5 Ways to Position Yourself For a Job at the United Nations
Having worked as a U.N. HR Professional for years, I can assure you: the only thing more frustrating than an individual not finding the access point to land a job at the UN; is the UN not finding enough talent for open positions! The UN looks to fill jobs on a regular basis so do not get discouraged if you are struggling to find an entry point. Whilst it is often a convoluted and murky process, doing these five things can help tighten your search.
Increase your knowledge. The United Nations is not one singular employer, think of it more as a giant gumball machine. The UN is made up of a wide variety of organizational entities (centres, agencies, organizations, commissions, programmes, etc.) with different institutional and functional structures. Explore an area of interest to you e.g children and youth (UNICEF), human rights and gender equality (UNFPA).
Learn your SDGs not ABCs. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected.
Are you interested in the reduction of poverty, gender rights, Water and Sanitation, Climate Change, Partnerships? The SDGs can help you gage where you might be interested in expanding your work. Ultimately, it is about using your best skills in an area of work that you love and focusing on organisations that are aligned with your values and interests.Get online. Sign up to https://careers.un.org/, www. www.impactpool.org or www.devex.com. Impactpool and Devex are job search platforms that provide resources and links to countless jobs in the international development and humanitarian sector. They connect applicant and job seeker.
Consider short term contracts.There are different options and terms; Temporary Appointments (TAs), Temporary Job Openings (TJOs), consultancies which all differ from Fixed Term (FTs) and are usually easier to come by. Be sure to sign up through the UN job section and set up an alert for any jobs that may be a good match.
Volunteer. Consider volunteering. UN volunteers is one entry point into the United Nations Volunteers (UNV). This option is also offered virtually. Don’t be fooled, volunteers have become staff and different types of contracts are available.
Has this been useful, drop me a line to let me know what else would be helpful as you look for opportunities within the UN system.
Hugs and joy
