Smart Skills
UN offers a world of opportunities
Usha Albuquerque

Working in an international organisation confers a kind of attractive aura. People who work in the UN, ILO, or the World Bank, are often viewed with respect and admiration by the public.

It is a romantic vision of a job, which is otherwise very concrete. While dedication and idealism are all values intimately linked to most international organisation jobs, these are jobs with multiple demands on both the personal and professional fronts.

Moreover, working in such organisations is unlike any other job, the salary and career possibilities to those who choose it as an occupation is unparalleled. The brilliant career path of Kofi Annan, current Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) is a clear demonstration of that.

With a structure that covers six principal organs, 15 agencies and several programmes and bodies, the UN operations are wide-ranging and highly complex requiring people of varied professional backgrounds and qualifications. The UN organisations also cover a gamut of occupational areas.

So, in terms of jobs, the UN and international aid agencies offer thousands of posts worldwide spread over a very broad range of professional profiles. At the lower end, there are the paid volunteers working for an NGO, and at the top end there are the international civil servants with life-long careers with the large UN organisations. Between these two layers is an almost infinite range of variations in jobs.

While nearly 50 per cent of the jobs are filled by nationals recruited directly in the countries where the organizations work, the UN also attracts large numbers of volunteers, and interns who do not get a salary for their work.

So, how can one enter the hallowed portals of the UN? An advanced degree in almost any discipline could make you eligible for a UN assignment. The UN requires specialists in the different areas of work. Most jobs at any of the UN agencies or programmes require a Master’s degree or Ph.D. As many of the assignments are in developing countries with development-related agencies, degrees in social sciences, international relations, human rights, gender studies and so on could be a good beginning.

Often work experience of at least 5-7 years is also required. Work experience in any social development area, or with an NGO could put you in line for recruitment. Fluency in oral and written English is essential and often knowledge of a second official UN language is an advantage. There are six official languages used in UN organisations- Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

If you are good at languages you can also apply as a language specialist or translator who are required to translate from at least two official UN languages into a third language, which must be one of the six official languages. Recruitment is through a competitive exam and interview. Most jobs also expect candidates to possess other skills such as public speaking, presentation, ability to take initiative and work independently. All job vacancies are posted on the UN website www.unjobs.com or www.un.org with details of the job profile and eligibility criteria.

If you are interested in development work you can also become a UN volunteer. This will familiarise you with the field you want to work in, and can be a tremendously rewarding experience. You can volunteer for work in any of the UN organisations, according to the requirements each may have. This is a purely voluntary assignment for which you will not be paid a salary, but only a travel and living allowance. Moreover, working as a UN volunteer is no guarantee for getting a UN assignment, but can help build up the experience required for applying for a UN job. The easiest way to find out if you qualify to become a volunteer is to fill an on-line questionnaire found on the UN Volunteer website www.unv.org. On the basis of your answers and the current demands of the UNV programme with regard to professional profiles, a screening is done, and you will subsequently be informed of whether you are accepted into the programme.

The UN also offers Internship Programmes for students, which provide them a fascinating preview of the work of the UN, and excellent work experience. Each UN agency handles internship arrangements. The internship programme for the United Nations Secretariat is only for the Secretariat in New York. There are three yearly internship periods: spring, mid-January to mid-March; summer, early June to early August; and fall, mid-September to mid-November. You should apply no earlier than 12 months and no later than four months prior to the desired internship period. You also should be enrolled in a post-graduate course or higher at the time of application and during the internship Students interested in an internship in another UN agency/office/ programme, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF), International Labour Organization (ILO), and United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), can contact directly the respective UN offices since they have separate internship arrangements.

Working with a local NGO, the Red Cross and other international organisations working in India can also get you started on such a career. There are many who have worked with NGOs in rural areas, handling a variety of assignments related to health and sanitation, literacy and water supply, education and so on, and then moved into international assignments in their area of specialisation. Studying the development issues, doing research and collecting useful data can also is useful.

A UN assignment is undoubtedly an excellent option with international salaries and allowances. However, it is important to keep in mind that a UN job may require you to travel and stay in places across the globe – some remote, others under-developed, or even dangerous.

But, if you want to channelise your energies and are committed to working in an area that ultimately impacts on people’s well-being and improves their situation, then a career in the UN is certainly worth striving for.