EP&D Journeys:
The Career Candidate Corps (C3)
This toolkit is your access point for employee performance and development (EP&D) resources to support the first year as a Career Candidate Corps (C3) Foreign Service Officer (FSO) at USAID.

C3 Year One Roadmap

Explore this illustrative timeline for a closer look at the key activities for C3s in their first year and the related Employee Performance and Development and Promotions requirements. Click on each item for more information and related resources.
AAR1 APE QCR PIF AAR2 QCR 360 360 QCR QCR IDP C3 RM C3 ERM C3 RM ERM C3 Rotation Rotation Rotation Depart forDirectedAssignment LanguageTraining Rotation Formal Training (throughout rotations) Orientation Required Documentation Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec QuarterlyConversation ReceiveAssignment QuarterlyConversation AdminPromotion QuarterlyConversation QuarterlyConversation
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Overview of EP&D in the First Year:

While no journey is identical, let’s look at an example of a “typical” new Junior Officer’s (JO) first year.

After completing Career Candidate Corps (C3) Orientation, you are assigned to the Bureau and/or Office of your backstop in Washington. You complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP), with input from your newly assigned supervisor and Assignments and Career Counselor (ACC) or Coach in HCTM, that outlines the training and learning objectives you will pursue during your time in DC and after arriving at your new post. Throughout the year you will reconnect with your supervisor(s) in Quarterly Conversations to monitor and update your plans. These conversations are documentented in a Quarterly Conversation Record (QCR) in the ePerformance tile on LaunchPad.

Your first year is typically characterized by two to four rotational assignments, each lasting 2-weeks to 6-months, across different Bureaus or Independent Offices in DC, to provide you with a first look at USAID business processes and programs, and perhaps a Temporary Duty (TDY) assignment overseas (in-person or virtual) for up to 6 months. For any rotational assignments outside your assigned home Bureau/Office,you will complete a Rotation Memorandum (RM) outlining the objectives for the rotation. The supervisor for the rotation will complete an End of Rotation Memorandum (ERM) on your performance for rotations lasting less than 90 days. For rotations that are 90 days or longer, you will complete an Annual Accomplishment Record (AAR) signed by your supervisor during that period.

During this time, you will also complete required C3 and Backstop-specific training and be evaluated for language training needs to meet tenure requirements. If you haven’t already tested out in a language, you may then complete any language training you need (note that language training does not require a RM or AAR).

At the end of the performance cycle (which runs April 1 through March 31) your Supervisor of Record (usually the one assigned to you from your home office) will complete your Annual Performance Evaluation (APE). The APE is a simple document with only two checkboxes - one to confirm that your supervisor reviewed the Skills Assessment with you, and one to indicate that your performance is Satisfactory. If you are in danger of being evaluated as Unsatisfactory, your supervisor will give you advance warning.

If you entered as an FS-05 or lower, you will be eligible for an administrative promotion on the one year anniversary date of your entry in the agency. You will complete a Promotion Input Form (PIF) in month 11 for review by the administrative promotion review board. It is the same form you will complete later once you are eligible for promotion from the FS-04 to FS-03 level (after one full performance cycle at grade), but you are not expected to complete all blocks as an FS-05. The goal is to familiarize you with an important component of the competitive promotion process.

When you have completed your required training (including language), you will be scheduled for departure for your first directed assignment overseas! Your time in Washington /U.S. will be shorter or longer than one year based on your training needs, but on average new Career Candidates spend slightly over a year in headquarters before going overseas.


Explore the roadmap above to learn more about each activity and requirement.

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