How to take part in UN humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, with further employment in the UN? Step-by-step instructions on how to get a job at the UN Work at the UN after MGIMO

Health

A UN employee anonymously spoke about professional pride, friendship between peoples and monetary compensation in case of death.

For many, the UN is such a Kafkaesque castle. Alluring, mysterious and inaccessible. Everyone wants to get there, and someone seems to get there, but no one knows exactly how to do it. Everyone heard about the very time-consuming application process, passing some kind of interviews and exams, about the long wait for an answer - several months or even years.

To some extent, this is all true. Although there are situations when the applicant gets a job quite quickly and without superhuman effort. If we get lucky. Whether you are accepted or not depends on many factors. Here, both your work experience and, for example, the status of your state can play a role. For example, if your country is "under-represented" in the UN, the chance of getting a job there increases dramatically.

About the risks associated with working at the UN

The mission of the UN is to unite peoples, help the suffering and fight for world peace.

Of course, getting ready for work every morning, UN employees do not mutter under their breath: "Here, I'm going to save the world again." But in general, this feeling depends on the specific duties. I think if a person with a humanitarian convoy goes to the besieged Syrian city of Homs and distributes food and clothing to those in need, he feels that he is doing something very important. Well, or, for example, an employee of the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition chemical weapons), involved in the removal of chemical weapons from Syria, certainly feels that he is making the world a better place. Not to mention those who sit at Security Council meetings and decide "the fate of the world."

Willingness to work in places remote and not the most comfortable at the UN is always welcome. Exotic lovers and altruists who want to help starving children in Africa, as it turns out, are not so few. But not everyone is clear on the reality. Everyday life and work in, say, the Central African Republic, South Sudan or other hot spots.

Working in UN missions in troubled countries and in war zones can be extremely dangerous. UN employees are intimidated, fired upon, kidnapped, killed. However, everyone knows about it from the news bulletins.

By the way, in the event of the death of an employee in the line of duty, his family and friends are paid generous monetary compensation.

About the UN Headquarters in New York

I personally work at the UN Headquarters in New York, in the General Secretariat. Everyone, of course, remembers the emerald skyscraper with the flags of all member countries of the organization lined up along it. It is beautiful, comfortable and absolutely safe here.

All members of the secretariat take pride in their work, although they try not to show it, and in conversations over lunch in the canteen they like to discuss the bureaucracy and inefficiency of the organization that reigns in the UN. In fact, everyone here feels like a part of some elite club. The bus that goes down 42nd Street in Manhattan (its last stop is called "United Nations") every morning becomes a platform for a conceited flash mob. At the entrance to the UN, many passengers begin to remove UN passes from their bags and pockets and at the same time furtively look around: who else takes out the same blue ID? And the one who gets it last does it with special relish: yes, yes, don’t think, I’m also “your”.

On the other hand, this is done primarily for convenience, so as not to dig into the bag at the entrance to the territory of a huge complex under gusts strong wind from the East River (the UN building stands right by the river).

About salary, schedule and working conditions

One of the reasons why many seek to work at the UN is, of course, high salaries (8-10 thousand dollars a month on average) and social guarantees. Good health insurance, pensions, flexible taxation (the UN pays most of the taxes for its employees), allowances that compensate for the cost of living in the city where you work, housing subsidies (if you have to move to another region for work). And that's not all that the world's most powerful non-profit organization will offer you.

If you are accepted to the UN for a permanent job, then this is, in fact, a guarantee of employment for life. As some people joke, people leave the UN only feet first.

About UN Radio

I work for UN radio (the radio service is part of the public information UN secretariat). Many, when they hear this phrase, are surprised: does the UN have a radio? In fact, it has existed since 1946. By the way, it is the day of the founding of UN radio that is considered world day radio - 13 February. We talk mainly about the activities of various UN structures and bodies (there are countless of them: the Security Council, the General Assembly, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Red Cross, World Organization Health, World Meteorological Organization, UN peacekeeping missions in countries affected by conflict). Reports, interviews, daily UN radio news programs can be found (including in text form) on the official website. As a rule, all these materials are regularly used by our partners. In the case of the Russian-language service, this is, for example, "Echo of Moscow" in some CIS countries. UN radio broadcasts in eight languages - English, French, Russian, Swahili, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic. All employees are located on the same floor, and the most real internationalism and friendship of peoples reign here.

Once, walking along the corridor, I saw through the door in one of the offices of the UN Radio Arab Service a woman in very beautiful clothes - dark blue, embroidered with silver threads. She prayed to Allah. I delicately passed by, although her bright attire attracted me very much. The next time, passing by the same office, I expected to see her again. But a completely different lady was sitting there - in boring office trousers and a jacket, with her hair loose. I involuntarily caught myself thinking: where did that Muslim woman in beautiful religious clothes go? Of course, it was the same woman, she just changed clothes for prayer.

In general, there are not so many people in national costumes walking around the corridors of the UN headquarters. Of course, you can occasionally meet Sikhs in turbans or women in hijabs. But most of the employees dress in quite a standard office style.

The situation changes when some kind of conference is held at the headquarters, say, dedicated to African women. Then permanent employees are guaranteed a multi-day exotic show. Everything is filled with the rustling of lush multi-colored dresses and headdresses a meter high. Sometimes it is even difficult to walk down the corridor. And when they leave at the end of the conference, it becomes empty and gray.

The biggest charm of working on UN radio is this: firstly, the authority of the organization allows you to get almost any interview, and secondly, you don’t have to go far. The building is literally teeming with politicians, celebrities and laureates Nobel Prize from around the world.

About the Northern Salon of Delegates

Of all the endless halls and rooms of the UN Headquarters, the most attractive is the Northern Delegates' Lounge, or, as it is also called, the Delegates Lounge. Here you can have an excellent lunch or dinner while admiring the view of the East River - however, through the Knots and Beads curtain, consisting of 30 thousand porcelain balls. This is the decision of the Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, who took part in the large-scale restoration of the bar.

The result, by the way, caused irritation in many. They turned, they say, luxurious and mysterious, shrouded in twilight in the style of James Bond films, the nightclub of diplomats into an environmentally friendly school cafeteria.

The Delegates' Lounge is almost always full. The most interesting things happen here and happened, of course, in the evenings. Many in the UN generally believe that all major decisions are made here, and not at all at meetings. General Assembly or the Security Council. Tipsy (and sometimes frankly drunk) and relaxed diplomats supposedly quickly find a common language and in a matter of minutes agree on issues that had previously been fruitlessly discussed for hours in a bureaucratic setting.

Old-timers of the UN say that once the atmosphere in the Delegates' Lounge was even more relaxed. At times cold war diplomats were supposedly even visited by girls of easy virtue.

I don’t know how much you can believe everything that is said about the Northern Salon, but mission personnel clearly perceive it as their personal territory, where they can discard etiquette, forget about protocol and loosen the knot on a tie. One day, my colleague and I showed up there with a camera and tried to take pictures of the legendary Lounge. A couple of minutes later, a representative of the Chilean mission was running towards us across the entire hall, waving his arms. He demanded that we not "point the camera at him" even though we weren't filming him at all. The man very emotionally, in a raised voice, said that it was impossible to shoot here, and threatened that he would call the guards.

Pattern: I always have enough to write a plaintive or angry post, but rarely to please and rejoice. Today is no exception. I decided to tell you something about the internship at the UN, or rather about how and why they don’t get there.

It all started about a year ago, when I was still a student at a European university and dreamed of getting an internship at a very specific UN unit in Vienna. At some point, I met a couple of people who had already interned with this organization, in other departments in other cities, and according to their feedback, the internship should have been just a breakthrough in my career. Already, if not further employment, then at least very useful connections and acquaintances. I started small by applying for an internship. And then I realized that the chances are zero, because, firstly, by the time of the internship I will not be a student (and this is a mandatory condition), and secondly, interns at the UN are not paid money and are not reimbursed for expenses in connection with moving to place of internship and accommodation. But again, I applied. And almost immediately she stopped waiting, switched to her studies.
And then one day, after checking the mailbox, I found a letter from the UN (after a good 3 months, although it should have been in 1) with an invitation to work experience.

Wow, I thought. Amazing coincidence or fate? In any case, it was necessary to start in two months, the time has come.
Having carefully read the conditions, I realized that they were inviting me to another department, completely unrelated to my specialization. Knowing how many people want to get there (in this department that chose me), I was very surprised. And I thought, because I had to spend my money and 3 months of my life on an internship. Was the game worth the candle?

Another snag, the main one, was money. I really wanted to get money for this business (and in the end I couldn’t), so conceivable and unthinkable options were already turning in my head how to do it.

But the main thing that slowed me down was the lack of support from the inviting party - even informational, even oblique accommodation in Vienna, where I had never been. Of course, I made an attempt and contacted the organizers of my internship at the UN on this matter. There was not even an answer. Well, I thought. Any result is also a result. Either housing will turn up for me and there will be money, or it was not mine.

I began to work in all directions, without success. The housing was too expensive or very dubious to try to rent it without money and send a deposit to nowhere. The city is also expensive - and, not finding money for living, I could not afford the trip.

Later, in a calm state, I analyzed everything after the fact, talked with a number of other individuals who either trained or worked at the UN, and here are the conclusions I came to.

1) Only a wealthy student can afford an internship at the UN. Wealthy is if he is from the middle class in a developed country, or from a caste in a developing country. Otherwise, it's unbelievable. There are always exceptions, but in general they are. According to one guy from Hungary, who did an internship in the New York office, there were mostly Australians with him, citizens of Western European countries, Canada. There was a small percentage of people from other countries, but during that time he did not meet a single trainee from, for example, Africa. The guys I know, who trained in Geneva, are all from wealthy families. The Hungarian I mentioned told me that he was unable to pay for his stay in NY for 6 months (for which he was invited), and stayed there only 2.

2) The second conclusion follows from the first conclusion, that there is indirect discrimination based on nationality. It cannot be proven because there are no visible reasons for such discrimination. But in life it turns out that in the world's largest international organization, mostly wealthy people from developed countries are trained. That's what natural selection is.

3) The UN uses the labor of professionals for free (people are not just with higher education, but often with master's degrees and the like, with work experience at the international level), while not even helping their intern with information in finding housing, loans for internships, visa support. It's just such a magical organization where everyone wants, so they will come anyway and without the help of the inviting party.

4) Little things neglecting the trainees. For example, I was taken to a department that was completely inappropriate for my specialization. I am sure that there were hundreds of applicants for my place, who understood the subject better than me (considering that I didn’t understand a damn thing about it). But they took me, most likely, as a native speaker, which they lacked at that time. This is the only logical explanation. Those. left behind people who really want to work in a field that I don’t give a shit about, just because a free girl translator was needed.

And these glorious stories about the fact that interns are given a guest badge, and every day he enters the UN building through the tourist entrance with a full inspection of clothes, etc. When employees go through the employee entrance.

5) After a miracle internship, you will not be employed at the UN for at least the next 6 months. Such a rule. The reasons why it was established are understandable. However, what should people who have already worked and successfully do? Sit at home and wait. Eat how you want, earn money in another way. Someday we will contact you.

Yes, many people dream of working at the UN. Should I complain, because I was invited. Should I be indignant, because I had the opportunity, albeit a small one, to find money for this business. But why is this place so special? It is losing credibility on many fronts. It does not give equal access to itself to all the peoples of the world, but only to the chosen ones (for the most part, well-living peoples). Such a feeder for fat cats.

I would still like to see the UN from the inside, to work in some organization associated with my direction. To confirm or disprove yourself. But I really want that for such an organization, where many intuitively aspire (just like in Gazprom in modern Russia), motivated and educated people would not be meat and mass.

On the one hand, it is not difficult, on the other hand, a lot depends not on you. First of all, the number of places (quotas for people) from each country is limited. It is also best that you match the required vacancy at the UN. Most often, the UN mission requires doctors, teachers, social workers, volunteers, lawyers, administrative staff and even experts in the economy (if we are talking about humanitarian missions).

The requirements for volunteers and interns are much less. For a lawyer or even a translator, you will need a master's degree and work experience. In addition, you need to know 2-3 languages from the official languages of the UN. For example, Russian + English (required as the language international cooperation). Plus, you need the language of the region in which you are transferred.

Interns are usually students, both local and foreign. This is unpaid work, often not full-time. In time, it can last six months. After the "internship" you can not immediately apply for vacancies, you need to wait at least a year. These are the rules adopted by the UN. A service contract with long-term consultants is also possible. Usually these are contracts for 6-12 months, possibly with renewal. This is a project, not a permanent job. Another employment option: a short contract is concluded with local consultants for 3-6 months for piece work.

Other large group- international employees. Usually these are professional employees with an annually renewed contract. The wages here are naturally higher, since they live in a foreign country. If there is a family, then the payment increases slightly.

In addition, there are international consultants. A contract with them can be concluded for a certain number of days. The requirements for candidates are very high and, of course, they receive an appropriate salary.

If we are talking about UN peacekeeping operations, then personnel are recruited from professional military or reserve officers of the UN member countries.

To apply, you need to download Form P-11 from the official website. It is a simple questionnaire that you fill out and send by e-mail. Then a commission of 3-5 people reviews it anonymously and makes a decision. This is followed by an interview with the candidate. You can see in advance where the UN missions are located and answer in the language of the country where you want to go.

yours are appreciated vigorous activity during your student days or your active civil activity. For example, election observer, student parliament, participation in UN models, donation, volunteering.

Plus, yes, you're right, mission specific. It's one thing if it's a humanitarian mission to help children, then teachers and pediatricians are needed. It's another matter if the recovery after disasters, then engineers, builders, designers and the same volunteers are needed.

And again, if you are a volunteer or temporary employee, then you are taken on some kind of mission, if you are a permanent employee, then your versatility and the ability to help in different places are appreciated, for example, if you are a doctor.

Comment

About the risks associated with working at the UN

The mission of the UN is to unite peoples, help the suffering and fight for world peace.

Of course, getting ready for work every morning, UN employees do not mutter under their breath: "Here, I'm going to save the world again." But in general, this feeling depends on the specific duties. I think if a person with a humanitarian convoy goes to the besieged Syrian city of Homs and distributes food and clothing to those in need, he feels that he is doing something very important. Well, or, for example, an employee of the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), involved in the removal of chemical weapons from Syria, probably feels that he is making the world a better place. Not to mention those who sit at Security Council meetings and decide "the fate of the world."

Willingness to work in places remote and not the most comfortable at the UN is always welcome. Exotic lovers and altruists who want to help starving children in Africa, as it turns out, are not so few. But not everyone is clear about the realities of everyday life and work in, say, the Central African Republic, South Sudan or other hotspots.

UN staff intimidate, shoot at, kidnapped, killed

By the way, in the event of the death of an employee in the line of duty, his family and friends are paid generous monetary compensation.

About the UN Headquarters in New York

On the other hand, this is done primarily for convenience, so as not to dig into the bag later at the entrance to the territory of a huge complex under strong winds from the East River (the UN building stands right by the river).

How they joke some leave the UN only feet first

About salary, schedule and working conditions

If you are accepted to the UN for a permanent job, then this is, in fact, a guarantee of employment for life. As some people joke, people leave the UN only feet first.

About UN Radio

I work for UN Radio (the radio service is part of the Department of Public Information of the UN Secretariat). Many, when they hear this phrase, are surprised: does the UN have a radio? In fact, it has existed since 1946. By the way, it is the founding day of UN radio that is considered World Radio Day - February 13th. We mainly talk about the activities of various structures and bodies of the UN (there are countless of them: the Security Council, the General Assembly, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the World Meteorological Organization, UN peacekeeping missions in countries affected by conflicts). Reports, interviews, daily UN radio news programs can be found (including in text form) on the official website. As a rule, all these materials are regularly used by our partners. In the case of the Russian-language service, this is, for example, "Echo of Moscow" in some CIS countries. UN radio broadcasts in eight languages - English, French, Russian, Swahili, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic. All employees are located on the same floor, and the most real internationalism and friendship of peoples reign here.

The building is literally teeming politicians, celebrities
and Nobel Prize winners
from around the world

About the Northern Salon of Delegates

The Delegates' Lounge is almost always full. The most interesting things happen here and happened, of course, in the evenings. Many in the UN generally believe that all major decisions are made here, and not at all at meetings of the General Assembly or the Security Council. Tipsy (and sometimes frankly drunk) and relaxed diplomats supposedly quickly find a common language and in a matter of minutes agree on issues that had previously been fruitlessly discussed for hours in a bureaucratic setting.

Old-timers of the UN say that once the atmosphere in the Delegates' Lounge was even more relaxed. During the Cold War, diplomats were allegedly even visited by girls of easy virtue.

Illustrations: Masha Shishova

Work in a team with people from different parts of the world, participate in decision-making that affects politics in the world, travel to different countries- A career in international organizations has a number of advantages.

There is no universal recipe for making a career in an international organization. "Viele Wege führen nach oben," says Hans Willmann, host of the podium discussion "Careers in International Associations and Organizations" at the German Foreign Ministry at the end of January. "There are many paths leading to the cherished goal", but these are not always wide straight highways with signs; often you have to tread a bypass path on your own - through practices, internships and volunteer programs.

United Nations

United Nations building in New York

UN, the largest international organization, needs no special introduction. Created at the end of World War II, today it has 192 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Germany. The working languages of the UN are English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

"The United Nations Secretariat is constantly looking for knowledgeable and hardworking specialists of various profiles from different regions of the world," - these words open the "Employment Opportunities" section on the organization's official website. Getting into the UN is not easy, but nothing is impossible. In order to maintain a "geographical balance", the selection of employees to the UN Secretariat is carried out on a national basis within the framework of the National Competitive Recruitment Examinations (NCRE) program.

Every year, the organization's website publishes a list of countries whose citizens can apply for employment in the most important body of the UN. Russia and Germany are widely represented in the Secretariat, so in 2009 neither Russians nor Germans were recruited. "AT this moment the recruitment system for the UN Secretariat is being reformed. The electronic system "Galaxy" in the spring of 2010 will be replaced by a new, improved program, "says Theresia Redigolo, an employee of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She advises to regularly visit the organization's website and check whether quotas for recruitment have been allocated employees from your country to current year. The start of the qualifying round for the NCRE program is in August.

Practice at the UN

Getting an internship at the United Nations is easier than getting a job there. For example, any undergraduate student who studies a specialty related to the work of the UN can theoretically take an internship at the central office in New York ( international relationships, law, economics, political science, journalism, demography, translation, public administration), is fluent in English or French and ... able to take care of the financing of the practice on his own.

The UN budget does not include funds for the payment of fees to interns. Experts estimate the cost of living in New York at five thousand dollars a month. If this amount did not scare you away - the next deadline for applying for a two-month internship in New York (The United Nations Headquarters Internship Program) in September-November 2010 - mid-May.

You can, of course, find a city where the cost of living is not as high as in New York for an internship at the UN or one of the related organizations (UNICEF, UNESCO, WTO and others). For example, Nairobi, Madrid, Hamburg, Bangkok or Turin. A list of current vacancies can be found at the link at the bottom of the article.

OSCE

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe includes 56 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Germany. The history of the OSCE goes back to 1973-1975, when at the peak of the Cold War the warring parties at a meeting in Helsinki decided to conclude a truce. The goals of the organization are conflict prevention and resolution crisis situations. official languages are English, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Russian.

Christo Polendakov

A great way to try out for the OSCE is the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) program. "The program includes three months of work in the secretariat in Vienna and six months of so-called "field work" in the OSCE representations in Central Asia, the Caucasus, South-East Europe or the Balkans," says Head of the OSCE Recruitment Section Kristo Polendakov ( Christo Polendakov).

Participants of the JPO program receive about a thousand euros per month. "This is not a lot of money, but practice shows that this is enough. The main "profit" of the program interns is the experience gained," adds Kristo Polendakov. This experience provides, according to him, advantages when applying for work in the OSCE, but does not guarantee employment.

The OSCE staff member notes that the university that the candidate graduated from also plays an important role in the selection of personnel. "Cambridge, Oxford and MGIMO are a sign of quality. However, in modern world requirements are much broader. The knowledge of any of us can be useful in a certain situation. Need to be in the right place right time", - says Kristo Polendakov, himself a graduate of MGIMO.

Practice in the OSCE

Practice in the OSCE - invaluable experience

You can take an internship at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna or at one of the offices in the Czech Republic, Moldova, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan or Ukraine. There is no OSCE office in Russia, the nearest representations are in Minsk and Kyiv.

Practice in the OSCE lasts from two to six months and is not paid. Students of the last courses not older than 30 years old from countries that are members of the organization can apply. To do this, you need to fill out a questionnaire on the OSCE website and send it along with an essay in which you need to justify your desire to do an internship, and (optionally) a CV by e-mail or regular mail three months before the planned start of the internship.

European Union

Plenary Hall of the European Parliament, Brussels

Citizens of countries outside of European Union, the entrance to the EU bodies as employees, in theory, is ordered. However, there are no rules without exceptions. "If a candidate from Russia, for example, wants to do an internship under a member of the European Parliament who deals with EU-Russia relations, then an exception can be made for him," says Brigitte Müller-Reck, an employee of the European Parliament's personnel department. ).

Another opportunity to get an internship in the European Parliament is the Robert Schumann Scholarship (Robert-Schuman-Praktikum). It is of two types - for all specialties and for journalists. One of the conditions is that the candidate must be a graduate of a university in one of the EU member states. The practice lasts five months. The nearest deadline for submitting documents is from March 15 to April 15.

Russian Irina Figut participated in the Robert Schumann program in the fall of 2008. Her tasks included communicating with the press and working on a corporate publication. “I did an internship at the European Parliament in Luxembourg. But we also attended sections in Brussels and Strasbourg,” says Irina. She especially enjoyed watching parliamentary sessions, and to be an eyewitness of how voting is carried out and political decisions important for the whole world are made.

Context

How to find a place for an internship, how to properly prepare for it, and what should you pay attention to when receiving a certificate of completion? The answers to these and other questions can be found in the Deutsche Welle Help. (30.04.2009)