Inside diplomacy: Bidding for senior jobs
Part 2: How I became Ambassador to Vietnam
Several subscribers have asked for personal anecdotes from inside diplomacy. I’ll tell you about that side of the job serving as British Ambassador at Hanoi, starting today.
This week:
getting that role and how the process works
how to pass a test in senior recruitments
the race to be the world’s top diplomat
16 curated jobs / opportunities
Bidding for overseas jobs, part 2
Ambassador to Vietnam
When I bid to be British Ambassador at Hanoi, I didn’t expect success.
In the British system, diplomats, ambassadors included, compete internally at HQ and overseas. Some positions are advertised externally; almost all are open to internal competition. The most sought-after postings get dozens of bids.
Getting chosen
A few individuals with connections, “one of us” or the “right” profile, are approached and offered desirable positions without competition.
I was offered my first posting in Bangkok that way.
The office called to offer me the job for 6 months (“temporary duty”) while they recruited a permanent successor. The reasons were less about my connections and more about who was available at short notice and keen.
Persistent, constructive contact with HR didn’t hurt, as I sought a posting as soon as I could get one. In most bureaucracies, the squeaky wheel gets the oil - so long as it squeaks with positive energy.
A couple of months later the easy option for the “Personnel and Operations” diplomats was to ask me if I wanted to extend for a full 3 years. By that time, having survived various shocks, I was beginning to understand what an embassy was and wanted to stay there.
The ministry also formally identifies a small cadre of “star” diplomats.
A committee categorises diplomats by current perceived performance and future perceived potential. (Some say the more salient factor is how much their profile mirrors that of committee members.)
It’s the 10% who rank high on both axes who get the star treatment: additional training, sponsorship, support.
Finding the right job
For the slightly less stellar majority, bidding takes time.
First you look for roles that fall vacant when you your own ends. HR produce a helpful list (a “forward look” of overseas and “home” positions).
For each role of interest you do your research, read the post overview, analysis, business plan and reporting, talk to those involved in the recruitment, the incumbent, the boss, the deputy, the London desk...
…and not least your own family. Amongst many questions you may want to address:
Whether you want that particular job and think its a good fit
Whether you have real expertise to offer in that country
Who are the diplomatic and local staff, how’s morale?
Could you (all) live happily in that country for years?
What career opportunities could your partner have?
How are the international schools and hospitals?
Could your elderly relatives visit or vice versa?
How well do you speak the language(s)?
Your internal application must include your CV and a manifesto:
What’s your approach to the diplomatic challenges?
How would you bring your skills to bear?
What would you expect to achieve?
It can be a mistake to lobby too hard, as a subscriber reminded me with this anecdote about a diplomat lobbying to become their successor at in a senior overseas role:
He went so far as to return to his old haunts (at his own expense) to spread the word about his hopes.
I was taken to the side at a Residence dinner I was giving for a visiting Minister, by a very senior member of the British business community and asked that I make it clear to London, please, that said community would be very unhappy indeed if…
I duly relayed the message to [my capital], with the hoped-for result.
Preparing for interview
Like many jobs, the position of Ambassador in Hanoi was advertised around a year in advance, to allow for notice periods, preparation, briefings, and ideally some language training.
The Foreign Office seemed to undervalue the relationship; our development ministry (DFID) ran one of our largest aid programmes in the world there.
There was a British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City as well as an Embassy in Hanoi: 2 missions to lead together.
Image: on stage as Ambassador in Hanoi, 2012
Impact as a head of mission in Riga at the sharp end of the 2008 economic crisis gave me some credibility. Latvia’s population is under 2 million, Vietnam’s 100 million, not to mention Vietnam’s singular challenges and opportunities; but the step-up felt right.
With experience in the region, the private sector and single-party communist states, I thought I might help unlock something more strategic and ambitious.
I pitched this in my bid and was invited to interview. 3-4 interview candidates means 80-90% don’t get that far.
How these interviews feel
The panel interview is usually chaired by the incumbent’s boss. They’ve had to organise the process, talk to candidates, conduct the sift, provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates, find support and set up the interviews.
Those were once HR roles. After cuts, responsibility passed to the “hiring manager” - usually the line manager of the role under recruitment.
For a Deputy Ambassador, that’s the Ambassador. For an Ambassador, the boss is typically a Director back at HQ.
Private sector HR management experience (like mine) puts you in a small minority amongst senior British diplomats.
Interviewers are usually required to follow a rigid format, assess only behaviours and repeat pre-worded questions. Panels tend to select people who shine at tackling this particular type of interview.
There’s a premium on avoiding risk and recruiting candidates who tick the corporate-style skills boxes. This may have achieved a reduction in bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Expertise, even in-country experience and languages, may carry little weight.
The panels typically include someone outside the policy, geographic or thematic area in focus, to help ensure objectivity. The rules require a gender mix, and reasonable adjustments for any candidates with disabilities.
Recruitment for senior jobs often includes “staff engagement” tests. Advice on those below.
My interview followed a well-worn format: an opportunity to make a short pitch followed by a series of predictable questions about 4 specific “competences” (such as leadership and delivering at pace), squeezed into 35 minutes.
“Tell me about a time when you had to…”
The panel rated candidates against each (scale of 1-5), added the scores, and compared the totals.
Their notes were collected as evidence in case of any appeal. Appeals are very rare: what do they do for the reputation of the appellant? But the possibility is an incentive for interviewers to stick to the format.
It went fine, but there were other impressive (and some better connected) candidates. It was a surprise at my desk in the London office to open an email and read “congratulations”.
Before celebrating with my family I thought, “up to a year to learn Vietnamese and prepare for this awesome opportunity”.
Coming in part 3: wrong.
Opportunities of the week
French Defence Attaché’s Prize for academic work that deepens understanding of Franco-British defence cooperation
Centre for European Reform, Clara Marina O’Donnell Fellowship, October 2026 to April 2027, London
Voluntas International Analyst Programme, Nairobi, Tunis and Beirut. 12 months “at the heart of global development and humanitarian efforts”.
European Space Agency, Junior Professional Programme. For Master’s degree graduates with professional experience. Join ESA for 4 years, with learning and development to prepare you for a permanent position.
Paid summer positions on the Future Leaders Programme, Cambridge Zero, 13 July to 11 September
Staff Engagement Test
I took part in many diplomacy recruitments as chair or panel member. I want to help you understand and do yourself justice at these sorts of processes, whatever sector you work in.
How to succeed
5 unofficial pieces of advice I picked up from watching and assessing senior candidates:
