Table 1Transition record

diplomattoforeign affairs officer

A diplomat already meets 69% of what the foreign affairs officer role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From diplomat

69%

Overlap1

To foreign affairs officer

25 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

32.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 32.5

This move: 32.5 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the foreign affairs officer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the diplomat profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 25 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A foreign affairs officer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a diplomat background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held foreign affairs policy development social sciences, journalism and information
already held develop international cooperation strategies management skills
already held analyse foreign affairs policies information skills
already held advise on foreign affairs policies communication, collaboration and creativity
already held foreign affairs business, administration and law
already held observe new developments in foreign countries information skills

All 25 carried skills, including the 9 the foreign affairs officer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 11 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held advise on public relations required

optional, not held advise on licencing procedures optional
optional, not held develop promotional tools optional
optional, not held perform public relations optional
optional, not held present reports optional
optional, not held use different communication channels optional

02 business, administration and law 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held labour legislation required

optional, not held international commercial transactions rules optional

03 management skills 1 required

required, not held manage administrative systems required

04 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required

required, not held cultural geography required

05 information skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held report analysis results optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a foreign affairs officer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 25 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held advise on foreign affairs policies skill
already held analyse foreign affairs policies skill
already held assess risk factors skill
already held create solutions to problems skill
already held foreign affairs knowledge
already held foreign affairs policy development knowledge
already held government policy implementation knowledge
already held international business knowledge
already held international law knowledge
already held advise on legislative acts skill
already held apply conflict management skill
already held build international relations skill
already held develop international cooperation strategies skill
already held develop professional network skill
already held diplomatic principles knowledge
already held ensure cross-department cooperation skill
already held establish collaborative relations skill
already held facilitate official agreement skill
already held government representation knowledge
already held maintain relationships with government agencies skill
already held manage government policy implementation skill
already held observe new developments in foreign countries skill
already held public administration knowledge
already held show intercultural awareness skill
already held speak different languages skill

7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held international commercial transactions rules optional
optional, not held advise on licencing procedures optional
optional, not held develop promotional tools optional
optional, not held perform public relations optional
optional, not held present reports optional
optional, not held report analysis results optional
optional, not held use different communication channels optional

13 held skills the foreign affairs officer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role European integration knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on risk management skill
not needed by the target role apply diplomatic crisis management skill
not needed by the target role apply diplomatic principles skill
not needed by the target role coordinate government activities in foreign institutions skill
not needed by the target role foreign languages for international careers knowledge
not needed by the target role good governance knowledge
not needed by the target role make diplomatic decisions skill
not needed by the target role perform political negotiation skill
not needed by the target role present arguments persuasively skill
not needed by the target role protect client interests skill
not needed by the target role represent national interests skill
not needed by the target role respond to enquiries skill

3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held cultural geography required
required, not held labour legislation required
optional, not held international commercial transactions rules optional

Index

Other moves recorded from diplomat

Full index of moves from diplomat

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.