Posting
entry by Millie McDevitt, International Executive Life Coach and Founder of Calmer Waters Coaching UK
Term to describe location and time period of a placement, usually for professional purposes, overseas.
Comparable terms
International assignment (HR / global mobility); overseas tour (diplomatic / military); foreign posting (diplomatic service)
Why this matters
Commonly used in the diplomatic world but not always understood by others.
Cross-references
International Assignment (Transitions & Mobility), Relocation Cycle (Transitions & Mobility), Departure Cycle (Transitions & Mobility), Accompanying Partner (Transitions & Mobility), Assignment Success (Transitions & Mobility), Transition Fatigue (Transitions & Mobility). These entries together frame a posting as one segment within a broader lifecycle: the international assignment is the formal employment structure, the relocation cycle and departure cycle describe the stages of moving into and out of a posting, the accompanying partner entry highlights the family member whose role is most affected by posting decisions, assignment success captures how well the posting meets organizational and personal goals, and transition fatigue names the cumulative exhaustion that can arise across multiple postings over time.
Sources
Diplomats: Who They Are, What They Do, and Why It Matters – University of British Columbia SPPGA resource describing diplomats rotating between postings abroad and ministry roles over several‑year tours.
Foreign Service Officer – Model Diplomat glossary describing officers “bidding on subsequent postings through the open‑assignments cycle.”
Black, J.S., Gregersen, H.B., Mendenhall, M.E. 1992. Global Assignments. Jossey‑Bass – foundational text on international assignments and the assignment lifecycle.
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