Be the change you want to see with these careers at United Nations!

For the past 75 years, the United Nations has been a platform to ensure peace and security across borders. With all the chaos and commotion the world has seen, it is through this platform that we can make a change. 24 October on United Nations Day and is the right time to explore careers with this awe-inspiring body. 

There is a famous quote by the second secretary-general of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, which says, “The United Nations was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.” It very well explains the power this organisation holds in terms of making fundamental changes to the world we live in. It was established back in 1945 on 24th October, which has since then been celebrated as United Nations Day. With more than seven decades worth of operations under its belt, let us explore the types of careers at United Nations which you can opt for to be a part of this revolution. 

Permanent staff categories

If you’re looking for full-time careers at the United Nations, then continue reading to explore the permanent staff positions the organisation provides. With more than 40 thousand people working at the UN, the demand keeps increasing day by day. It is expected that you have several years of experience behind you, in many cases several diplomas and knowledge of several languages for the following posts:

1. Professional and higher categories

As one of the most advanced careers at United Nations, Staff members in the Professional and higher categories are normally internationally recruited and are expected to serve at different duty stations throughout their career with the Organization. You are expected to have an advanced degree, along with a minimum of two years of work experience. Knowledge of at least two of the six official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) is also a plus point. 

Examples of this category include Senior Administrative Officer, Secretary to the Commission, Human resources Officer, Financial Information Officer, and other front-end high-level job positions. 

2. General service and related activities

The functions in the General Service and related categories include administrative, secretarial and clerical support as well as specialized technical functions such as printing, security and buildings maintenance. Staff in the General Service and related categories are generally recruited locally from the area in which the particular office is located but could be of any nationality. Along with a high school diploma, you are required to pass the Global General Services Test (GGST) and any specialised test required for specific functions.

Examples of this category include Meeting Services Assistant, Team Assistant, Finance and Budget Assistant, Public Information Assistant, and other careers at United Nations which are typically procedural, operational or technical in nature.

3. National Professional Officers

National Professional Officers are nationals of the country in which they are serving and their functions must have a national context (like experience or knowledge of the national language, culture, institutions, and systems). Examples of these positions include Human Rights Officers, Political Affairs Officers, Legal Officers, Medical Officers, Child Protection Officers, Humanitarian Affairs Officers, Interpreters and Civil Engineers.  

The qualifications for National Professional Officers are the same as for the Professional category and require as a minimum a first-level university degree. 

4. Field Service

If you’re looking for careers at United Nations which give you opportunities to travel, then the Field Service category is for you. Field Service staff members provide administrative, technical, logistics and other support services to United Nations field missions. Along with a high school diploma, You are expected to be highly mobile and to serve in different locations during your career.

5. Senior appointments

These appointments are senior-level careers at the United Nations and are extremely tough to secure. The positions are Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Under-Secretary-General, and Assistant Secretary-General.

Young Professionals Program

This is one of the most direct ways to kickstart careers at the United Nations. The UN Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is a recruitment initiative for talented, highly qualified professionals to start a career as an international civil servant with the UN Secretariat. It consists of an entrance examination process. It is important that you are a national citizen of a participating country, hold a first-level university degree, are under the age of 32, and fluent in either English or French to be eligible. India is not a participating country for YPP 2020, however, the participating countries keep on changing every year so look out!

Language Professionals

If you have a great command over languages and are looking to make a livelihood out of them, then there are several careers at United Nations for language professionals. The UN organizes competitive examinations to recruit language professionals (editors, interpreters, translators, verbatim reporters and copy preparers, proofreaders, production editors) to fill posts in its language services. These are referred to as language competitive examinations or LCEs. You need to be fluent in at least three of the six official UN languages to be eligible for the exam. 

Volunteer program

Another wonderful way to kickstart careers at the United Nations is by volunteering. In the UN there are two programs for volunteers: UN Volunteers (from 25 years) and UN Youth Volunteers (from 18 to 29 years). For the first, you need to have a diploma, 2 years of experience and speak English, French or Spanish. For the youth program, the requirements depend on specific vacancies, but, as a rule, experience and diploma are not required. As a UN Volunteer, you receive a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) which covers basic needs, housing and utilities.

Internship program

What better way to explore careers at the United Nations by interning with them? After all, internships give you a taste of the career path you wish to choose. This could be a wonderful opportunity if you are thinking of entering the world of diplomacy and public policy. The internship month is for 2-6 months, with applications open on their official website. 

Consultants

The United Nations frequently engages experts under individual contracts to work on short-term projects either as a consultant or an individual contractor. The functions of a consultant are results-oriented and normally involve analysing problems, directing seminars or training courses, preparing documents for conferences and meetings, or writing reports on matters within their area of expertise. The careers at United Nations under this category include: Graphic Designer, Data Scientist, and Humanitarian Panel Experts on issues like climate change, urban planning, human trafficking, disaster management, and the list goes on. 

If you wish to have an impact on the world through your actions and work, then make sure to explore these careers at the United Nations! After all, only you have the power to change your life to achieve your dreams. 

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