On October 22, 2020 at 4pm, I attended a virtual event via Zoom called “Career Conversations about the Department of State.” This event allowed students to listen to a Q&A session involving three different Department of State workers. Although I do not have any interest in working within the Department of State, I enjoy hearing about diverse careers that are far outside of mine. Listening to the three guest speakers on the Zoom call was different yet interesting for me as a business student. As an IA Scholar, I think it is important to learn more about career paths in the industry. I learned that working in foreign affairs is a competitive yet rewarding pursuit.

One of the questions that was asked during this event involved COVID-19. Obviously, the Coronavirus Pandemic is a major part of our everyday lives now. The interviewer asked the three Department of State employees how their day-to-day duties have been altered due to the pandemic. The three workers explained that face-to-face meetings are far less frequent and far less lengthy. Much of their career is based around in-person discussions or negotiations. Although some formal meetings may be in person, most informal meetings are no longer utilized. The three workers said they enjoyed informal meetings in the past. Meeting with others at coffee shops, restaurants, or even bars was a great to connect on a more personalized level.

The three panelists were then asked about their first experiences abroad. I enjoyed listening to this topic the most as I hope to travel abroad soon. All three panelists explained that their experiences abroad were life changing. One panelists decided to get her masters degree after her first trip abroad. She received her masters degree from a major Australian university. She reiterated that going abroad really set the foundation for her career and future. Another panelist shared some stories from her first experience abroad. She explained that her first experience abroad was eye opening because she witnessed an economic collapse. This is what led her to pursue a career that mixed both foreign affairs and economics.

Like I said, learning more about different career path is interesting to me. Although I personally will never pursue a career in foreign affairs, I believe that it is exciting to hear from people who have. Those who work in foreign affairs take on difficult tasks but greatly enjoy what they do.