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in discussion On-line Study Group / Meeting Notes & Chat Archives » Week Four
Welcome to your Dimdim Web Meeting.
Annettee has joined the meeting.
Annettee: HI Ethan
me: hit here.
Annettee: yup, slow but sure
me: ***hi there.
me: =0
me: What a busy week.
Annettee: It's just starting
me: Since last monday…
me: I had to fire another partner for something safety and security related. He
was really well liked so I worried there would be a coup-d'etas
Annettee: ah
me: =0
Annettee: well, at least that will be a good dimension story
me: It all turned out okay though. We had three new people start and they're all
soo different. One girl it's her first job and she had to file for a social
security number to give us one.
me: Another woman is coming out of retirement to work part time.
Annettee: someone old someone new
Annettee: now you just need borrowed and blue
me: =0
me: We had a "borrowed" one from another store today!
Annettee:
me: Blue…not too sure about that one.
Annettee: pues, I imagine the guy you fired is blue
me: peut-etre.
me: You getting excited?
me: You have a while to wait, huh?
Annettee: I still have two months
Annettee: minus three days
Annettee: but I have a long way to go from 4.6 up to 5.6
me: =0
Bill has joined the meeting.
Annettee: hi Bill
Bill : hi annette, and of course ethan!
me: Hi bill.
me: How are you?
Bill : I'm doing ok. I'll be honest though. Wish I wasn't so nervous about this
thing. How r you?
me: Good! Pretty nervous.
me: I'm trying to psych myself down.
me: to pretend it doesn't really matter.
me: It's a backwards strategy, but I think it works for me.
Greta H. has joined the meeting.
me: !
Annettee: When is yours Bill
me: Hi greta!!!!
Annettee: Hi Greta
Greta H.: Hello.
Greta H.: Happy Monday.
Bill : mine is nxt friday the 25th. yours annette?
rocely has joined the meeting.
Annettee: in two months minus 4 days
me: ooh! Mine is a week from today.
me: ;-0 and my DS assessment is a week from tomorrow.
me: eep!
Greta H.: Yikes.
Greta H.: Two in two days.
rocely: sorry to interrupt, just saying hi, my exam is tomorrow
Greta H.: You're brave.
Annettee: I hope that you do so great on both that you have to chooose
Bill : Ethan: the dir at ucla spoke highly of your at our prep
Greta H.: Rocely - Are you nervous?
me: Ah! That's funny. I only talked to him for a few seconds.
rocely: yes and no
Bill : he said, and I quote "I hope we get him"
rocely: Although I need to finish my eqip and cannot log on
me: Rocely, don't sweat that part too much.
Annettee: why can't you log in
rocely: I am excited to meet everybody though
Clay has joined the meeting.
Bill : rocely, good luck tomorrow!
rocely: I don't know…it doesn't connect
me: Good luck!
rocely: thanks!!
me: Is this your first?
rocely: yes
me: you'll ace it.
rocely: I've been dreaming about it for years though
Annettee: have you connected at least once Rocely?
Annettee: to the eqip that is?
rocely: yes
rocely: I spent about 4 hours yesterday
Bill : does the eqip save, so you can work on it over time?
Annettee: are you using foxfire or internet explorer
rocely: yes
me: It does, bill.
rocely: internet explorer
Annettee: yes, and it saves even from one year to the next Bill
Bill : good to know, in case I fail this year…
Annettee: It was such a relief to see mine there, becuase it took me about two
months last year and was 82 pages long
me: So…how do you all feel about the SI? Have you guys pulled up the flashcards
or the audio interviews on the yahoo! group?
me: damn annette!
me: that's crazy
Annettee: even if you pass, you may want to try again just to keep on the
registers
rocely: does everyone have an example for each dimension
me: Rocely, I did that last year. I decided not to this year.
Annettee: me too
Clay: why
Bill : why not, ethan?
rocely: I just think it will come to me…don't want to think too much about it
me: exactly the right approach
Annettee: now I have some really great stories that are long and fit many
dimensions and many of the sample questions
me: I got soo nervous just trying to make sure I remember all of them and make
them awkwardly fit the questions that I was throwing myself off.
me: I think the best thing to do is to just thing over some interesting points in
your life to make sure you remember them.
Annettee: I had that idea last year too rocely, I had a lot of ideas and nothing
concrete and practiced and they were too short
Annettee: when I came to answering
me: Have you all done interviews lately?
rocely: yes, I've done a few
me: for any job?
Greta H.: I haven't done an interview since last August.
Annettee: Hi Clay, I didn't see you come in
Clay: hi, glad to be here
Christine has joined the meeting.
me: That's good. The behavioral interviewing is huge at every institution and it's
important that you're comfortable answering in the format that's easiest for them
to grade.
Annettee: Hi Chris, glad to see you made it
Christine: Hi to Annette and everyone
rocely: am I the only one taking it tomorrow?
me: hi christine!
me: I think so.
rocely: ok
me: ( in this room )
Annettee: I think you are the only one on the Calendar Rocely
rocely: I met two people today (that are taking it tomorrow)-
Greta H.: In your hotel?
Annettee: I wish you all the luck in the world, and hope you get the good humored
examiners
rocely: It really made me feel better
Annettee: have they heard of the yahoo group
Annettee: have they taken the exam before
rocely: we went to check out the place and make sure we didn't get lost tomorrow
rocely: both are from the Yahoo Group actually
Clay: what annex are you taking it at?
Annettee: cool
rocely: I was in a study group with one of them
rocely: and the other actually arranged everything by looking at the calendar
Annettee: that helps because then they genearlly understand the non
competitiveness of the GE
me: =0
me: for the record, we had a ton of confrontation and it really helped me last
year.
rocely: annex 1 (columbia plaza)
me: i made them simmer and i think it helped me pass that section
Annettee: that is also possible
me:
Christine: I envision where that could happen
rocely: ok, I guess I should go to a computer lab and try the eqip; I think it
might be my computer settings that don't let me in
me: it's possible.
me: what error are you getting
rocely: the screen that comes up when the internet can't connect
rocely: "the page cannot be displayed"
rocely: I keep thinking "composure"
rocely:
me:
Annettee: I think that on the SI section, it is very important to remember that
when they start asking follow up questions, it is not necesarily because you
forgot something obvious, but maybe because they want to check your composure, or
maybe because they just want to make sure you're done, and of course, maybe
because what you're saying is sooo imteresting that they want to hear more
Annettee: be prepared after you answer their initial question, for them to pop up
with things like:
Bill : is that for exper and motivation, or past behavior, annette?
Annettee: 1. What did you mean when you said…? 2. Then what did you do/say? 3.
What happened next? 4. What if anything would you do differently if the same
situation were to arise again? 5. What did you learn from this experience? 6. What
are you doing to better this problem? 7. What were you thinking at that point? 8.
Tell me more about what you discussed with that person. 9. How did you
react/felt.? 10. Is there anything else you might do?
me: Also, I'm sure you've read that they can be cold and sometimes adversarial.
You should really try to remember that.
Greta H.: Rocely - I think eqip is just down.
Greta H.: I tried getting on and got an error.
me: Rocely, you can still take the exam eveni f you can't complete your eqip.
rocely: oh boy….
rocely: well, the good news is my fiance and I closed on our condo today, get
married next week and fly to Egypt in two weeks! the bad news…eqip is down…
me: yay!
rocely: hahaha
Annettee: I could live with that Rocely
Clay: Christine, what was you opinion of the other guys that were at our meeting
with the DIR?
me: So they'll have reviewed your SOI, your job application and your career track.
I'm sure they'll only have a couple of minutes to do that before they meet with
you.
Greta H.: Was the meeting with the DIR useful?
Bill : for past behavior: isnt it just 5 questions. we choose one of two for 5
dimensions. no followups?
me: nope.
me: followups for sure.
Annettee: there are always possibility for followups if they want to ask them
Bill : oh, so there r followups on exp and motivation, and in past bhavoir
me: yep.
Christine: Clay- umm not sure what you meant but I remember that they appeared to
come from military backgrounds..
rocely: sorry if this has been asked before but how many of you have taken this
already?
Bill : thanks for clarifying
Annettee: me
Greta H.: I have never taken it.
me: I have once.
Christine: not in physical appearance but the information they provided ;D
Annettee: look at the questions I wrote above, they are fair game
Clay: the guy next to you was but the guy next to me wasn't. I was just shocked
that he was arguing with the DIR about the stats for passing the FSOT.
Christine: ditto for never
me: That's hillarious.
Annettee: they were taken from OA recaps from before the NDA in 2002
me: My DIR last year was basically useless. The only good part was the video they
showed.
Greta H.: I love those recaps.
Clay: first time
Greta H.: We're having our "regional" type meeting next week with the DIR.
Bill : ethan: please save this chat so i can reference. THANKS
Christine: yes I wasn't sure where he was goin with that diatribe…
Clay: I thought ours was excellent. Learned quite a bit.
Annettee: there was a whole file full of them and while some of the info is dated,
some of it is still bery useful
Annettee: very
Christine: I have followed up with our DIR with some questions she is very kind
Clay: he stayed after to argue with her more. seemed not to understand the whole
process.
Greta H.: Some people are just very argumentative.
Annettee: I hope he is not coming to Chicago jajajajajjajaja
Clay: I have as well and I agree. she is very passionate about the job.
Greta H.: I was just thinking that too.
me: So what if you want the interviewers to know one thing about you during your
interview, what do you think it should be?
rocely: any last minute tips? Can we take a purse to the OA?
Clay: I don't think he was buying the whole not getting your project funded
doesn't mean you fail.
Greta H.: That I'm awesome.
Greta H.: -est in the world.
Greta H.: Just kidding.
Christine: remember to breathe and give yourself a moment
me: Just relax and take everything for what it is.
Bill : That's a great question, ethan. Is it true that at end of si, they'll ask
"anything else?" so we have a chance to get a key comment in?
me: You can take a purse. You can't take anything inside the exam rooms though so
you'll have to leave it out.
Annettee: I Think that it varies from place to place, last year we had access to
our coats and backpacks and purses in the break room
Annettee: we were just told not to use anything electronic
Clay: I actually went through training with Fidelity Investments on using past
experiences in the hiring process. the thought process is that if you can get them
to relax and explain a past experience they will be more honest and show their
true traits.
me: (that's basically the eidos behind behavioral interviewing clay)
Clay: in essence bring up something that would sink them in the hiring process
without even realizing it.
me: past performance is the best predictor of future performance
Greta H.: I had a similar interview with Principal Financial.
me: I get to do a few dozen of those a week and people say such dumb things.
Greta H.: They would ask follow-ups to catch you lying.
Clay: It's amazing to watch. People slip into friend mode and start telling a
story like they are talking to their buddies.
me: I asked a girl to "We all experience coworkers who either can't or won't do
their jobs. Tell me a time you experienced a coworker who wasn't pulling his
weight." She actually told me that her coworker was being lazy so she yelled at
her to get to work in front of a customer.
Bill : r they really trying to "catch us" during the si?
Greta H.: I doubt it.
Greta H.: This was a cut-throad finance type job.
Clay: I think their looking for a window into the real person and not just the
spit and polish.
me: Bill, they're making a signifcant investment in each FSO so they need to make
sure your claims are accurate and that you can act well under pressure. They
really want people to pass but they want to make sure that the right people pass.
Bill : so should we b relaxed and friendly?
metodd1 has joined the meeting.
me: I think you should be yourself, bill.
Greta H.: Unless that means you tell stories about yelling at co-workers.
Greta H.:
Bill : lol greta
me:
Annettee: jajajaja, Greta I love you
Annettee: you are soooo funny
metodd1: you mean you guys don't yell at co-workers?
me: I guess the lesson there is to make sure that you are not using a story that
is violating any other dimensions while exemplifying another.
Greta H.: Thanks all.
Bill : thats why i want to prepare my anecdotes for each dimension
me: Whatever works for you, do it!
Clay: a friend of mine from the USAF is an FSO in Taipei. He said that he did so
poorly in the GE that he almost didn't come back to complete the OA's. When he did
come back he felt like he already failed so he had nothing to loose. It was that
attitude that actually helped him pass. He failed the GE like he thought but did
quite well with the rest of it and passed quite high. He was in an a100 class in 9
months from start to finish.
Greta H.: 9 months? What a dream.
Annettee: please give an example Ethan
me: of?
Clay: He felt that to much practice actually hurts you. Doesn't show the real you.
Clay: I'm to annal to take his advice.
metodd1: practice is good, but be yourself, don't be a robot
Greta H.: If they do ask "Anything else…" What might someone add here?
Christine: I was thinking similarly Clay it wouldn't to provide a canned response
Christine: (be a good idea)
Annettee: of trying to meet one dimension violating another Ethan
me: oh…
Bill : clay, r you having someone practice asking u quesitions, ala the si?
Clay: The crazy thing with this guy is that it was his first time through and he
had no idea what the process was.
metodd1: i have been doing mock interviews
Greta H.: Are they helpful?
metodd1: yes, very
Greta H.: Mock interview, that is.
Clay: I haven't yet but my wife and I are driving down to DC and I plan to have
her quiz me on all that stuff
metodd1: and i have a mentor, she did the same thing
metodd1: i printed out flash cards, tried to think of all sorts of other
questions, it's helping
metodd1: of course the real thing is different
Greta H.: I'd think a mock interview would help though.
metodd1: but i went to a prep session with a DiR and questions we were seeing on
the video were the same as the flash cards I have
Clay: He did have some great advice on the CM. He said don't over think it or try
to be to fancy in your writing. Just come to the most common sense conclusion.
metodd1: and a guy there had been to the OA before
me: so…the 1st part of the interview is experience and motivation…i think
nailing this part sets the tone for the rest of the SI.
metodd1: and said that they do ask those questions
me: So you should really know the FS, your career track, and yourself.
Greta H.: Hm.
me: and how all three put together.
me: by put I mean come
metodd1: they want to know that you know what you're getting into and why
me: all three come together
me: exactly
Bill : todd, r these flascards on the yahoo or wiki site, or r they ur own?
metodd1: they are on the yahoo site
Greta H.: And the Wiki.
metodd1: yes
metodd1: print them out and use them — the hypotheticals are there too
metodd1: they will get you in the right mindset
metodd1: at the very least
metodd1: at least i hope so…
Bill : thanks todd, its all about mindset!
metodd1: a lot of it is, i think…minimize your chances of being rattled
me: Have you all seen the career track pdf descriptions?
Greta H.: Yes.
metodd1: yes
me: good! I think it's important to ahve a detailed understanding of your career
track.
Annettee: One piece of advice I can give you is to go to the DOS wev site, where
the have a quiz to see if the FS is right for you and another where it asks which
cone is right for you
Annettee: take those two quizzes, and jot down the things that make you a good
candidate form them
Greta H.: Good idea.
metodd1: yes good idea
me: and practice in the shower…it really helps.
me: ;-0
Annettee: http://www.careers.state .gov/resources/foreign-s ervice-right.html
Clay: does anyone know what happened to the scenarios that were on the state site
to give you an idea of what the job was like. they were a video story.
metodd1: gotta get that "Why I want to be a Foreign Service Officer" speech down
Greta H.: So you're not stuck saying, "Um, I think it would be interesting."
Annettee: http://careers.state.gov /officer/career-track.ht ml
metodd1: right, "and umm, it sounds fun"
me: I like that answer.
me: While it's a terrible answer, it's a true part of my answer.
metodd1: clay, email vog.etats|srotnemSF#vog.etats|srotnemSF and ask to be put in touch with a person
from your career track
Clay: I was trying to find it today to review how they were handling the crisis at
the mythical tropical country.
metodd1: you can get a good description right from the horse's mouth
Annettee: The hard one for me is to say something bad about myself or say what
someone else doesn't like about me, without it being a false postive and still
showing that I fixed the problem or am working on it and how or that it helped me
become a better person in the end
Clay: great idea
metodd1: that's what you should do though
Annettee: I am soooo perfect that there is nothing to fix
Annettee: jajajajaja
metodd1: ha
me: how about the evil biggest weakness question…
metodd1: i think i have that one planned out
Greta H.: Annette - I hear what you're saying.
Annettee: that is what I was talking about Ethan
Greta H.: What's your weakness that's not really a weakness?
me: okay…that's what I thought
me: but iwas typing it at the same time
Annettee: I used to have a T-shit (some 35 years ago) that said, "I may not be
totally perfect, but parts of me are excelent"
Annettee: Great minds think alike Ethan
metodd1: some of these are general interview questions that appear in any normal
interview (behavioral style), so you can research good examples of answers
me: most of them are
metodd1: to give you ideas
me: actually
me: Do you guys have any thoughts on the hypotheticals?
metodd1: there ya go
rocely: ok, I'll get back to finishing up my last minute studying. Thanks everyone
and good luck, I really mean that
metodd1: i think just using common sense and information that you have available
to you are the most important things
Christine: good luck
metodd1: good luck to you too
rocely: thanks!
Greta H.: Good luck.
metodd1: when is your OA?
rocely: tomorrow
metodd1: wow, well let us know what happens
metodd1: are you at annex 1 or 44?
Bill : good luck rocely, and congrats the condo, upcoming nuptials and trip
Annettee: when you do the behavioural part with the 5 dimensions and two options
to chose from for each dimention, you can and should jot down on the paper the
highlights for the ones you choose on the paper, it will help keep you on track
Greta H.: I was talking to someone about the hypos and they recommended always
mentioning your first action item is to tell your superior.
rocely: 1
metodd1: thats where i am going too
me: I keep reading that greta, but it's important that you're taking
responsibility and action as well.
metodd1: yes greta you're right
metodd1: according to the ambassador i talked to
Greta H.: Yes, and yes.
metodd1: there is a difference between informing your supervisor and asking for
advice or slagging off responsibility
Greta H.: Agreed.
me: for sure.
Greta H.: There was a hypo from the Wiki that I really didn't like.
metodd1: which one
Greta H.: It's the one where the wife comes and wants to the admin officer and
wants to go home because the hubby is sleeping with a local.
Greta H.: Oops.
metodd1: oh yeah
Greta H.: Typos.
me: hmm…
me: So what do you do?
Greta H.: My response would be - you figure it out b/c those are martial problems.
Greta H.: I really hope that it's not a real hypo.
metodd1: do they give hypos only from your career track?
metodd1: or is that violating NDA if you tell me?
me: I think I'd try to put them in contact with a conselor via phone or someone
local with the necessary training.
Greta H.: Most of the hypos from the flashcards seem to be consular in nature.
me: (everyone does consular work)
metodd1: ah ok
Greta H.: I agree with your assessment Ethan.
Annettee: I would have told the man when I contacted him that it would be nice if
he would call his wife, so that she does not get to worried and decide to come
looking for him
Christine: metodd1:this was a question in our prep session and the answer was no
from the DIR
me: and I think you'd have to look into the FSO sleeping with the local as a
possibly compromising thing…if indeed it's true (which is a whole nother
problem)
Greta H.: That's what bothered me.
rocely has left the meeting.
Greta H.: I think that's the answer they would want.
Annettee: they hypos from what I understand used to be cone specific but are not
any more from that the web site says
metodd1: so you should be prepared for angles of different career tracks
me: Annette, I understand differently.
me: I'd say you should be prepared for anything.
Annettee: yes, that is what I am saying
Annettee: they are no longer cone specific
me: oh
Annettee: they are from any cone
me: I read incorrectly.
me: I worked early today
Annettee: I failed the written comunication dimension boo hoo
Bill : can the past behavior quesitons be from all 13d's, or just the 5 or 6 that
are listed in the instructons on the career website
Annettee: I think that they are just from the 7 that are listed on the web page
Annettee: but you can fit other dimensions into your answers
me: I'd agree.
metodd1: and you pick the questions, right?
Bill : thanks anette. that's what i was hoping
Annettee: the experience and motivation dimension is a whole 20 minute section by
itself
Annettee: written communication won't come in to play unless you make it
me: (case management)
Annettee: as is also true with the quantitative analysis dimension
Annettee: and the oral comunication is not really tested as a dimension, but is
what the whole SI portion is about
me: (and the ge)
Annettee: I am just talking about the behavorial section Ethat
me: ah!
me: of course.
Annettee: ethan
me: we aren't communicating very well today!
Annettee: and I hope no one asks me to spell behavorial on the SI
Annettee: I think it is because we are writing at the same time Ethan
metodd1: you almost got it…
metodd1:
Annettee: Truth be told, I really enjoyed the day at the orals
me: I wonder about everyone today!
Annettee: right up until they told me I failed
Bill : u enjoyed it. how was it fun?
Annettee: it is fun
Annettee: It is a game in a way
metodd1: i think maybe if you approach it that way you'll do better
metodd1: you'll definitely be more relaxed, and that will show
metodd1: i wonder how people did today too
Annettee: I keep checking Ethan but no one has reported yet, i hope that is a good
sign that they are all out celebrating
metodd1: that's positive thinking
Annettee: have you taken it before metodd?
metodd1: no i haven't
metodd1: i'm OA virgin
Annettee: jajajajaja
Bill : u never forget your first oral…
Annettee: many virgins have passed the system with flying colors
metodd1: i'm looking at this as a learning experience for next time
metodd1: but, who knows…
me: The OA was actually really valuable as an experience. It made job interviews
and the oral defense of my undergrad thesis into a cakewalk by comparison .
metodd1: i can see how that would be true
Annettee: One big, important piece of advice, that I was critized for not doing
last year and I cannot see any reason why it would violate NDA
metodd1: just preparing for it is very helpful
Annettee: Make sure that you shake hands and great everyone
metodd1: i was making a point to do that
Greta H.: For sure.
metodd1: and stand up
Annettee: especially your interrogators when they come into the room
metodd1: eye contact, firm handshake
metodd1: smile!
me: Who criticized you for that?
Bill : you mean greet all the asessors, or greet the candiddates in ge as well?
Annettee: It is difficult because you are already sitting down, and have been
sitting down for 5 to 10 minutes alone in a little room that feels like 5 to 10
hours or solitary torture, but do stand up and shake hands
metodd1: i'd greet everyone
me: me too…it's oh so diplomatic to give a good hand shake
metodd1: it makes you look that much more personable
Greta H.: And confident.
Annettee: I don't know as if I would shake hands in the GE, but I would definitely
start out my project presentation by saying hello I am Annette and my project
is….
me: (and finish in the alloted time)
me:
metodd1: is that a common problem?
metodd1: going over time?
Bill : but in ge, teh conceit is that u all know everyone. u r colleagues.
Greta H.: Who lets you know if your time is up?
me: Um…I can neither confirm nor deny that.
metodd1: you do
metodd1: keep a watch on
me: actually…the assessors will time your presentation and cut you off
metodd1:
metodd1: but you probably dont want that
Greta H.: I thought so.
me: probably not.
Annettee: One word of caution that I have read somewhere on one of the boards. is
that in the GE there is a lot of talk about numbers and allocating funds, there is
nothing on the state website that says it has to be funds that are allocated, it
could be some other resourse such as human rescourse or time resourse
metodd1: good point
me: So who else is this week?
Annettee: there are several positions in the GE that you can volunteer for that
willl look good for initiative and leadership
Annettee: such as who will write the memo,
metodd1: that's good to know
Annettee: and who will present first
Annettee: and who will keep time
metodd1: take notes
me: I'm confident you can pass regardless of the position you take.
Annettee: Yes, many people have passed without getting their project chosen
metodd1: well, that's not the objective, correct?
me: We have a passer from annex 1 who posted!
metodd1: it's to come to an agreement
metodd1: nice!
oa01 has joined the meeting.
me: three passed
me: and two from annex 44 who passed came to annex 1 for some reason
Greta H.: Sweet.
me: 1 consular
me: 2 political
metodd1: cool
me: That's pretty good for day one!
metodd1: yeah, i'm going to 1
Bill : really good. but i hope they don't pass too many before we go (sorry if
that's negative…)
metodd1: hah
metodd1: if it's any consolation, 7 didn't pass.
me:
metodd1: unfortunately
me: que terrible.
metodd1: wouldn't it be great if they could just take us all
Bill : todd, ur brilliant!
Greta H.: Clearly we all deserve it.
Annettee: and two from the other annex
Annettee: Five for the first day, that is great
me:
metodd1: i try, what can i say, maybe i'll suggest that to the state dept
metodd1: maybe they just haven't thought of it
Annettee: Bill, there is no limit on the number of people who can pass,
potentially we all can pass
Bill : well, anything else we should discuss re SI?
Bill : thanks for clarifying annette
me: Annette, then we all wouldn't get jobs.
me: ;-(
me: we'll languish on the register…
Annettee: and the number of candidates is soo much lower this year that they are
definitely going to go pretty low on the registers
metodd1: that would be worse than not passing the OA
metodd1: is that right?
metodd1: are they low on candidates?
Greta H.: Unless you speak a SCNL … then it doesn't really matter if you get the
lowest score.
Annettee: there were supposedly some 30000 people took the written exam in 2006
Annettee: 2007 did not have a written exam
Greta H.: Lucky for the 06 passers.
metodd1: i took it in 2006
me: I wonder if I quit my job and moved to china or qatar whether I could ickup a
scnl quick enough
Greta H.: Sure.
metodd1: i'm studying russian with a private tutor, native speaker
Greta H.: Good luck with that.
me: ha!
me: Let me pass the oa first.
Annettee: and in the first two rounds this year there were only about 5000 written
exam test takrs
metodd1: wow
Annettee: I don't know how many took it in March
Greta H.: I speak Russian metodd1.
me: russian is not scnl
me:
Annettee: this is all hearsay from the group
Greta H.: No. but it's better than a regular ol' language.
me: Is it in terms of points?
metodd1: it is critical needs though, isn't it?
Greta H.: Yes.
metodd1: its worth .4
me: sweet!
Annettee: Does anyone have arcelly's email
Greta H.: Yep.
Annettee: the eqip is now workring
me: yay!
me: I hope our friend got in.
me: Well a week from now my FS fate will be decided and I'll be drinking to
celebrate or to wallow. Either way, I'll be to bed early to get ready for my Dip
Security Assessment…so good luck to you all and I can't wait to hear when each
of you pass!
metodd1: you too ethan
Greta H.: Yes, you too Ethan.
Bill : Either way, ethan, you have done a great job with this group and the wiki.
thank you good luck next week
me: By the way, the Wiki has had 1221 visits from 579 unique visitors.
metodd1: wow
metodd1: cool
Greta H.: Wow.
metodd1: its very useful
Greta H.: Agreed.
me: interestingly
Annettee: I am impressed Ethan
me: only 13% of the traffic comes from the Yahoo! gorup
me: while 37% came from google search results
metodd1: hmm…
Annettee: how do you know that
Annettee: but it might be the same people
metodd1: what about the other 50%?
me: for sure.
metodd1: state department!
Greta H.: Three people have saved it to their href=http://de.licio.us de.licio.us
target=_blank>target=_blank>de.licio.u de.licio.us target=_blank>s accounts.
metodd1:
Annettee: it might also be spys from the DOS to see if we are violating NDA
me: It's all direct input so it came from yahoo more than likely but from people
typing it in
me: actually i should check to see if state has visited it
metodd1: they probably have
metodd1: i would bet
me: Sure enough
metodd1: hah
me: 15 visits from the department of state
metodd1: "I'm watching you"
Greta H.: That's awesome.
me: average of 5.07 pages/visit 00:04:36 minutes
me: incidentally seven probably came from the yahoo grop
me: because they visited on the day i emailed it to the yahoo! group
me: library of congress information technology services
me: they like it too apparently
metodd1: interesting
Bill : hey guys, re we done discussing the SI?
Greta H.: It's like Editfish but better.
me: how trippy
Annettee: It actually tells you that the DOS visited?
me: Yep
metodd1: well, i am heading out for the night. thanks for the conversation…see
you all next week and on the forums
Annettee: they don't even disquise themselves
me: see you all!
me: 98. u.s. agency for international development 2 5.50 00:10:33 100. usda office
of operations
Annettee: Is there anything else you want to discuss bill
Bill : No. Thanks for all the input and tips.
Annettee: some of them may be candidates trying to trave out from where they are
Greta H.: Yes, thank you.
Greta H.: See you all in two weeks.
Annettee: I haven't seen editfish for a long long time
Greta H.: Good luck to Ethan next week.
me: =0
me: ciao ya'all
me: thabks!
Greta H.: Is Editfish no longer trying?
Annettee: Good luck to one and all
Greta H.: Or is Editfish in?
Annettee: If he is he is not participating in the groups
Bill : good luck ethan! (so no group meeting next week?)
me: ya'all can if you'd like.
me:
metodd1 has left the meeting.
Greta H.: We're having a DIR prep session next week.
me: awesome!
Greta H.: So I'll be here in two weeks.
me:
Annettee: If anyone has any questions or concerns that are NDA compliant, you can
email me or messenger me at c.liamtoh|_laitseleCanuL#c.liamtoh|_laitseleCanuL om
Annettee: I do not have all the answers, but i am a great cheering section
Greta H.: Thanks Annette.
me: we need more of those in fs.
Annettee: there is an underscore between the L and the @
Bill : thanks, annette, i also read your helpful comments on yahoo
Annettee: thanks
Greta H. has left the meeting.
Annettee: Make sure you are prepared to say why you want this, why now and why the
cone you choose
Annettee: typical interview stuff
Clay has left the meeting.
Annettee: on the hypos make sure you show leadership and initiative, but also
consult higher ups, legal and secutiy deprts, and local laws and manuals
Christine: good luck Ethan
me: thanks! same to you christine.
me: They say the same thing on the DSS boards when talking about dip security bex:
know state, know your world, know yourself.
Annettee: also don't forget that you need to record everything
me: And enjoy that survivor-like moment when the pull out the people who've been
kicked off the island one by one
Annettee: I have been watching American Idol, and I can emphesis with them
Bill has left the meeting.
Annettee: Christine, I supposedly have to fly tomorrow but have an inner ear
infection so I am not certain, are you too tired to try tonight?
Annettee: I have everything ready for you
Annettee: she said rubbing her hands together in a typical boris karloff manner
me: okay
Christine: I am way tired can't even keep my eyes open if you are free maybe I can
go first tomorrow or you can ???
Christine: and the other would follow?
Annettee: If I don't travel I will be here
Annettee: I made up a sheet for you
Christine: you certainly do sound motivated :D
Christine: when will you know whether or not not you are traveling??
Annettee: tomorrow when I wake up
Annettee: I have nothing else to do when I am not working Chris
Christine: I should be up pretty early I will try to remember to sign on to IM
