How to Get a Job With the United Nations

8/12/2019 How to Get a Job With the United Nations

1/21

How to Get a Job With the

United NationsEdited by Flickety, Jack Herrick, Waited, Krystle and 46 othersThree Methods:Preparing to ApplyApplying for a JobApplying to the Young

Professionals Programme

Whether you want to prevent environmental degradation, help

impoverished areas develop their economies, or advance

progressive causes, the United Nations may have the ideal job

for you. The UN is a huge employer and offers opportunities for

advancement and career variety comparable to those found in

large private companies. Competition for most positions is

fierce, but with a lot of preparation and a little luck, you may

land your dream job with the UN.

Method 1 of 3: Preparing to Apply
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nationshttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nationshttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Preparing_to_Apply_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Preparing_to_Apply_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Applying_to_the_Young_Professionals_Programme_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Applying_to_the_Young_Professionals_Programme_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Applying_to_the_Young_Professionals_Programme_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Applying_to_the_Young_Professionals_Programme_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Applying_to_the_Young_Professionals_Programme_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Preparing_to_Apply_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#Preparing_to_Apply_subhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nationshttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations


2/21

1.

1Research career options at the UN.Browse through theUnited Nations website to get a feel for the different types of

work available at the UN. Which areas interest you most? Are

there areas you are already qualified for? Are there areas you

would like to work in but for which you still need qualifications?

Conduct research before starting your job search. Look at the

following websites for information:
http://www.wikihow.com/Image:Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations-Step-2.jpg


3/21

The UN Official website (http://careers.un.org) UN Job Monster website (http://www.unjobmonster.com) The UN Job List website (http://unjoblist.org)

Ad

2.

2
http://careers.un.org/http://careers.un.org/http://careers.un.org/http://www.unjobmonster.com/http://www.unjobmonster.com/http://www.unjobmonster.com/http://unjoblist.org/http://unjoblist.org/http://www.wikihow.com/Image:Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations-Step-1.jpghttp://unjoblist.org/http://www.unjobmonster.com/http://careers.un.org/


4/21

Decide what staff category you want to pursue.UN careers

are divided into different staff categories, each of which require

a specific educational background and area of expertise. The

categories are further broken down into jobs at different levels

that require varying amounts of work experience. Taking into

account your skills, interest and experience, decide which

category and level is appropriate for you. Here are the

options:[1]

Professional and higher categories (P and D) General Service and related categories (G, TC, S, PIA, LT) National Professional Officers (NO) Field Service (FS) Senior Appointments (SG, DSG, USG and ASG)
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-1http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-1http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-1http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-1


5/21

3.

3Make sure you have the required education andexperience.Each career option has specific education and

experience requirements. Before you apply for a job, make sure

you have all the prerequisites. If you don't, your application

won't be considered. Here are common requirements for many

positions at the UN:


6/21

Fluency inEnglish orFrench,the working languages of theorganization. Fluency in additional languages,

particularlyArabic,Chinese,Spanish,orRussian,is helpful for

most positions.

A bachelor's degree or higher. Some lower-level generalistpositions (mostly clerical or secretarial jobs in the General

Service category) require only a high school diploma and,

usually, relevant work experience, but most positions in the UN

require at least abachelors degree.Many specialist positions

require advanced degrees in the area of specialty.

Work experience in a related field. Depending on the positionfor which you are applying, you might need anywhere from 1 - 7

years of work experience.

Method 2 of 3: Applying for a Job
http://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Englishhttp://www.wikihow.com/Speak-Frenchhttp://www.wikihow.com/Speak-Arabichttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Mandarin-Chinesehttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-to-Speak-Spanishhttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Russianhttp://www.wikihow.com/Excel-in-High-Schoolhttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Degree-Onlinehttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Degree-Onlinehttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Degree-Onlinehttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Degree-Onlinehttp://www.wikihow.com/Excel-in-High-Schoolhttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Russianhttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-to-Speak-Spanishhttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Mandarin-Chinesehttp://www.wikihow.com/Speak-Arabichttp://www.wikihow.com/Speak-Frenchhttp://www.wikihow.com/Learn-English


7/21

1.

1Browse available jobs.Look at the UN employmentwebsite[2]to see current vacancies. These are constantly

updated, so if you dont immediately see a position that fits your

goals and qualifications, check back often.
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-2http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-2http://www.wikihow.com/Image:Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations-Step-4.jpghttp://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-2


8/21

2.

2Register for a My UN account.Click on the Register as aUser option at the top of the UN employment website. You will

be required to fill in your name, email, and date of birth, as well

as creating a user name and password.


9/21

3.

3Create your Personal History Profile (PHP).Once youregister you will be prompted to create your PHP. This profile

will be your confidential online resume, and includes general

information about you, your education, and your employment

history. You will only need to complete this once, but you can

edit it for different vacancies if you wish.


10/21

You can complete the PHP right away, or come back later. Itwill take between 30 minutes to one hour to complete, and you

can save a partially completed profile at any time and return to

finish it.

Ensure that your PHP is thorough, detailed, accurate, andpicture perfect. When you apply for a position, the PHP is the

first (and, initially, only) thing the recruiter will see. If you don t

do a good job of representing your qualifications, or if your

profile is marred by spelling or grammar mistakes, your

application will be passed over.

You can continue to update your PHP at any time, but makesure it is in perfect condition when you actually apply for a listed

vacancy.


11/21

4.

4Select the job for which you're applying.Be certain youmeet all its requirements; if not, either have very good reasons

for why the recruiter might overlook whatever is lacking, or

dont apply. The UN website makes itclear that you can apply

for as many vacancies as you like, but your credibility will be

hurt if you apply for positions for which you are not qualified.


12/21

5.

5Apply for the chosen vacancy by following the onlineinstructions.You will be prompted to submit your most recent

version of the PHP, along with any other information required

by the particular vacancy. Update the PHP if necessary before

submitting your application.


13/21

Provide an e-mail address so that they can acknowledge yourapplication. If you dontget such acknowledgment within 24

hours, contact them again for confirmation.

6.

6Wait for an interview invitation.Only candidates selected for

an interview will be contacted, and this can take some time.

You may check the status of your application in the Application

History of your My UN account. Many positions require that


14/21

you pass an examination in order to be considered. Follow the

instructions given for the specific vacancy for which you are

applying.

Method 3 of 3: Applying to the Young

Professionals Programme

1.

1


15/21

Make sure you're eligible.The Young Professionals

Programme (YPP) is intended for talented young men and

women with little to no work experience. Those who are eligible

may take a written and oral examination to determine whether

they qualify for placement on the job roster for YPP

participants. Those on the job roster are selected for YPP jobs

as they become available. To be eligible for the YPP, you must

meet the following requirements:

Be 32 years or younger Hold at least a first-level university degree in one of the job

families offered[3]

Be fluent in either English or French Be a national of a participating country
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-3http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-3http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-3


16/21

2.

2Register for a My UN account.Click on the Register as aUser option at the topof the UN employment website. You will

be required to fill in your name, email, and date of birth, as well

as creating a user name and password.


17/21

3. 3Create your Personal History Profile.Once you register you

will be prompted to create your Personal History Profile. This

profile will be your confidential online resume, and includes

general information about you, your education, and your

employment history.

You can complete the PHP right away, or come back later. Itwill take between 30 minutes to one hour to complete, and you

can save a partially completed profile at any time and return to

finish it.

Make sure you fill out the space for your "Country ofNationality" with a country participating in the YPP program.

4. 4Apply for a job.As a YPP candidate, you must select a job

labeled "YPP Examination." Choose a job in the job family

you're interested in and qualified for. Fill out the correct


18/21

combination of Main Course of Study and Field of Study that

matches your degree and the requirements for the job. You can

submit only oneapplication for an examination.[4]

After completing the forms, click "Apply Now" to submit yourapplication. You'll need to answer a few screening questions

and agree with the terms to successfully submit the application.

You will receive an email confirmation that your application was

received.

Your application will be evaluated, and you will either be invitedto take the examination or informed that you are not eligible.

5. 5Take the written examination.If you are eligible, you will be

invited to take the written examination. It lasts 4 1/2 hours and

consists of two parts: the General Paper, which is the same for

all job families, and the Specialized Paper, which tests your

knowledge on your specific area of expertise. If you pass the

test, you will be invited to take the oral examination.[5]
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-4http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-4http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-5http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-5http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-5http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-5http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Job-With-the-United-Nations#_note-4


19/21

6.

6Take the oral examination.This is an interview conducted bythe Specialized Board to determine whether you have the skills

and behaviors required for the jobs within the job family you're

applying for. After the examination, you will be contacted by the

Central Examinations Board to let you know whether or not you

may participate in YPP.


20/21

7.

7Receive endorsement from the Central ExaminationsBoard.If your interview is successful, the Central Examinations

Board will endorse you for a position on the YPP job roster.

When a job in the appropriate job family becomes available,

you will receive an offer.


21/21

Receiving an endorsement doesn't automatically mean you willget a job. While the chances are quite high, getting an offer is

dependent on job availabilities in your job family.

If your interview is not successful, you'll be contacted by theCentral Examinations Board to let you know that you did not

receive an endorsement.

Documents

How to Get a Job With the United Nations