Table 1Transition record

political affairs officertoembassy counsellor

A political affairs officer already meets 49% of what the embassy counsellor role asks for. The move turns on 8 required skills not yet in the profile.

From political affairs officer

49%

Overlap1

To embassy counsellor

17 Skills carried over

8 Required, not held

52.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 52.6

This move: 52.6 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the embassy counsellor role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the political affairs officer 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 17 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A embassy counsellor role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a political affairs officer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held foreign affairs policy development social sciences, journalism and information
already held European integration social sciences, journalism and information
already held develop international cooperation strategies management skills
already held political economy social sciences, journalism and information
already held analyse foreign affairs policies information skills
already held advise on foreign affairs policies communication, collaboration and creativity

All 17 carried skills, including the 9 the embassy counsellor role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 20 missing skills fall into 6 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 4 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held maintain relations with local representatives required
required, not held represent national interests required
required, not held build trust required
required, not held develop professional network required

optional, not held apply diplomatic principles optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held create solutions to problems optional
optional, not held speak different languages optional
optional, not held train employees optional

02 management skills 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held manage administrative systems required
required, not held ensure compliance with policies required

optional, not held develop defence policies optional
optional, not held manage government policy implementation optional
optional, not held manage staff optional

03 arts and humanities 1 required

required, not held foreign languages for international careers required

04 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held respond to enquiries required

05 business, administration and law 2 supplementary

optional, not held budgetary principles optional
optional, not held international business optional

06 social sciences, journalism and information 2 supplementary

optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held government representation optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a embassy counsellor 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 17 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held advise on foreign affairs policies skill
already held advise on risk management skill
already held analyse foreign affairs policies skill
already held diplomatic principles knowledge
already held foreign affairs knowledge
already held foreign affairs policy development knowledge
already held government policy implementation knowledge
already held observe new developments in foreign countries skill
already held show intercultural awareness skill
already held European integration knowledge
already held assess risk factors skill
already held develop international cooperation strategies skill
already held good governance knowledge
already held international law knowledge
already held maintain operational communications skill
already held maintain relationships with government agencies skill
already held political economy knowledge

12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held budgetary principles optional
optional, not held develop defence policies optional
optional, not held apply diplomatic principles optional
optional, not held build international relations optional
optional, not held create solutions to problems optional
optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held government representation optional
optional, not held international business optional
optional, not held manage government policy implementation optional
optional, not held manage staff optional
optional, not held speak different languages optional
optional, not held train employees optional

14 held skills the embassy counsellor role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role European political studies knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on conflict management skill
not needed by the target role advise on legislative acts skill
not needed by the target role analyse potential threats against national security skill
not needed by the target role apply conflict management skill
not needed by the target role assess danger in risk areas skill
not needed by the target role ensure cross-department cooperation skill
not needed by the target role identify security threats skill
not needed by the target role monitor political conflicts skill
not needed by the target role perform political negotiation skill
not needed by the target role present reports skill
not needed by the target role represent union members skill
not needed by the target role scientific research methodology knowledge
not needed by the target role write situation reports skill

5 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 foreign languages for international careers required
optional, not held budgetary principles optional
optional, not held economics optional
optional, not held government representation optional
optional, not held international business optional

Index

Other moves recorded from political affairs officer

Full index of moves from political affairs officer

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.