How to get a job at the UN: master class of UN career expert at RUDN University

How to get a job at the UN: master class of UN career expert at RUDN University

100 students from 29 countries took part in the master class of Aisylu Yanturina Darles, where the career consultant on UN internships and employment spoke about international internships. The participants discussed what a young specialist should write if there is no work experience, and where to look for vacancies in large projects.

“UN, like any other large international organization, has a branched and multi-level management structure. Study the system and find out in advance where you want to work. Once you’ve made a choice, the first step towards building a career is to go for an offline or online internship. Information can be found on the official UN web-site — for example, UN CAREERS. Job offers on job aggregator sites may be outdated or not verified at all. The UN does not ask for any payment to consider an application, so if you come across such a situation, know that they are scammers,” Aisylu Yanturina Darles.

You can also get a job or internship in the UN system:

  • through the Young professionals program;
  • through employment as a Junior professional officer;
  • through volunteer programs;
  • as a consultant (international consultants and contractors);
  • employment for a full-time position.
 

How to prepare for an internship in an international organization:

  1. Research all available information about the organization or project to understand what the company does.
  2. Prepare your application. If you don’t have professional experience, focus on volunteer work and student organizations.
  3. Literally put your heart and soul into your motivation letter. Emphasize the skills you’ve gained through volunteering or student extracurricular activities.
  4. Prepare for the interview, which is most often an informal conversation with the team, where the internship will take place.
  5. Be proactive. Thank the team for their time during the interview.
  6. Don’t lose your enthusiasm. Youth is sparkling eyes, neverlasting energy and love for your work. As a young professional, you should strive to make a positive contribution to the social, environmental, and economic situation in the world.

“I was fascinated by the story of collaboration between fashion houses and African tribes. Well-known industry players, together with African residents, made authentic jewelry for one of the collections. This is a vivid example of participation in an international project. For me, as a future manager, it was important to learn about the features of organizing the process, establishing logistics connections, and the specifics of communication,” Nadezhda Slivko, student of the Faculty of Economics (“Management”, IV year).

“It was interesting to learn about the modern opportunities the UN provides for young professionals to start their careers. Thanks to Aisylu’s experience, I now know about the stages of employment and how to best present myself in a resume in order to get a job in a dream company,” Yasmina Mamadrizakhonova, student of the Faculty of Economics (“Management”, IV year).

Photo by @AndreyArt. From the personal archive of Aisylu Yanturina Darles.

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