Whilst most translators and interpreters work in the private sector, a career in national institutions as a civil servant can be an appealing professional path for would-be translators and interpreters. However, students are often unaware of career options for translators and interpreters in government institutions. This article starts with a brief outline of the Translation and Interpreting Service of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before going on to analyse the four most recent entrance examinations. The lack of prior research and the limited information and resources available for prospective candidates call for clarification of the selection procedure for these positions. A thorough, critical analysis provides useful insights into the selection process that allows successful candidates to pursue a career as a translator or interpreter in Spanish government institutions. The results show that the examination process is highly demanding, owing to the limited number of advertised positions and the complexity and number of the exams. Furthermore, the analysis reveals some deficiencies regarding the range of skills assessed in these examinations. Ultimately, this study can be understood as a starting point for a more extensive, comparative analysis of the examination process for official translator/interpreter positions in national and supranational institutions worldwide.