Alum provides glimpse into legal life abroad
Securing a job as a Foreign Service officer is no easy task. Just ask USC Gould alum Ari Nathan ’85. For every 10,000 applicants, a mere 300 are recruited to work in this field. Nathan, a current Foreign Service officer, recently spoke to law students about international legal career opportunities. The Government Law Organization sponsored the lunchtime event.
After graduating from USC Gould, Nathan practiced law for four years in California before moving to the island of Palau where he worked as President's legal counsel and Attorney General.
“I constantly use the analytical reasoning, writing, and synthesis skills I acquired in school,” Nathan said.
He then returned to the U.S. to earn a Ph.D in international relations and worked for the United Nations before starting his current job at the U.S. Department of State.
“As an employee of the United States government, my job is to help implement our international government policies and to help U.S. citizens abroad,” he said.
One thing Nathan has become accustomed to: change. He has lived on four continents during the past ten years. During this time he has worked on issues ranging from securing renewable energy in Spain, to the re-establishment of civil society in Colombia, to spurring economic development in Iraq.
Although he is currently living in the United States, Nathan won’t stay put for long. Next up: moving to Kathmandu, Nepal to work as a Regional Environmental Officer with seven countries to establish joint environmental agreements.
Nathan, who is married with twin daughters, said the constant moving can be a challenge for his family.
“To me, it’s about finding jobs that are satisfying and that give my family a rich, good life,” he said. “I am able to travel to fascinating places and interact with people at a wide range of levels, and every couple of years I get to move to an whole new country and do a whole new job.”
Nathan encouraged students to be patient and persistent when looking to secure a job in this industry. The Foreign Service officer evaluation process requires passing a written test, oral evaluation, and a security clearance. Knowledge of a foreign language or an internship with the Department of State abroad is often beneficial.
For more information about a potential career as a Foreign Service officer, please visit: http://www.state.gov/
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