Application Process
Applying for a job in the UN requires some preparation, so we created a step-by-step guide to give you an overview of this process.
Searching for job openings
Job openingsat the United Nations are posted daily on this website. You can also search according tolocationand your area of expertise.
If you want to receive e-mails letting you know about newly posted jobs, you must first create and log into your Inspira account. You can then perform a Job Search that can be saved to generate a Job Alert that matches your search criteria.
For instructions on how to create a Job Alert, please see the Applicant Guide (p.3).
Submitting a job application
Once you find a job inJob Openingsand decide to apply, click on “Apply”. This will link you directly to Inspira, where you can log in and either begin a new application or choose an existing application to adapt.
Depending on the job you are applying for you may get a set of questions. Similarly, you may be given a list of skills and be asked to perform a self-assessment on these.
Note: resumes are not considered a substitute or complementary to a completed online application. If any additional information or documentation is required, you will be asked to submit it during the application process.
If you have submitted your job application successfully, you will receive an automated confirmation by email shortly after submitting. Also note that once an application has been submitted it cannot be changed for that specific job opening.
Evaluation of the application
Your application is evaluated in terms of experience, education, and skills. Only if it is determined that you meet most or all of the requirements you will be contacted to undergo an assessment i.e. a knowledge-based test or another type of simulation exercise.
If it is determined that you are not eligible—or only meet some or none of the requirements for a particular job—you will be informed, at the appropriate time, that your application was unsuccessful for this particular job. In this case, you should not be discouraged but apply for other jobs for which you feel you are qualified.
Assessment exercise
The assessment exercise could be either a written exam or any other type of simulation exercise or case study. You will be informed in advance of the time, type, and length of the assessment. If, based on the result of the assessment, you are considered a good fit, you will be short-listed for a competency-based interview.
Competency-based interview
The competency-based interview can take place either via telephone, video conference or in person. You will be notified in advance of the time, duration and means and/or place of the interview. During the interview, we learn more about your combination of skills based on earlier experiences. Read more underAt Your Interview.
Selection notification and roster
If you are the selected candidate for the job, congratulations! You will be notified by email.
If you are not selected but were in the group of candidates recommended for the job opening, you will be placed on the roster for similar functions at the level and category of the job opening for possible future selection. As a roster member, you will be notified when new job openings with the same job title, level, category, and job family for which you have been rostered are advertised.
If you have been informed of your inclusion in the roster, you can potentially be selected for an upcoming job opening without having to undergo the entire application process. However, even if you are placed on a roster, we recommend that you keep applying for positions for which you think you are qualified.
Reference Checks
If you are a candidate under closer consideration, reference checks will be conducted, and you will be notified accordingly.
If you had indicated in your application that you have objections to the UN contacting your current employer, they will not be contacted until you have actually been selected for and you have confirmed your interest in a position.
APPLICANT GUIDES
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CREATING A PROFILE AND PREPARING AN APPLICATION
Register on Inspira
To apply for a job in the UN, you will need to create your own profile, as we do not work with resumes.
1Create a user profile
(My Profile), where you will include your name, nationality, contact information and marital status. You can make changes at any time and the information is automatically updated on all job applications you have already submitted.2The application formis where you will include information about your education, present and past jobs, experiences, skills etc. The application can be saved and used in multiple job openings, and you can edit it at any time. Preparing your application takes some time, we strongly suggest you do not leave it until the last minute!3When you have identified the job opening for which you want to apply, you can write aMotivation Statementexplaining why you are the best candidate for this job based on your past experiences.4
There are job advertisements and offers that falsely state that they are from the UN.The UN does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).
Creating Your Job Application
How do I apply for a job?
All job openings in the UN Secretariat are published on the United Nations Careers Portal. When you apply for a job, you have to submit an application in the UN online recruitment system. For information on how to apply for a job using the new online recruitment system, Inspira, go toApplication Process.
Completing your Application
The Inspira application is an extended online resume, specifically used by the United Nations, where you articulate your education, competencies, achievements and professional experience. The application is used to evaluate your eligibility and suitability for the job. It is your opportunity to tell your story in a way that demonstrates that you are the best candidate for the job.
If you want to apply for more than one job you can update and change your information in the online recruitment system before submitting a new application.
Understanding the job requirements
Make sure you find as much information about the job as possible and apply only to those jobs that are suited to your strengths and aspirations.
Preparing the Motivation Statement
The motivation statement, which you must complete when applying for a job at the United Nations, is the personal introduction that accompanies your application.
Your aim in the motivation statement is to describe how your experience, qualifications and competencies match the job for which you are applying. Think of your motivation statement as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other job seekers by highlighting what makes you the best match for the position.
Your motivation statement should be brief, three to four paragraphs, and as targeted as possible to the position for which you are applying. Focus on the most relevant parts of your background that relate to the job opening.
TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR JOB APPLICATION
Be concise.
Make your words count. Your use of language is extremely important; you need to project yourself efficiently. Address the job's needs with clearly written, powerful phrases. Provide small, digestible pieces of information. Use action verbs. Avoid passive sentence constructions. Avoid clichés.
Make the most of your experience.
We need to know what you have accomplished to have an idea of what you can do for us. Don't be vague. Especially in your achievements section, focus on what you've accomplished and achieved, as opposed to what you do on a daily basis. Be honest. There is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it.
Target. Target. Target.
Be specific. If you are going after more than one job opening, customize your application accordingly. The system allows you to update it, so you can tailor your application for a specific position. The same applies to your motivation statements – customize them for each application. Customizing the motivation statement is the easiest way for you to demonstrate that you have clearly read and understood the job opening.
FAQs on preparing your Application
Q:Should I target my Application to a specific Job Opening (JO)?Q:What's the difference between duties and achievements?Q:Many of my achievements are team-based, how do I draft them in my Application?
FAQs on general Application guidelines
Q:Can I save my Application?Q:Can I update my Application to apply for a new JO?Q:Must I use up all the available characters in each section of my Application?Q:How do I know if my Application has been received?
Application Tips
Applying for a job in the UN can be challenging, but extremely rewarding. With that in mind, we prepared five great tips for you to keep in mind during the application process:
Choose the right job for you
Apply only to those jobs that are suited to your strengths and aspirations and make sure to update your application to highlight important facts relevant to the job you are applying for.
Highlight your achievements
When describing past experiences, focus on what you've accomplished and achieved, as opposed to what you do on a daily basis.
Use your motivation statement to prove you are the best candidate for the position
Think of your motivation statement as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other job seekers by highlighting what makes you the best match for the position. It should be brief, three to four paragraphs, and as targeted as possible to the position for which you are applying.
Research, prepare and train for your interview
If you are called for an interview, train for competency-based interviewing techniques by preparing a wide range of brief real-life stories about your accomplishments. The structure of your answer should be: Situation, Action, Result.
Apply for as many as you can
But be targeted! The UN's selection process is very competitive, so you should not be discouraged to apply for other jobs for which you feel you are qualified in case you are declined for a position. And remember, customize your application according to each position you apply for.
Twelve students from peacekeeping missions attended the Open-Source Peacekeeping-Intelligence (OPKI) Course at the United Nations Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE). The course was designed to enable peacekeepers to verify misinformation and to support analysts in better understanding fragmented information. Carolina de Souza (Photo), Uganda, UN Photo, 2022
At Your Interview
The United Nations' greatest asset is the quality of its staff.To ensure that the very best people join the UN team we use a structured interview process. Structured interviews are also called behavioral interviews or criterionbased interviews. Such interviews are based on the concept that past behavior and experience is the best indicator of future performance. In other words, your history tells a story about you: your talents, skills, abilities, knowledge, and actual experience in handling a variety of situations.
Structured interviewing questions can look like this:
Tell us about a situation when you went above and beyond your manager's expectations.
Give an example of a time when you used your problem solving abilities to resolve an issue?
Tell us about a time where you had a number of demands being made on you at the same time? How did you handle it?
USEFUL TIPS FOR YOUR STRUCTURED INTERVIEW
Prepare a wide range of brief real-life stories about your accomplishments. Be aware of the specific skills each story illustrates and remember to include the positive outcome or lesson learned from each experience.
Be ready to discuss your strengths and your ability to learn from past experiences. Also think about how you could contribute to the work of the United Nations and to the specific position you are applying for.
Review the competencies mentioned in the job opening. These will be probed in your interview, so your stories should show your skill in these competency areas.
You should be prepared to address positive results and achievements using these competencies and also challenges you have had in each of these areas.
The structure of your answer should be: Situation, Action, Result.
Share information you feel is appropriate and relevant.
Listen to the question carefully. Keep to the point. Be as specific as possible.
Do some research on competency, or behavior-based interviews. There is a lot of material available about preparing for such an interview structure.
Learn as much as you can about the Department and Office you are applying to and the work it does.
Practice, practice, practice.
What we look for
To promote an organizational culture that enables staff to contribute to their maximum potential in an environment that is truly international and multicultural, the United Nations recognizes a number of core values and competencies which are essential for all staff, as well as the managerial competencies required by managers.All these are shared values and common standards of performance and behaviour throughout the Organization.The Core Values are the shared principles and beliefs that underpin the work of our Organization and guide the staff´s actions and behaviors. The Organization’s Core Values are “Integrity”, “Respect for Diversity” and “Professionalism” and they are aligned with theUnited Nations Charterand with the core values set out in Regulation 1 of theStaff Regulations.Acquiring a competency is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process.Formal training, experience, coaching, feedback, and individual learning activities can help. To assist staff in using competencies in their daily work and planning for their continuous learning and development, ongoing information and guidance is provided by the Organization.
CORE COMPETENCIES
The Core Competencies include a combination of skills, attributes and behaviours that need to be developed and strengthened throughout everyone's career, regardless their function or level.
The Organization’s Core Competencies are:
Communication
Teamwork
Planning and Organizing
Accountability
Client Orientation
Creativity
Technological Awareness
Commitment to Continuous Learning
MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES
The Managerial Competencies are the skills, attributes and behaviours which are considered essential for staff with managerial or supervisory responsibilities.
The Organization’s Managerial Competencies are:
Vision
Leadership
Empowering Others
Managing Performance
Building Trust
Judgement/Decision Making
Information about Tests, Assessments and Examinations
Different types of assessments, examinations and tests are used for different job opportunities.
Please review the links below for more information about each category.
QUICK LINKS
Assessments for Regular Positions
Competitive Examinations for Language Positions
The Security Officer Test
Trades and Crafts Test
Young Professionals Programme Examination
Verbal Reasoning Test for Editorial and Desktop Publishing Assistants
A view of the continuation of the Human Rights dialogue during the 21st Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). Manuel Elías (Photo), New York, UN Photo, 2022
Warning - Confidence Schemes and Scams - Employment Matters
Fake vacancy announcements have been repeatedly circulated via non-UN websites and email imitating UN email addresses. In some cases, correspondence falsely signed in the name of real officials has ensued, asking would-be applicants to part with copies of personal documents and even money.
As part of the UN Secretariat, entities post job vacancies only atcareers.un.org.Please disregard any emails, or non-UN websites, purporting to announce job vacancies, and pass on this warning to anyone you think may be affected.
The United Nations is aware of various schemes, being circulated via e-mails, from the Internet web sites, and via regular mail or fax, falsely stating that they are issued by or associated with the United Nations.
These schemes may seek to extract money and in some cases personal details from the recipients of such correspondence. Such schemes are fraudulent.
The schemes consist of letters, sent either via e-mail, fax, regular mail, or from web sites, which appear as various proposals from people purporting to be officials of the United Nations, its Funds and Programmes and other United Nations entities. The correspondence and other documents, e-mails addresses and web sites may be made to look like they originate with the United Nations. For example, they may contain official-looking United Nations stationery, including the United Nations emblem or name, or some variation thereof, and e-mail or web site addresses, including either or both of the words United Nations or some similar name, or the name of a real United Nations entity or fictitious one.
The schemes, which haveno connection whatsoever with the United Nations or the United Nations System of organizations,take many forms. New schemes are appearing with increasing frequency. A sampling of such employment scams include:
Entities such as:
United Analyze, falsely claiming to be supported by the United Nations;
The National Awareness Program on HIV/AIDS and the Mutual Partnership program, both falsely claiming to be associates with the United Nations Secretary-General;
The International Governmental Organization, falsely linked to UNHCR, UNESCO and the IMF;
The United Nations Lottery (not in fact connected with the United Nations) and a false claim that the United Nations has endorsed the British Lottery International;
The United Nations Organization Anti-Terrorism/Money Laundering Unit (not in fact connected with the United Nations) requiring payment for what are termed Anti-Terrorism Money Laundering Certificates in relation to non-existent United Nations Stop Orders (also not connected with the United Nations) on payments of funds;
The United Nations NGO Committee for Social Development (not in fact connected with the United Nations) falsely advertising job openings and offering employment; and
Communications falsely stating that they are issued by actual United Nations entities, such as the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS), and offering money, employment, free travel and visas.
Employment Scams
Offers of employment or job openings with requests for payment of fees are fraudulent. The scammers' request for the payment of fees may come only after you have accepted the fraudulent offer.The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts. Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to the United Nations for its information.
Convocations to e-mail interviews are fraudulent. The United Nations does not conduct interviews via e-mail.
Entities falsely alleging an association with United Nations recruitment activities include US Committee for UN, United Nations Center for Development Initiative and United Nations Global Military Intelligence. Many others may also exist.
SUCH USE OF THE UNITED NATIONS NAME AND EMBLEM OR OTHER NAMES OR INDICIA IN THESE SCHEMES IS UNAUTHORIZED AND ILLEGAL. THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES WILL BE INFORMED OF ANY SUCH ACTIVITIES, OF WHICH THE UNITED NATIONS BECOMES AWARE, FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THOSE AUTHORITIES.
EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN RELATION TO ANY SUSPICIOUS COMMUNICATION AS FINANCIAL LOSS AND IDENTITY THEFT COULD RESULT FROM THE SENDING OF MONEY OR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THOSE ISSUING SUCH FRAUDULENT CORRESPONDENCE.
If you become aware of suspicious job openings or offers of employment, kindly bring this to our attention using the following link:Contact us.
