Why You Should Start a Career in Diplomacy

On January 27, representatives from three different diplomatic entities came to speak to Secondary School students as part of the school’s continuing Career Talk series. Representatives included Lisa Heller, the Minister Counsellor of Public Affairs at the United States Embassy, Carmen Cano, Deputy Head of the European Union’s Delegation to China, and Brian Hewson, Political Counsellor of the New Zealand Embassy.

Their Q&A session was full of tips for would-be diplomats and some of the most important traits needed to survive and thrive in the challenging world of diplomatic work.

Why They Got Involved
All three of the representatives listed different paths to their involvement in their respective diplomatic organisations. Ms Cano explained, “I found myself gravitating towards the field of diplomacy because it was a way to do something different. I was eager to represent my country abroad while also gaining the opportunity to visit other countries and experience their unique cultures firsthand.” Ms Heller, on the other hand, gave up her position at NASA so that she could pursue her career abroad through the Foreign Service. Mr Hewson graduated with a degree in history and found diplomacy work as a political analyst a natural fit with his interests.

Click "read more" for the complete list of tips for becoming a successful diplomat.