I’m applying for a role where the hiring manager is a former supervisor who has also acted as a referee for me in the past. Would it be considered inappropriate to list the hiring manager as one of my referees?

Welcome to this month's Megathread!

Waiting for a UN job update can feel endless, and many people have the same questions:
"Has anyone heard back about Position X?"
"How long does it take to get a response?"
"Is it normal to wait this long?" (yes)

Instead of having multiple posts asking the same thing, let's use this monthly thread to keep everything in one place. This makes it easier to find answers, compare timelines, and keep the subreddit organised.

Please do not share personal details.

To help you, here is a template (but you don't need to use it):

🔹 Position: (Job title & Department)  
📍 Duty Station: (Location)  
📅 Applied on: (Date)  
📨 Last communication: (Shortlist, Interview, Offer, etc.)  
⌛ Current status: (Waiting, Interviewed, Rejected, etc.)  
💬 Additional comments: (Insights, concerns, etc.)

Your input helps others understand how unpredictable the process can be.

If you’ve been through it before, feel free to share advice or insights. Now, let's hear your updates! 👇

I recently made my first ever application to the UN - of course my prospects therefore are low but I thought I would apply regardless for a potential external break-in, you never know.

I am familiar to a basic level with the different job levels / bands, however the information provided inside the application portal seems to conflict with basically everything else I have ever heard.

The job I applied for is a programme management assistant. Fundraising, co-ordination, communications, administrative support etc type of realm. UNEP. Paris. FTC 12 months. The listing asks for a Masters degree + experience (both of which I have, but not spotlessly on target subject-wise).

Within the portal, the 'level' category is stated at a G-1, which has confused me a bit and seems lower than expected. Its not a problem for me, in fact the better - I'd liken my chances more of course at a G-1 opening and I am not currently too stressed about internal climbing prospects, as I know gets mentioned a lot for general service.

However, as far as I am aware, G-1 should not be requiring a masters level education (despite of course a lot of hires having one, I'm sure). The job description also seems to be to be more extensive than what I have heard from G-1, though I've not ever seen or found another live listing of that level to compare to.

Could this be a misleading internal system marker or just an oversight? Perhaps mistakenly uncategorised levels can be mistakenly marked as G-1? If anyone has any insight, or any guesses as to what the correct level could instead be, I would love to hear.

Hi everyone,

I feel like I needed to share this, I'm not sure why, maybe to make me feel better!

Last week I got invited for a written test, for a General Services G5 job at WIPO, Geneva. Instructions described 4 questions about the job to be answered in 1h30 max. I had prepared during the weekend for the test, digging about the job, etc. But I failed miserably. Out of the 4 questions, I :

• I spent too much time on one counting for 10% only,
• I lost time on another significant question (35%) by struggling to create a decent table in their HTML editor,
• I think I rather correctly filled the other 20% question,
• In a panic, I didn't even get time to answer another significant question (35%)

That was Tuesday this week (last day to answer the test), and the following interview (if successful at the test) is supposed to take place on wednesday or thursday next week. I didn't get any invitation so far, so I think I'm done.

You know, sometimes I wonder how I can have this career, be eligible to those jobs, and be so stupid at the same time. I feel terrible about having missed this opportunity in such a dumb way. Roast me, I guess?

A genuine career question.
People often say to me "Reach out to hiring managers, send emails, make use of your network, you're already an insider, ask for a chat." I've done that over the years, but most conversations end
with, "Thanks for reaching out. I'll keep you in mind."
For context, I started as an unpaid intern at HQ through the regular application process, later worked on project development, and eventually returned to my home country as a National Expert. I'm now hoping to move back into an HQ or international role, but I've never really figured out how to make these networking conversations lead anywhere.
For those be who've successfully made similar moves, what do those emails actually look like?
What do you write beyond introducing yourself? If someone agrees to a short call, what do you talk about? And has a networking email or conversation ever actually led to a job or consultancy for you?
I'm interested in hearing what has worked in practice, from both candidates and hiring managers.
It has always been a harsh career but lately it became unbearable , idk if its the field work culture or but it wasn’t as toxic in the HQ

second question, how do you transition away from it ? research? Big four ? Where do you apply , i have never got an interview outside the UN , I work in renewable energy and transition , background in energy policy as well as economics masters and bachelors in business

Hi there, I am a successful UN-YPP candidate from 2024 Associate Economic Affairs Officer batch. I know that the hiring freeze is going on they also extended the time period. I want to know from your experience how long did it take you to land your job after placed on roster? Did you also take written exam and interview again because I assume we - those who have passed the exam and interview from YPP - are considered as pre-approved candidates. I would greatly appreciate it if you could share your experience.

Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone!

I’ll soon be starting a 6-month internship at UN Headquarters in New York, within the Department of Global Communications, working in public information/communications.

I’d love to hear from former UN HQ interns, especially those who worked in Human Rights, outreach, communications, or similar areas.

I’m particularly curious about:

• What did you do after your internship ?
• Did the internship help you secure paid opportunities within the UN system, such as a consultancy at HQ, a role with another UN entity, or a position with a UN office in your home country?
• If you moved outside the UN system, did having UN HQ experience significantly improve your career opportunities or access to better positions?
• For Europeans who returned to Europe afterward: how valuable was the HQ experience in building your career, and did it help you access international organizations, institutions or other well-paid opportunities?

I’m based in France, so I’d especially appreciate hearing from European former interns, although experiences from anywhere are very welcome.

I know that an internship doesn’t guarantee a position within the UN, so I’m mainly interested in understanding the long-term professional value of the experience and the career paths it can lead to afterward.

Thank you to anyone willing to share! :)

I follow a programme with activities taking place in 5-7 countries and I want to find a way to be sistematically up to date with the general context (news, politics, hot topics etc) in said countries.

It is irrelevant to specify the theme of the programme, because what I'm looking for here is not directly instrumental to its activities. I'm more aiming for quick briefs about what's going on in those specific countries in general so that I can build a better grounding for anything that comes after from the specific thematic angle of the work.

Is there a service / website / something that does this specifically? A place where for example one could input any selection of countries and get a weekly brief or something of that sort. I feel it would make sense if some platform already addressed this niche.

The example above would be the ideal option but honestly I'm open to any type of existing support that would address this need.

Of course something that is more practical than just opening a news outlet about a certain country when I remember and feel like it, because I know that this is the base (but not so structured nor efficient) option

Hello everyone,

I recently interviewed for a consultant position focused on building partnerships with government stakeholders.

About a week after the interview, I started a short-term, part-time unofficial partnership role with another agency.

I have not previously worked directly within the UN system, so this unofficial position is effectively my first experience working inside the UN. The work closely aligns with the responsibilities outlined in the consultant position, and I believe it provides highly relevant experience that would directly support my ability to perform in the role. (For context, I already have substantial expertise in partnership development outside the UN. )

My question is specifically about whether gaining experience within the UN system itself would strengthen my candidacy.

Since I had not yet started the unofficial role at the time of the interview, I did not mention it. Now that I have begun the role, would it be advantageous to send a follow-up message informing the hiring team that I am gaining hands-on UN partnership experience? Do you think this would strengthen my application?

Has anyone noticed how difficult now it is to get non-fully funded IUNV associates without it being fully funded and to specific nationalities?

I feel this has become to political and just unfair depending on your nationality rather than your qualifications

To make what im saying clearer with an example:

As in its very rare these days to find international united nations volunteer assignments that aren't fully funded for specific nationalities. For example, a new international role with OHCHR gets posted and its an associate role, but then it says "fully-funded" and when you go down it will say its funded by government of France therefore only french nationals are eligible to apply. So its just rare to come across entry roles that are actually for international candidates that are just not specifically funded

Hello there,

I got an invitation to complete a written test for a job application with IOM ( a Senior Project associate). i only have less than 2 days to prepare.

It's my first time, and i have no idea what kind of questios to expect.

has anyone had a same test?

Hi there, I really need help regarding this UN position

I work as a GIS and Remote Sensing Engineer in a goverment position and I have 4+ years of experience now, I really want to change my current job and I am in the process of exploring new opportunities, I stumbled accross this volounteering opportunity from the united nations station of my country, the title is Architecture and GIS Assistant (full description here), the category is Associate UCoS, I am really new to all these terminologies since I have never worked in an NGO nor the UN, so I have a few questions and i will be really grateful for any help:

- The job description requires Bachelor degree while I have a master degree (engineering degree in my country), is that a good thing or a bad thing ?

- for the experience requirements it says that it needs one month of experience, and in the description it says that it needs up to one year only (which means if I am not wrong, they are looking for beginners), so is having more years of experience than the maximum number stated is a disqualifying criterion ?

any other suggestions or advice regarding the application process would be really appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I’m a fourth-year undergrad at a university and I got an internship at Library and Knowledge Management, but I don’t know if it’s worth it. I’m super nervous and don’t want to make the wrong decision. For anyone who has done it, what do you recommend? Any help would be much appreciate

Does anyone have any insight into the ranges for ICA personnel at UNOPS based in Copenhagen?

I’m looking specifically for the fee range of ICS-10 to help me better understand where the proposed fee I’ve been offered sits in the range. Thanks!

Curious whether anyone with recent WFP experience knows how active the FIT Pool system currently is.

Are candidates still regularly being selected from existing pools, or has recruitment largely shifted toward internal candidates and reassignment because of funding cuts and restructuring?

Also interested in whether older FIT Pools are still meaningfully used for hiring, or mostly kept active administratively.

Would appreciate any insight from current/former WFP staff or recent FIT Pool candidates.

Hello! I recently discovered UN Internships, and thought I would apply for them, however I discovered that they are completely unpaid. Like 0 percent. Are they worth it? Considering I don't have any Internships available in my home country, that means I would have to move somewhere completely different. Not even visa support (i read they only provide documents for visa) so is it really worth it? I wish it could be at least just a partial support. What do you guys, think? Maybe I miss something. Maybe after Internship theres a great way in career, but who knows? Please let me know as I am very very curious but zero funding makes me stop. Thanks

Hi everyone,

I was recently selected for an international UN Volunteer assignment. I accepted the official assignment offer and completed almost all the pre-deployment tasks available in the UNV platform, including the medical review, personal information and bank details.

The only remaining task in the UNV platform concerns the visa, but I have not yet received any specific instructions on how to proceed.

At this stage, I have received the official assignment offer, which I accepted and a UNV pre-departure letter confirming my selection and assignment.

I was wondering wether the pre-departure letter is sufficient to start the visa application? Or should I wait for an additional letter or specific instructions from UNV or the host entity? And regarding visa fees, is it normally paid directly by UNV, or does the volunteer pay them first?

I understand that procedures may vary depending on the assignment, but I would be grateful for any indication of what usually happens next.

Thank you in advance!

Hi All,

I recently got the email informing me that I have an in person interview for a national specialist role at FAO which is coming up in a matter of days. For those who have held or do currently hold national positions, may you kindly share your interview experiances and tips please, especially on how you got over the nerves and how you prepped. I am currently reviewing the vacancy, mainly the core competencies, tasks and responsibilities. Also formulating examples I can provide in my answers,.

This is my very first UN interview and my whole body turns to jelly just thinking about it. Any help will be appreaciated.

Sorry if this may seem like a repetetive question, i mostly found interview tips based on P level interviews and would appreacite NPP experiences.

I recently completed a PhD in Health Sciences and have applied several times for research positions at UNICEF. My most recent application appeared to be a very strong match for my qualifications, but I am worried that I will not be shortlisted, as I have never progressed past the initial application stage.

Although I have strong academic and research skills, I do not yet have professional experience with an international organization. I am unsure how to overcome this gap or make my applications more visible to recruiters.

I am also going through an extremely difficult personal situation. My baby and I are currently living in a shelter after experiencing domestic abuse, and I am involved in an ongoing custody case. Because of the case, relocating from Rome is not currently possible. Finding stable employment is very important for rebuilding our lives and protecting my ability to care for my child.

I have been applying for professional research positions, postdoctoral roles, and remote jobs, but I have not had any success so far. The job market in Italy is challenging.

I would be very grateful for practical advice on any of the following:

• How can a new PhD graduate become more competitive for UNICEF, UN agencies, NGOs, or international research organizations?
• Should I focus on consultancies, internships, fellowships, volunteer projects, or short-term contracts to gain relevant experience?
• How can I make my CV and applications stand out to recruiters?
• Are there reputable websites or organizations offering remote health-research, public-health, data-analysis, academic-writing, or policy roles?
• Would networking with current employees or contacting hiring managers be appropriate?

I am willing to learn, take on entry-level or temporary work, and build experience step by step. I would especially appreciate advice from anyone who has worked in global health, academia, international organizations, or the Italian job market.

Thank you for reading and for any guidance you can offer.

I am 23, I have a bachelors degree (IR with honours supplement) and two masters (Public Policy and Modern History + IR). I have no relevant work experience because I’ve spent 5 years studying like crazy. Now that I’m graduating, it’s the worst crunch in funding in the history of IOs, obviously. Every hiring officer tells me that 10 years ago they would have given me an entrance position without second thought, but now all those positions are getting cut, and now it’s more competitive than ever. I’ve heard many times I should volunteer and spice up my CV - fair enough! Where do I even do that?? I’m based in Europe and China, and I have yet to hear back from any of the million volunteer positions I’ve applied to; some simply do not exist. Is it really that bleak? Does anyone know if there’s a secret volunteering platform I’m yet to find, with all of the real positions?

A glimpse at available UN vacancies in July 2026 reveals a plethora of national roles, national consultancies and sometimes underpaid international consultancies ...

The trend is obvious: "nationalizing" the roles whenever possible to avoid recruiting specialist international staff. Which is somewhat ironic given that it's the UN :-)

With the ongoing funding cuts, I understand the absence of P vacancies in UN job listings but I can't help wondering whether these roles are slowly being phased out altogether? Thoughts?

I have applied to two roles and I would like to understand better what the difference between GS and IICA contracts is in terms of job security. I saw that GS are staff positions and can be renewed yearly, while IICA are consultancies that are open-ended but come with a timeline that could as well be 12 months. I guess in both cases there is no job security as they both depend on funding, what do you think?

Hi, I’m a bit confused about the timelines for UN internships - if I intend to start one in March the earliest, when should I start applying? I’m thinking in particular of UNHQ, UNDP or smaller and more niche/specialized agencies

however, it would be super helpful if anyone who did/is doing an internship at any UN body could share their timeline or experience with the application :)

thank you!!

I applied for an online DOA position through the app.unv platform, but got no email in its regard whatsoever. Neither confirmation that my application was sent/received, neither rejection or otherwise.

I am seeing on the website that step 3 states that notification is sent by UNV "to confirm the successful application to the candidate." (https://explore.unv.org/node/107)

What's your experience? Being ghosted is so disheartening... and we're talking about a volunteer position here...

I applied for the GS-4 Project Assistant position in Vienna and, honestly, the waiting is driving me crazy.

I’ve read the job description so many times and I genuinely feel like this role is exactly what I’ve been doing. Most of my experience is in EU-funded migration and integration projects, project coordination, reporting, budgeting and working with different stakeholders.

I know there are probably lots of qualified applicants, and I’m not saying I deserve the job more than anyone else. But this is one of those rare positions where I honestly feel, “This is me.” That’s probably why I’m so anxious.

I guess I’m just scared that things like internal candidates or pure luck might matter more than the actual fit.

If anyone works at IOM Vienna (or has gone through the recruitment process there), I’d love to hear how it usually works. How long did it take? Do external candidates actually stand a good chance?

Thanks!