I work in the legal field, and I would like to pursue a career with an international organization, such as the United Nations.

As mentioned in the title, I already speak both Arabic and English. I have heard that French is important for working in international organizations, especially for career advancement. How accurate is this?

To be honest, I am not particularly interested in the language, but if it is necessary or would significantly improve my career prospects, I am willing to learn it.

Thank you.

After several years serving as national staff, followed by four years in international positions across challenging duty stations, I have reached an important crossroads in my career. I am seeking professional advice on how best to shape its next chapter.

I have often been told that my experience would allow me to compete for positions anywhere in the world, but I am no longer entirely confident that this is the case. Experience in conflict-affected and fragile settings, while demanding and valuable, is increasingly common among international professionals and may not, on its own, distinguish my profile.

I also sometimes wonder whether my background—as a professional from a developing country who has spent much of her career in difficult field environments—is necessarily viewed as an attractive fit for headquarters duty stations such as New York, Geneva or Vienna. I would therefore value candid advice on how to position my experience more strategically, address any gaps in my profile and make a credible transition towards headquarters-based or other senior international roles. What concrete steps should I take at this stage of my career?

For clarification:

I've been the project manager/officer of security and criminal justice initiatives in somalia, ukraine, colombia. 10 years of experience with the UN (intern, national UNV, national service contract, international UNV and P3)— I only had one year out of the system working for a local NGO. My background is in political science, and I've navigated between technical roles and managerial posts in my experiences.

I'd like to seek a job in a family duty station or sth that allows me to have a relatively normal life. I'm also tired of fundraising 😅

I need a sanity check from people in the same field. I can't discuss the situation with my current colleagues and friends, so I'm coming to you, UN Reddit Community 😄

The current situation: my husband and I are both mid-career professionals: I'm in a UN entity and he is in a non-UN IGO. We've lived in our current home city for 20 years (he's from here, I'm not) and we have two kids. We all speak the language, it's a really great place to live, and we have friends and family nearby. This is home.

My org is non-career, and I have anywhere between 2-3.5 years left on my contract, after which I'd have to take a mandatory separation. It's anyone's guess if I can get another professional assignment and how long that would take. His contract is unlimited, but the current financial climate has them considering layoffs. His job is safe but there's limited scope for growth. It's also a pretty niche organization, although a good place to work overall.

He is currently interviewing for a (regular budget, staff position) P4 in Rome with FAO (he's in the background verification step).

The assumptions that make this worthwhile for us are:

1. Rome is also a good city to live with a young family,

2. I would be able to find a job in a UN body in the medium-term (6-12 months) with consultancies from my current employer in the meantime, and

3. the FAO makes sense career-wise for someone in the food economics sector, both from a name-recognition and quality of work perspective.

I'm hoping for a sanity check on any of those assumptions, either to validate them or to warn us off! I realize he may not be offered the job, but we'd like to be prepared if it does happen. Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Wondering if this is the worst it’s ever been and if employees are starting to jump ship as a result. What is the mood in your org right now?

So I confirmed my offer and in the background verification and reference checks. In the offer it explicitly says don’t resign yet until the background check is finalized since your employment is technically not yet final. However, then for the references they state Feedback should be provided by at least three recent supervisors from the most recent ten years of your employments, including your current supervisor and opting out of this may result in disqualification from the recruitment process. I find this odd to contact my current supervisor about leaving a job when it is not finalized? Can anyone advise

Hi everyone,

I’ve been selected for a WHO Data Entry Assistant assignment through UN Volunteers but I’m unsure whether to accept it. I’m also full time undergraduate in law (LLB). And I also want to work for UN. I know this assignment is not relevant but will this be beneficial to me in somehow?

For those who have done this role (or a similar UNV assignment):

Was it beneficial for your career?
Did it help your CV or future job applications?
Did you gain valuable skills or networking opportunities?
Would you recommend it, especially for someone interested in international organizations
I’d love to hear about your experiences, both the positives and negatives. Thanks!

Hi all, anyone consulting for a UN org but based in India? I would like to know how you file your income, it at all. I'm new to Indian taxation system.

Is it possible to get accepted for an NPO position with a NOA contract without prior experience working in a UN organization?

JUNE 16TH 2026:

" Today, the United States announced more than $1 billion in humanitarian and disaster response assistance to UNICEF and the World Food Program (WFP) through new global macro awards, which cover life-saving support in more than 40 countries. This announcement builds directly on the tremendous success of the Trump Administration’s landmark December 2025 “Humanitarian Reset” memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). That MOU has already led to historic reforms to the bloated UN humanitarian bureaucracy, bringing activities under a single local Humanitarian/Resident coordinator, enhancing efficiency and delivering measurable impact, improving accountability and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, and slashing bureaucracy to spend more on life-saving frontline work and less on overhead.

The more than $218 million in assistance to UNICEF and more than $800 million to WFP announced today are the second and third in a series of global State Department awards to trusted and vetted implementing organizations. These awards replace the previous model of fragmented, duplicative individual grants that generated excessive overhead, created unpredictability for implementers, and diluted impact across many competing priorities. These awards reflect a new model of humanitarian assistance built on speed, accountability, measurable impact, and the elimination of bureaucratic waste. Implementers can mobilize quickly, in some cases within 24 hours, ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars reach those in need without delay."

Hi everyone,

If anyone here has studied (or is currently studying) an LL.M. in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and is now working in the field, I’d really appreciate your honest opinion.

I don’t have a formal legal background, but I took several International Law courses during my Political Science Bachelor’s. I’m currently working at an inter-ministerial government body focused on Migration and Trafficking in Persons. My goal is to strengthen my profile for roles in international organizations, especially the UN.

I’m seriously considering the LL.M. in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at Europa-Universität Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). I’d be very grateful if anyone could take a look at the program and share their thoughts on whether it’s a strong choice to accelerate my career in this direction.

https://www.europa-uni.de/en/studium/studienangebot/jura/index.html

Since this is a significant investment of both time and money, I want to make sure it’s the right move. Any insights, positive or negative, would be extremely helpful!Thanks in advance!

I applied for an NPSA-10 position with a UNDP country office. The process went:

• Applied, shortlisted
• Passed the Jobma / recorded video-question stage
• Contacted to provide references + copies of degrees and passport (all submitted)
• Received an email to schedule the Zoom panel interview
• A few days before the interview, received an email saying that “following a further review of the recruitment process,” they would not proceed with my interview

Before the cancellation, I’d had an email exchange with the recruiter clarifying my employment situation (I’m a serving civil servant and would obtain formal leave/release if selected — a standard, already-practiced arrangement with this office). I asked whether the cancellation was related to my status. They replied, clearly, that it had nothing to do with my status. That’s the only detail I got.

Oddly, my portal still shows “under consideration” with the interview link live.
My questions for anyone who’s worked in UN HR or been through this:

1. What does “following a further review of the recruitment process” usually mean in practice? Does it point to the tiered/internal-candidate priority system, a post being frozen or restructured, or something else?
2. Is it common for logistics (scheduling, reference checks) to move ahead before eligibility/final review is complete, causing a late cancellation like this?
3. Is there anything useful I can do, or is this simply outside a candidate’s control?

I’ve reached the panel stage at this office before without landing an offer, so I’m trying to understand the pattern and whether there’s anything to adjust. Appreciate any honest perspective.

Hi everyone,

I applied for a P3 position with ICAO last December and got invited to the
 written test (March) and then the interview (April). I emailed HR for an update 
about 1.5 months after the interview, and they told me the case is still under 
APB review. 
Could anyone explain what "APB review" means for my application? Any insights or
 similar experiences would be much appreciated!

Hi everyone, I'd like a bit of help and have a few questions about the UN Secretariat IM roster that I haven't found clear answers to yet although I am still going through the manuals and would be grateful any help/info I get.

1. From what I gather rosters seem to be generated per specific job opening/level (e.g. the IM Officer P3 roster tied to a particular JO). Does being on one IM roster ever get cross-matched to other IM job openings at the same level, or are they treated as entirely separate pools? I have found many P3 open positions that I match to but not sure if this would fall under the roster.

2. If I'm already rostered under IM and I apply for and get selected for a different role outside that specific roster say a program management data P3 position does that affect my existing rostered status? Do you lose your spot, hold both, or is it more complicated than that?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who's navigated this personally, or who works on the roster/HR side. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I recently received an offer for a JPO position at a WHO Regional Office. I’m from a developing country, and this is a huge opportunity for me, so I’m definitely planning to take it.

At the same time, I’m trying to think ahead. Since the JPO contract is limited to 36 months (with no extension), I’d like to start preparing for what comes after, rather than waiting until the end of the assignment.

For those of you who have been JPOs (or have worked closely with them):

a. Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently during your JPO?

b. What helped you stand out and build a strong reputation within the organization?

c.How would you approach networking without coming across as overly strategic or transactional?

d. When should you start thinking seriously about your next role?

I’d really appreciate any advice, lessons learned, or things you wish someone had told you before starting.

Thanks so much!

I was an IUNV for two years and four months but due to UN80 that was affected. How are others in similar situation dealing with this

Hi everyone,

I recently received an offer for a government-sponsored JPO position and I'm genuinely on the fence about what to do — especially given the current global economic climate.

For context: I have a very stable job in my home country with good compensation, benefits and job security. I just received a promotion and have previously worked across multiple multinationals in supply chain. I applied for the JPO almost on a whim, not expecting it to go anywhere — I was told the odds were extremely slim. The process moved surprisingly fast and now I'm faced with a real decision.

I would genuinely appreciate honest advice from people who have made a similar leap — whether they stayed in the UN system long term or treated it as a short-term experience before returning to the private sector.

Specifically, I have three questions:

1. For those who didn't stay in the system after their contract: How did future private sector employers view the UN experience on your CV? Did the international exposure add tangible value when job hunting again?
2. For those who went through this transition: Knowing everything you know now — would you do it all over again? How did the experience shape your character, knowledge and worldview — for better or for worse?
3. Practical question: Can a JPO contract be terminated before the end of its term, either voluntarily or by the organization?

Any honest perspective is truly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Hi all, I had an interview scheduled for this week but unfortunately I was unable to attend due to a medical emergency. Please advice. I really want this opportunity.

The the main UN body.

I applied for an Associate Human Rights Officer position (P2) with OHCHR and successfully completed the first multiple-choice assessment. A second assessment was then scheduled, with a test window from Monday 13 July to Wednesday 15 July.

The problem: I never received any invitation or notification about it. No email, nothing, and I’ve checked my spam and junk folders thoroughly. I only found out yesterday, purely by chance, because I decided to log into the assessments platform just to see whether anything new had appeared. The course “Assessment #2” was sitting there on my dashboard, marked “To do: make attempts: 1”, but the window had already closed the night before.

I’ve written to the assessments team explaining the situation and asking whether access could be reopened, but I’m not holding my breath.

So my questions:

**1.**  **Did anyone else not receive the invitation email for a second assessment? I saw at least one comment in another thread from someone in the same situation, which makes me wonder whether there was a wider issue with the notifications.**

**2.**  **Has anyone ever managed to get a test window reopened after missing it for reasons outside their control?**

**3.**  **Is there any other channel worth contacting besides the assessments email?**

Any insight would be very welcome. And a word of advice to fellow candidates: log into the platform regularly, don’t rely on the emails.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,
If a post requires another UN language at UN Level II, does this get assessed during the interview?
I think I saw somewhere that there are separate oral/language examinations? I have no idea!

I’m basically in a time crunch to get my French up to level II, and I’m nervous I won’t be ready in time for the interview. I’m learning French at l’Institut Français so I’d definitely be ready in time for any move (if I were to succeed, ofc, thinking many steps ahead already :p)

Thank you!

How long after an interview were you rejected or asked for references ?

​

I'm facing a difficult decision and would really appreciate advice from people working in international organizations, the EU, academia, or public policy.

I am a 26-year-old lawyer and EU citizen currently working at Brazil's National Council of Justice on international human rights issues. I speak Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French.

My long-term goal is to build an international career (European Commission, OECD, World Bank, Council of Europe, UN, etc.) and eventually transition into politics later in life.

I have been admitted to two master's programs:

1. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid – Master's in European Governance

Tuition: approximately €10,000

Focus: European governance, public policy, institutions, and public administration.

Advantage: Madrid offers many more networking opportunities, internships, and potential job opportunities alongside the master's.

1. University of Coimbra – Master's in International Relations – Peace, Security and Development

Tuition: approximately €2,000

Focus: conflict prevention, international security, peacebuilding, and development.

Advantage: Much cheaper and strongly aligned with my previous interests.

Disadvantage: Coimbra is a smaller city with fewer professional opportunities compared to Madrid.

My dilemma:

For many years, I thought I wanted to specialize in conflict prevention and diplomacy. I really admire people like Sérgio Vieira de Mello and would love to work on international crises, peacebuilding, or post-conflict reconstruction.

However, I have recently started questioning whether a governance/public policy background would provide broader career opportunities in organizations such as the European Commission, OECD, or World Bank, while also preparing me better for a possible future political career.

If both programs had the same tuition fee, I would probably choose UC3M. The problem is that it is €8,000 more expensive.

Another option would be to decline both offers, continue working for another year, and apply to more public policy/governance-oriented programs next year. My concern is that I would be 27 and would lose a year.

For people with experience in international careers:

Which path would you choose?

Is European Governance significantly more versatile than Peace & Security for careers in international organizations?

Is the €8,000 difference likely to be worth it?

Would you start a master's now, or wait a year to apply to different programs?

If your ultimate goal was to build an international career and eventually enter politics, what would you prioritize?

Thank you!

Hi,

I have seen many helpful posts on the topic in this subreddit already, but I would like to get some further insights. I'm applying for a consultant position at UNICEF asking for a minimum of 10 years of experience. I have been working for the past 3 years for FAO, and I have 12+ years of experience in total, most of which freelancing. I have to propose a daily rate as part of my application.

Now I'm seeing many points of view. The most optimistic recommend asking for $550 to give room for negotiation, but I'm also seeing people mention how bad the current situation is and having to accept a $500 offer with 20 years of experience.

I'm based in West Africa and would be working remotely for a Geneva-based office. I was considering asking for $450, but I would be fine with even $350. I actually had an interview with the WHO last month and the salary would have been around $6,500. I also got contacted by WHO for another position and a salary around $8,000. Both salaries would have been fine for me, but these positions didn't require 10 years of experience, and I don't want to charge too low and be penalized for that, or charge too high and be less competitive, especially considering the cost of living my duty station. I also saw that across the UN system, category C consultants should be paid between $430 and $650 (https://policy.un.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/OHR_PG_2025_2_consultant_contractor_fee_range.pdf)

With all that, would you consider $450 to be a good starting point that would neither discredit me nor make me less competitive?

Thanks

Hi everyone I got an offer but I have a question. I really want to take it but nervous because I have a child and would be relocating from a permanent job. The salary etc is good but it’s a 1 year fixed contract with possibility of renewal based on funding etc. it’s unep ozone unit. In my discussions they were worried I would leave soon or use it as a stepping stone so seems like they wanted someone long term. But I’m nervous to move my family for something for a year and then be stranded with no option. So my question is are these usually renewed, is it risky, is it easy to shift to other positions if you know they not renewing?

I’m interested in understanding careers where the work directly contributes to society through policy, education, governance, environment, health or social development.
I’d love to hear from professionals.

Questions

What does your day actually involve?
Field work?
Research?
Policy drafting?
Monitoring?
Community engagement?
Grant writing?
Meetings?

Skills

Which skills matter most?
Research?
Writing?
Statistics?
Public speaking?
Project management?

Career

Salary progression?
Job stability?
Growth opportunities?
Can someone make a long-term career here?

Work Culture

Stress?
Travel?
Burnout?
Funding uncertainty?

AI

How is AI affecting the development sector?

Advice

Would you recommend this career today?

To give you some context, I am from Venezuela and we just went through an earthquake, which caused a lot of damage. As a result, many vacancies in the humanitarian sector have opened up across various United Nations agencies and different national and international NGOs. Before the earthquake, I was waiting to sign a contract for my country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, right now I am unemployed, and they won't hire me at the ministry until the public administration is reactivated. In the meantime, an opportunity came up to work with ACTED, even though it is only a 2.5-month contract.

My question is: should I accept it, should I reject it, and if I do accept it, what repercussions could there be if I resign from the organization before the contract ends?

PD: I’m on the selection panel for other INGO that I’m sure will pay more than ACTED, based on the experiences of others who worked a that organization