the Foreign Ministry’s reserve” could drag on for years, I began to look for a job in which I could apply my skills. The field of public relations seemed closest and most interesting to me. I started as a junior PR manager in an agency, I was very lucky with a mentor who explained to me the very principle of working in PR. Then I was released into free swimming, and I began to gain experience, sometimes making not very good decisions. In PR, experience is everything. Neither education nor expert advice can replace it.
— How do you plan to build your career?
— Marketing is perhaps one of the most dynamically developing areas, so it is impossible to guess what I will be doing in five years. Most likely, I will continue to work in the field of PR, but it is possible that PR itself, while maintaining the name, will change dramatically during this time.
2016-07-19 09:25:00
You should immediately warn: personal experience another person cannot be a guaranteed universal recipe even for other similar cases, but a successful solution always makes sense to use, thinking about and comparing various nuances. The example given here helped me get a job in the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation literally “from the street.” Who knows what other departments you can get into under this scenario?
As for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, first you should register on the official website of the department in the section “ Personal Area" The minimum data required here should be written honestly. The procedure itself will be free, fast and simple.
After registering, I sent about 5 requests per day regarding the work of the ministry. The topics of the requests were “suggested” by news feeds, and in addition, I had to study the “contents” of most of the informative sections of the diplomatic department’s website itself. In just 2 weeks, my knowledge in the field of current affairs of the Russian Foreign Ministry was sufficient to freely write notes for a number of blogs. In fact, getting a job here was not initially the goal, it was just that high-quality information on the topic of diplomacy was required.
And two months later the press service and the personnel department of the Russian Foreign Ministry contacted me. The first thought was that they were already tired of my questions and wanted to ask me not to pester them. The conversation began very formally: questions about the purpose for which I was interested in certain topics, questions about my education, place of work, etc. And like a bolt from the blue (for me personally), the question came up as to whether I would like to send my resume to the Russian Foreign Ministry to work in the press service. And soon the work of an ordinary “home blogger” was replaced by official employment in that ministry, which has always been associated with a certain inaccessibility and “the lot of diplomats only.”
Of course, I wrote all the requests in a literate literary language, but at the same time the essence was not “smeared out”, but was presented clearly and concisely. Of course, someone may joke that it was easier for the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry to hire me rather than answer my endless questions (by the way, no government department has the right not to answer them if they do not violate the law ), but I will just say that it is quite possible. But now I very often answer questions from other people addressed to my (yes, my) ministry. Well, if anyone is interested: the Russian Foreign Ministry receives 2-3 thousand requests per month on a variety of topics.
Editor's note: the procedure for entering the civil service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (http://www.mid.ru/activity/shots/service/civil_service) and an interesting interview with First Deputy Minister Titov on the official website of the department, where he voices vacancy statistics, which says that they hire about 100 people per year, you need to know at least 2 languages, what are the features of working abroad or in Moscow directly and other requirements (http://www.mid.ru/web/guest/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/ cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/952456).
Another name is visa center operator. The profession is suitable for those who have no interest in school subjects (see choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects).
Visa Center Specialist accepts documents from clients wishing to travel abroad, and when checking them, works with computer databases that can be compiled in English. Next, he processes the documents in specialized programs, such as “Visa Tour” and prepares them for submission to the embassy or consulate.
Features of the profession
An important part of the work of a visa center specialist is also advising clients, providing them with all the necessary information about the preparation of documents. To do this, you need to have this information in full and quickly navigate it. Upon completion of the process of working with visas and passports, he issues the finished documents to clients. The work can be monotonous, but at the same time quite responsible.
The work schedule of a visa center operator is a regular five-day week; the salary of such an employee is below average, but in some places either bonuses or the opportunity additional income. The work can be permanent, or it can be temporary, when an employee is hired for the so-called “high season,” usually summer. Available career to the visa center manager.
Workplace
A visa center specialist works in the office of a visa center, travel agency or tour operator company. Depending on the specialization of the office, such a specialist works either with visas to one specific country or with visas to different countries.
Important qualities
A particularly important quality when working with documents is attentiveness, as well as perseverance, composure and patience. When working with clients, politeness and tact are required. Also, the visa center operator needs to be responsible and efficient; the ability to work in a team and quick learning will come in handy.
Knowledge and skills
To get a job as a visa center specialist, you must be able to use a computer and office equipment, know MS Office programs, be proficient in English language, depending on the employer’s requirements: at a basic level or at least Pre-intermediate level. Basic knowledge of another language (e.g. French, Spanish or German) may be required instead of or in addition to English. Also needed high speed printing, both in Cyrillic and Latin, competent oral and written speech. Communication skills are important to communicate with clients.
Salary
Salary as of 09/03/2019
Russia 15000—60000 ₽
Moscow 30000—70000 ₽
Where do they teach
The direction of education of an applicant who wants to become a visa center operator is often not important. Often it is required to have any higher, incomplete higher or any secondary specialized education, and detailed (and free) training in the specialty is organized by the employer during the work of the new employee during probationary period. Therefore, you can become a visa center specialist without having any work experience.
