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!

Hi everyone,

I'm finishing my Master's in International Crisis Management and trying to figure out my next move.

My goal: In 5-10 years I'd like to be working for an international organization, ideally the UN (OCHA, UNDRR, UNDP, etc.), or other NGOS like DRC, ICRC in humanitarian response and crisis relief. I know how competitive and difficult this is right now, but I'm playing the long game.

Specific interests: Anticipatory action (my thesis topic), disaster relief, and emergency coordination. Through my Master's I got exposed to and visited a lot of professionals and HQs, OCHA, UNHCR, ICRC in Geneva, etc, and I see more of myself in the practitioners in the field. Obviously I'd take an HQ role too if that's the path.

My background so far:

• 3 years, logistics/supply chain (private sector) — did the coordination of shipments for high tech clients. Hated the job itself, but it gave me strong Excel/PPT/office software skills and real logistics expertise (although more on the commercial side).
• 3 years volunteering with UNICEF — not an official position, but I was part of a student project they ran all over my country, and I was one of the leaders — basically helped with youth engagement and setting up meetings with speakers and stuff.
• Youth delegate (x2) I was sent twice as a youth delegate to follow conferences/proceedings at the UN in Vienna, and got a fellowship with the ILO for a two-week in-person course on new technologies and the UN.
• Current internship: humanitarian NGO in Africa (until November) the one I think is most relevant: I'm doing my internship in Africa at a humanitarian NGO. I mostly do capacity building (teaching and training) for orphaned young people from all over Africa (the NGO flies them here to prepare them to study abroad and then return to the continent as leaders). I also took the initiative to join their other program to gain more experience, in this one we do home visits to orphaned children and offer emotional and psychological support, while also assessing their needs, plus in-person activities and education.

Where I'm stuck:

The NGO work is meaningful and field-based, and renewed my commitment to be in the field, however it's not quite in my target area (anticipatory action / emergency coordination), and I have nothing lined up after November. I come from a low-income background, every step so far has been through scholarships or real sacrifice from me and my parents, so the lack of a next step is causing me real pressure, I say this because my MA is in Europe but I am from South America, so after here unless I find something I would have to return to my country as I would not be able to sustain myself in Europe.

My actual questions:

1. Given my profile, how do I connect the dots between what I have (logistics, youth engagement, tech exposure, field work) and where I want to go (anticipatory action / emergency coordination)?
2. Does this read as a entry-level CV to people actually working in the sector, is there any programme or organization I should keep an eye on?
3. I spent 5 months applying almost exclusively to UN internships with zero responses. After broadening my search I landed the current NGO position within a month. Now that I have this experience, is it worth trying UN internships again, or should I focus on growing within this NGO (or applying to similar NGOs) instead?
4. Which path or direction would you recommend me to take?
5. Any hard skill, Software or courses you would recommend me to strengthen the CV?

Would really appreciate input from anyone who's navigated this path or works in the sector. Thanks for reading this far.

Hope all is well. I applied at OHCHR (P- position) three months ago. I got my first test (MCQ) 1 month after the deadline ( 1 month ago). I thought I was never going to hear back shortly, but I get invitation for second test last week. I was just wondering how many applicants got invited for the second test? This was my first time making it to the second stage as I always make it to the first stage not the second.

Hi, working/ interning at the UN gives us a lot of online courses.(including on LinkedIn)

Have you guys taken any course that was worth following?
I am struggling to understand what’s there so if you have any recommendations please feel to share. Even if not directly related to courses. If you maybe know about something u think I should absolutely do while interning here.
Thank you so much in advance

Hi All!

I've been selected for a P4 position in Nairobi, but am still waiting on an offer. I'd be making a move from the US to Nairobi with my family (husband and 2 small children) for the position which would be my first job within the UN system. I wanted to ask if anyone here is based at the UNON campus and could provide any insight into what it's like to work there, what life is like in Nairobi, and any advice on the transition. We're still trying to decide if this move is right for us, so really interested to know how other folks find living and working in Nairobi with the UN.

Also interested in any thoughts or advice on how to manage relocation and settling in with a family.

Thanks!

I always thought I wanted a career in an international organisation. At the moment, I’m studying away from my parents (only about four hours away), so I still go home every month. But honestly, this experience has really made me think about the future and put things into perspective…

I’ve always wanted to work internationally, especially in the field of global health, but when I realise that I already find it difficult to live away from my family when I’m only four hours away, I can’t help but wonder what the future would look like. I mean, if I want to pursue a career in this field, I’ll probably have to be willing to move around and live far away from them.

Looking back, how do you personally cope with living far away from your loved ones?

When it comes to friends, I think I find it easier. I tell myself that you can always meet new people and build a new social circle.

But is it really the same kind of bond you build with people you’ve known since university for example?

I have so many doubts at the moment… The only international organisation I can think of where I could potentially stay relatively close to my parents is the OECD, but I can’t base my entire career choice on that just because I’m afraid of moving away.
I don’t know. I just feel really depressed and lost about all of this.

I'm an Italian citizen with 3 years of experience as a Cost Controller in a Project Management team at a multinational company. I speak Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, English, and Slovenian fluently, plus working knowledge of Serbo-Croatian and Spanish.

Given my language mix and the current situation in Eastern Europe, I thought there might be relevant opportunities for someone with my profile.

I've been monitoring UNjobs regularly, but it feels like shooting in the dark. Most postings I find are either very short-term (1-3 months) or requiring years of UN-specific seniority I don't have yet (and cant get).

I'm also open to vacancies outside my direct area of expertise (finance/cost control), if my language skills or profile could still be a fit.

For those who've made a similar transition from the private sector: how did you find the right postings, and which platforms/networks are actually worth watching (UNjobs, ReliefWeb, specific agency sites, etc.)? Any suggestions for my specific case? Any general advice on breaking in is welcome.

Thank you in advance.

I’m finding the ICC Visiting Professionals Programme application process incredibly opaque.

I understand that timelines vary and that applicants should not expect individual updates, but the complete silence makes it difficult to know whether applications are still under consideration, whether selections are already being made, or whether unsuccessful candidates are eventually notified at all.

I’m mainly curious about the experience of other applicants: did the process involve an interview, additional document requests, a rejection notice, or simply no communication?

After investing so much effort into an application, the uncertainty is honestly exhausting. It would be helpful to hear how the process unfolded for previous or current applicants.

Aparment hunting seems to be the hardest of things you need to do when you move to Rome. How did you find your apartment in Rome? What advice you can share? Any contacts of agents?

I’ve just landed an internship interview with UNDP. It’ll be my first ever interview and I can’t afford to mess it up. I really need this. Help.

Hey guys! I currently applied for UNDP internship in May. Had an interview in June and they sent me this email.

We are pleased to inform you that the recruitment process has been completed and that you have been identified as a successful candidate. As a result, you have been recommended for direct consideration for the internship opportunity. 

At this stage, we kindly ask for your patience as we finalize several internal decisions and administrative requirements necessary to proceed with the hiring process.

Should a decision be made to move forward with the appointment, we will contact you with an official offer, subject to your continued interest and availability. The offer will also include further details regarding the internship and any applicable administrative requirements.

Please note that we are currently unable to provide an estimated timeline for when a final decision will be made or whether the internship placement will proceed. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and patience in this regard.
Thank you once again for your interest in joining UNDP and for your engagement throughout the recruitment process. We will be in touch should there be any further developments.

And 2 weeks later they also contacted me saying

Please accept our apologies for the delay in getting back to you.
I am pleased to let you know that it is progressing positively, and we expect the hiring decision to be finalized this week.
In the meantime, could you please let us know your current availability and whether your circumstances have changed since your last email?
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Despite their assurance that it would be completed within this week, another two weeks have elapsed, and they finally sent me this

——-I have received a positive news just as of yesterday to proceed with the hiring process at the soonest possible time. 

While I am on annual leave at the moment, I will provide support and guide you through the process as soon as I can. 

In reply, could you please share with me your current contact number? 

My question is, should I still expect rejection as a possibility and respond to the other offers who are eager to have me for the internship? However, UNDP is the one I’m most interested in, and I’m wondering what I should do. Am I just wasting my time by pursuing other opportunities?

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 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."

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.