Additional Information
There is no educational requirement for the position of ambassador. However,
most ambassadors have at least one post-secondary degree.
About 30 percent of ambassadors are politically appointed. Most of these
people have contributed a lot of money and/or time to a winning presidential
campaign. The other 70 percent are career foreign service ambassadors. These
people have worked their way up through the ranks of the U.S. Department of
State. Many started out as foreign service officers. However, few foreign
service officers actually reach the rank of ambassador during their careers.
People who want to become foreign service officers must apply to the U.S.
Department of State. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. They must be 20 to
59 years of age on the day they submit their application. They must also be
available for assignments anywhere in the world.
Foreign service officers are not required to know a foreign language. However,
being able to speak one or more languages will make them more competitive
during the selection process.
A background in international studies is useful, though not required for
entry into the foreign services, says Heather Hodges. She has served as the
U.S. ambassador to Ecuador. "We have people who are lawyers, we have people
who are economists, we have people who have done political science, and linguists."
An interest in foreign affairs is important. "I think it's always important
to have followed major newspapers or major news magazines that cover foreign
affairs, to know what's going on in the world," says Hodges.
You also have to like living in foreign countries, and be "willing to accept
the challenges of sometimes being under difficult circumstances.
"For some people, it's a hardship to move every two or three years [with
the foreign service]," says Hodges. "They'd much rather be sitting in Washington,
D.C., painting their house the color they want. So, it's not for everybody."