In attempt to share my “institutional knowledge,” I’m starting a new feature: Foreign Service Frequently Asked Questions (FSFAQ). Scratch that, let’s call it Foreign Service Questions, or – “FSQs” for short! I’ll occasionally share my personal real-life experiences to frequently asked questions posed on FB and Reddit.

Q: Help! Bids were announced today and I did not receive a BLC — Bureau Leading Candidate — notification (previously known as an “air kiss”). What happens now? Do I keep bidding? What if I don’t get a job? I’m departing post in X weeks / months!

A: In short: you keep bidding. You will eventually get a job. On my first 03 midlevel bid, I was gutted when I did not receive an offer on handshake day. I submitted a new bid list, kept bidding, putting out feelers, but no dice. I expanded my search to places I never would have otherwise considered, and still no luck. I was a finalist for a 30% hardship post, then lost the job to an out-of-cone officer with less experience because they were part of a tandem couple courted by the FO. That really stung. Then I stupidly lost a good DC job because I made a newbie mistake of honestly telling the decision maker that they weren’t my top choice. Winter turned to spring. I was less than 2 months from my PCS date and in full panic mode when, out of the blue, I got a late-night call from my CDO asking: “Dream Post A or Dream Post B – whichever you pick, it’s yours!” Turns out that both posts had experienced sudden, unexpected curtailments. Their loss was our gain, as both jobs were in-cone, at-grade, and perfect timing. What followed became one of favorite tours ever (Calgary, Canada!) The point is: You never know what’s going to come on, or drop off, a bid list. Keep plugging away and networking. You will find a job, and it could unexpectedly become your favorite tour!