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MAGDA, CIVIL SERVICE, PROGRAM ANALYST: My name is Magda.
I work for the Office of Adjudication
at Passport Headquarters.
I'm a Program Analyst.
And basically what we do at the Office of Adjudication
is we work on passport policy.
I started off as a contractor, and with my interaction
with the Passport Specialists, I was able to really see,
this is an opportunity that I'd love to pursue.
So six months later, I became a Passport Specialist.
I was afforded the opportunity to do that.
Then, two years later, I came to DC,
where I took a different position as a Program Analyst,
with the Office of Acceptance facility,
and then two years after that,
I started with the Office of Adjudication Policy.
You know, at the beginning of your time with Passport Services,
they do...you do like a three week long,
or maybe a little longer, training program,
where you go and you learn almost every facet of the job.
So, you're really well-trained.
You know, every day was really a new day,
and you always had new interactions.
And I really can't pinpoint one certain situation,
but I can tell you that every day, when you went out there,
and you were working with the customers at the counter,
you always got to hear some sort of story,
whether it was sad, or it was a happy one,
or a family going to a vacation for the first time.
That just always made you feel so special.
So I think, all around, it was the everyday
interaction with our customers.
I learned a lot while I was a Passport Adjudicator,
but I think the greatest skills that I acquired
while I was working in that position, were the analytical skills that,
you know, I was able to learn,
and also critically, to think fast on my feet.
I think those were really transferrable over to my position now.
And also some customer service skill,
and being empathetic to people.
You know, if you're looking
for opportunities for, first of all, to broaden your horizons,
and if you are interested in the international field,
this is really a way to sort of dip your feet in,
and it's a great way to really broaden your skills as well.
So, it's a good starting point, I would definitely say,
and you get to meet awesome people, work with really dedicated people.
Working for the government sometimes, or trying to get into the government sometimes,
can be a little frustrating, because it seems to be so hard.
But, you know, at the end it really does pay off,
if you are persistent with it.
Having a second language is extremely beneficial.
You know, we do work with a very diverse audience,
and I speak Portuguese.
I would probably use it on a daily basis,
especially since we have a huge Brazilian community in the Boston region.
I also spoke Spanish a lot
because we had a huge Dominican population in Boston.
So I think having a second or third language is a huge benefit.
And you will use the skills.