U.S. Department of State Interview Questions
Updated Jan 6, 2023
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- United States - All Cities
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- - Baltimore, MD Area
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- - Texas
- - Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Area
- - Italy, TX
- - Dallas, TX
- - Plano, TX
- - Houston, TX Area
- - Houston, TX
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- - Minnesota
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- - Pennsylvania
- - Philadelphia, PA Area
- - Philadelphia, PA
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- - North Leechburg, PA
- - Lancaster, PA Area
- - Columbia, PA
- - Louisiana
- - New Orleans, LA Area
- - New Orleans, LA
- - Ohio
- - Columbus, OH Area
- - Columbus, OH
- - Michigan
- - Detroit, MI Area
- - Detroit, MI
- - Colorado
- - Denver, CO Area
- - Denver, CO
- United Kingdom - All Cities
- - England
- - London, United Kingdom Area
- - London, England
- - Derby, United Kingdom Area
- - Overseal, England
- - Scotland
- - Edinburgh, United Kingdom Area
- - Edinburgh, Scotland
- Canada - All Cities
- - British Columbia
- - Vancouver, BC, Canada Area
- - Vancouver, BC
- - Alberta
- - Calgary, AB, Canada Area
- - Calgary, AB
- - Ontario
- - Toronto, ON, Canada Area
- - Toronto, ON
- Yemen - All Cities
- United Arab Emirates - All Cities
- - Abu Dhabi
- - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Area
- - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
- Zambia - All Cities
- - Lusaka
- - Lusaka, Lusaka
- Afghanistan - All Cities
- - Kabul
- - Kabul, Afghanistan Area
- - Kabul
- Algeria - All Cities
- - Algiers
- - Algiers, Algeria Area
- - Algiers, Algiers
- Azerbaijan - All Cities
- - Baku
- - Baku, Azerbaijan Area
- - Baku, Baku
- Albania - All Cities
- - Tirane
- - Tirana, Albania Area
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- Armenia - All Cities
- - Yerevan
- - Yerevan, Armenia Area
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- Argentina - All Cities
- - Mendoza
- - Mendoza
- Australia - All Cities
- - New South Wales
- - Sydney, Australia Area
- - Sydney
- Austria - All Cities
- - Vienna
- - Vienna, Austria Area
- - Vienna
- Barbados - All Cities
- - Saint Michael
- - Bridgetown, Barbados Area
- - Bridgetown
- Botswana - All Cities
- - South East
- - Gaborone, Botswana Area
- - Gaborone
- Belgium - All Cities
- - Brussels
- - Brussels, Belgium Area
- - Brussels
- Bangladesh - All Cities
- - Dhaka
- - Dhaka, Bangladesh Area
- - Dhaka
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - All Cities
- - Federation of Bosnia and Herze
- - Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Area
- - Sarajevo
- Bolivia - All Cities
- - La Paz
- - La Paz, Bolivia Area
- - La Paz, La Paz
- Burma - All Cities
- - Yangon
- Brazil - All Cities
- - Rio de Janeiro
- - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Area
- - Rio de Janeiro
- - Rio Grande do Sul
- - Porto Alegre, Brazil Area
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- - Sofia (city)
- - Sofia, Bulgaria Area
- - Sofia, Sofia (city)
- China - All Cities
- - Beijing
- - Beijing, China Area
- - Beijing, Beijing
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- - Guangzhou, China Area
- - Guangzhou, Guangdong
- - Chongqing
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- - Chongqing, Chongqing
- - Sichuan
- - Chengdu, China Area
- - Chengdu, Sichuan
- - Liaoning
- - Shenyang, China Area
- - Shenyang, Liaoning
- - Shanghai
- - Shanghai, China Area
- - Shanghai, Shanghai
- Colombia - All Cities
- - Bogota
- - Bogota, Colombia Area
- - Bogotá, Bogota
- - San Jose
- - San Jose, Costa Rica Area
- - San Jose, San Jose
- Dominican Republic - All Cities
- - National District
- - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Area
- - Santo Domingo
- Ecuador - All Cities
- - Pichincha
- - Quito, Ecuador Area
- - Quito
- - Guayas
- - Guayaquil, Ecuador Area
- - Guayaquil
- Egypt - All Cities
- - Cairo Governorate
- - Cairo, Egypt Area
- - Cairo, Cairo Governorate
- Ireland - All Cities
- - Dublin
- - Dublin, Ireland Area
- - Dublin, Dublin
- El Salvador - All Cities
- - San Salvador
- - San Salvador, El Salvador Area
- - San Salvador
- Finland - All Cities
- - Southern Finland
- - Helsinki, Finland Area
- - Helsinki, Southern Finland
- France - All Cities
- - Ile-de-France
- - Paris, France Area
- - Paris
- Gabon - All Cities
- - Moyen-Ogooué
- Georgia - All Cities
- - T'bilisi
- - Tbilisi, Georgia Area
- - Tbilisi
- Ghana - All Cities
- - Greater Accra
- - Accra, Ghana Area
- - Accra
- Germany - All Cities
- - Bavaria
- - Berlin
- - Berlin, Germany Area
- - Berlin
- - Hesse
- - Frankfurt, Germany Area
- - Frankfurt am Main
- Greece - All Cities
- - Attica
- - Athens, Greece Area
- - Athens, Attica
- Guatemala - All Cities
- - Guatemala
- - Escuintla, Guatemala Area
- - Guatemala City
- Guyana - All Cities
- - Demerara-Mahaica
- - Parika, Guyana Area
- - Georgetown
- Hong Kong - All Cities
- Honduras - All Cities
- - Francisco Morazán
- - Tegucigalpa, Honduras Area
- - Tegucigalpa
- Croatia - All Cities
- - Grad Zagreb
- - Zagreb, Croatia Area
- - Zagreb
- Hungary - All Cities
- - Budapest
- - Budapest, Hungary Area
- - Budapest
- Indonesia - All Cities
- - Jakarta
- - Jakarta, Indonesia Area
- - Jakarta
- India - All Cities
- - Maharashtra
- - Mumbai, India Area
- - Mumbai
- - West Bengal
- - Calcutta, India Area
- - Calcutta
- - Haryana
- Israel - All Cities
- - Tel Aviv
- - Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel Area
- - Tel Aviv-Yafo
- Italy - All Cities
- - Lazio
- - Rome, Italy Area
- - Rome
- - Lombardy
- - Milan, Italy Area
- - Milan
- - Campania
- - Naples, Italy Area
- - Naples
- Cote d'Ivoire - All Cities
- - Lagunes
- - Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire Area
- - Abidjan
- Iraq - All Cities
- - Baghdad Governorate
- - Baghdad, Iraq Area
- - Baghdad
- - Diyala Governorate
- - Arbil Governorate
- - Mosul, Iraq Area
- - Erbil
- Japan - All Cities
- - Tokyo
- - Tokyo, Japan Area
- - Tokyo
- Jamaica - All Cities
- - Kingston
- - Spanish Town, Jamaica Area
- - Kingston
- Jordan - All Cities
- - Amman Governorate
- - Amman, Jordan Area
- - Ḩawwārah, Amman Governorate
- - Amman
- Kenya - All Cities
- - Nairobi
- - Nairobi, Kenya Area
- - Nairobi
- Kyrgyzstan - All Cities
- South Korea - All Cities
- - Soul
- - Seoul, South Korea Area
- - Seoul
- Kuwait - All Cities
- Kazakhstan - All Cities
- - Astana
- - Astana, Kazakhstan Area
- - Astana
- Lebanon - All Cities
- - Beirut Governorate
- - Beirut, Lebanon Area
- - Beirut
- Latvia - All Cities
- - Riga
- - Valmiera, Latvia Area
- - Riga
- Lithuania - All Cities
- - Vilniaus Apskritis
- - Vilnius, Lithuania Area
- - Vilnius
- Liberia - All Cities
- - Montserrado
- - Monrovia, Liberia Area
- - Monrovia
- Slovakia - All Cities
- - Bratislavský
- - Bratislava, Slovakia Area
- - Bratislava
- Lesotho - All Cities
- - Maseru
- - Leribe, Lesotho Area
- - Maseru
- Malawi - All Cities
- - Salima
- - Lilongwe, Malawi Area
- - Salima, Salima
- Mauritania - All Cities
- Mexico - All Cities
- - México
- - Mexico City, Mexico Area
- - Ciudad de Mexico
- - Baja California
- - Tijuana, Mexico Area
- - Tijuana, Baja California
- - Nuevo León
- - Monterrey, Mexico Area
- - Santa Catarina, Nuevo León
- Nigeria - All Cities
- - Federal Capital Territory
- - Abuja, Nigeria Area
- - Gada, Federal Capital Territory
- - Lagos
- Netherlands - All Cities
- - South Holland
- - The Hague, Netherlands Area
- - The Hague
- Nepal - All Cities
- - Central Region
- - Kathmandu, Nepal Area
- - Kathmandu
- Nicaragua - All Cities
- - Managua
- - Managua, Nicaragua Area
- - Managua
- Peru - All Cities
- - Lima Region
- - Lima, Peru Area
- - Lima, Lima Region
- Pakistan - All Cities
- - Punjab
- - Lahore, Pakistan Area
- - Lahore
- - Sind
- - Karachi, Pakistan Area
- - Karāchi
- - Islamabad
- - Rāwalpindi, Pakistan Area
- - Islamabad, Islamabad
- Poland - All Cities
- - Lublin
- - Warsaw, Poland Area
- - Poznań, Lublin
- Panama - All Cities
- - Panamá
- - Panama City, Panama Area
- - Panamá
- Portugal - All Cities
- - Lisbon District
- - Lisbon, Portugal Area
- - Lisbon, Lisbon District
- Qatar - All Cities
- - Ad Dawhah
- - Doha, Qatar Area
- - Doha
- Serbia - All Cities
- - Central Serbia
- - Belgrade, Serbia Area
- - Belgrade, Central Serbia
- Romania - All Cities
- - Bucuresti
- - Bucharest, Romania Area
- - Bucharest, Bucuresti
- Philippines - All Cities
- - Manila
- - Manila, Philippines Area
- - Manila, Manila
- Russia - All Cities
- - Moskva
- - Moscow, Russia Area
- - Moscow, Moskva
- Rwanda - All Cities
- - Kigali
- - Byumba, Rwanda Area
- - Kigali, Kigali
- Saudi Arabia - All Cities
- - Riyadh Province
- - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Area
- - Riyadh
- - Makkah Province
- - Mecca, Saudi Arabia Area
- - Jeddah
- - Tabuk Province
- South Africa - All Cities
- - Gauteng
- - Johannesburg, South Africa Area
- - Pretoria, Gauteng
- Senegal - All Cities
- - Dakar
- Spain - All Cities
- - Catalonia
- - Barcelona, Spain Area
- - Barcelona
- - Madrid
- - Madrid, Spain Area
- - Madrid
- Sweden - All Cities
- - Skåne
- - Lund, Sweden Area
- - Lund, Skåne
- Switzerland - All Cities
- - Bern
- - Bern, Switzerland Area
- - Bern
- - Geneva
- - Geneva, Switzerland Area
- - Geneva
- Thailand - All Cities
- - Krung Thep Mahanakhon
- - Bangkok, Thailand Area
- - Bangkok
- Tajikistan - All Cities
- Turkey - All Cities
- - Istanbul
- - Istanbul, Turkey Area
- - Istanbul
- - Ankara
- - Ankara, Turkey Area
- - Ankara
- - Nevsehir
- - Kayseri, Turkey Area
- - Nevşehir
- Taiwan - All Cities
- - T'ai-pei
- - Tainan, Taiwan Area
- - Taipei
- Turkmenistan - All Cities
- - Ahal
- Tanzania - All Cities
- - Dar es Salaam
- - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Area
- - Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam
- Uganda - All Cities
- Uruguay - All Cities
- - Montevideo
- - Montevideo, Uruguay Area
- - Montevideo
- Uzbekistan - All Cities
- - Tashkent
- - Tashkent, Uzbekistan Area
- - Tashkent
- Venezuela - All Cities
- - Capital District
- - Caracas, Venezuela Area
- - Caracas, Capital District
- Vietnam - All Cities
- - Hà Nội
- - Hanoi, Vietnam Area
- - Hanoi
- Namibia - All Cities
- - Khomas
- - Windhoek, Namibia Area
- - Windhoek
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Interviews at U.S. Department of State
Interviews for Top Jobs at U.S. Department of State
- Intern (91)
- Internship (35)
- Foreign Service Officer (20)
- Passport Specialist (12)
- FSO (9)
- Foreign Affairs Officer (8)
- Program Analyst (4)
- VSFS (3)
- Diplomatic Security Special Agent (3)
- Special Agent (3)
- Administrative Assistant (3)
- English Language Fellow (3)
- IT Specialist (3)
- Consular Fellow (2)
- Program Manager (2)
- Facility Manager (2)
- Office Management Specialist (2)
- Office Manager (2)
- Analyst (2)
- Consular Adjudicator (2)
- Program Assistant (2)
- Management and Program Analyst (1)
- Management Assistant (1)
- Virtual Foreign Service (1)
- Program Coordinator (1)
- Student(unpaid) (1)
- Policy Analyst (1)
- Summer Intern (1)
- Senior Project Manager (1)
- Technical Director (1)

Anonymous Employee
I applied online. I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
A behavioral interview on the phone. Lasted around 30 minutes, and no tough questions about the region or subject matter. They were more interested in seeing how I worked in a team and what my past experiences were.
- What kind of writing and editing experience do you have?

Anonymous Employee
I applied online. I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
Brief on phone. Asked questions for 10 minutes and then gave opportunities for questions from me. Nothing unexpected, just about previous work experience and my interests. The person who interviewed me ended up being my supervisor for the duration.
- Tell me about a difficult situation when you were confronted by a colleague and how you dealt with it.

Anonymous Employee
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
I only had one phone interview-I was able to look up the questions they asked online first. Super easy and they responded back quickly about the job offer via email
- What was a challenge you faced and how did you overcome?

Anonymous Employee
I applied online. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
No questions, they just called and asked if I had applied to other offices and if I heard back. They described what interning with them would look like. They then offered me the internship with them. And I accepted pretty much immediately.
- No questions, they just talked about the role

Anonymous Employee
I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
relatively straightforward; received an unexpected phone call, and after a ten minute call I had an interview scheduled for the following week. Received an offer the day after my interview
- When did you face a challenge, what are your strengths, why do you want to work here

Anonymous Employee
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at U.S. Department of State in Oct 2022
Application on USAJOBS. If selected for interview, interview consist of 20-30 minute interview usually by a desk officer for a particular office where they go over your eligibility, interest in the role and a career in diplomacy, past experiences, and general understanding of global affairs (e.g. if you are interviewing for MTA, they might ask you some basic questions about international trade and/or your take on recent salient macroeconomic developments)
- How will an internship like this at the U.S. Department of State aid in your professional development and professional goals?

Anonymous Employee
I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
The interview was really straightforward and happened over phone for multiple positions that fit my background. I heard from two positions, and got two offers. The interviews took less than an hour each.
- I don't remember the interview questions at this time.

Anonymous Employee in Chicago, IL
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at U.S. Department of State (Chicago, IL) in Aug 2022
I completed a written interview and an interview on WhatsApp with a foreign service officer. It was overall very casual and was not too difficult. The written interview was more technical and once I spoke with him over the phone, it was more about why I wanted to do it.
- Why do you want to focus on Africa?

Anonymous Employee
I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
The interview process was via video conference and occurred as scheduled. Multiple interviewers on the call, with one being the main interviewer. The interview was about 30 minutes in length.
- Asked about my previous work history.

Anonymous Interview Candidate
I interviewed at U.S. Department of State
Three member panel intervie; each asked a question or two. There was no feedback after each answer but they did provide time to ask questions. It lasted 20 mins or so.
- How would you describe your leadership style?
U.S. Department of State Interviews FAQs
Glassdoor users rated their interview experience at U.S. Department of State as 82.0% positive with a difficulty rating score of 2.92 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty). Candidates interviewing for Foreign Service Officer and Intern rated their interviews as the hardest, whereas interviews for Internship and Passport Specialist roles were rated as the easiest.
The hiring process at U.S. Department of State takes an average of 118 days when considering 299 user submitted interviews across all job titles. Candidates applying for Intern had the quickest hiring process (on average 78 days), whereas Foreign Service Officer roles had the slowest hiring process (on average 205 days).
Common stages of the interview process at U.S. Department of State according to 299 Glassdoor interviews include:
Phone Interview: 21.02%
Drug Test: 14.99%
Group Panel Interview: 14.99%
Background Check: 12.98%
One on One Interview: 9.58%
Skills Test: 7.73%
Presentation: 7.73%
IQ Intelligence Test: 4.33%
Personality Test: 3.40%
Other: 3.25%
Popular Careers with U.S. Department of State Job Seekers
Work at U.S. Department of State? Share Your Experiences
