December 11, 2013, by Jemma Utley

Cicely Dudley’s International Ambition

By Cicely Dudley, MA Diplomacy (2014)

ciciley

When I was younger, I wanted to be a journalist

I was a really nosy child and loved the thought of being able to snoop about people’s business for a living! Like a lot of children, I was always questioning the world and how it worked, and I admired the people I saw on the news for “knowing everything”.

When I left school, I wanted to be a full-time student

When I left school I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to go to university, but I couldn’t see much further than that! I found the idea of choosing full-time employment overwhelming. Luckily, my Careers service was there to help me make up my mind.

In 10 years I would like to be…

Working in a British embassy overseas for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I’m fascinated by international relations and how countries relate to one another on the world stage, and that position will give me an opportunity to be a part of it. It’ll also allow me to work abroad, which has always been a dream.

How I’m going to get there

Firstly, I’m going to get practising my psychometric tests so I can progress through the Foreign and Commonwealth graduate scheme! They set the bar really, really high but with enough practice I’m confident I can be selected. That scheme is only open once a year so in the meantime I’m aiming to gain work experience in related fields; politics, administration and public affairs.

I’m also taking extra French lessons to boost my language skills. I keep a keen eye on world news stories and how British foreign policy is changing to ensure I’m always up to date. I also follow organisations like @FCOcareers and @BritishCouncil on Twitter so that if any internship/work experience opportunities arise, I’m the first to know!

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