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Selection processes within the UN System generally will require candidates to submit their CV or resume in order to be considered for a job opportunity. Therefore, the CV for United Nations Jobs is one of the most important documents you will need to provide in order to be able to start your international career. So how do you craft it?
Since the selection team will use these documents to gain an initial impression of the candidate’s competencies, professional experience and academic qualifications, crafting a great CV or resume is crucial. But are CVs and resumes the same?
In this article, you will not only learn how to craft the ideal CV for United Nations Jobs but also the differences between a CV and a resume. It’s just a small sample of all the information covered by our eBook “Landing your dream job at the United Nations“. Get a copy today!
In pursuit of its mission, the OpenIGO network has developed a comprehensive eBook, as well as support and guidance services, with the aim of highly increasing your chances of success in these competitive selection processes. These services include revising your UN Jobs application documents (Curriculum vitae/Resume, Cover Letter) and a mock interview, as per the original UN Jobs model.
We have already helped dozens of candidates become UN Professionals and we can also assist you in passing this competitive selection process!
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UN System Jobs: Products & Services
What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
Although often interchangeable, a CV and a resume have differences. In the case of the organizations within the UN System, most of them will be willing to accept one or the other, but knowing the difference may be important in cases where only one type is accepted.
CV
The expression “Curriculum Vitae” comes from Latin and means “the course of life”, in reference to a complete bibliographical description of an individual’s educational and professional background. Therefore, a CV (also called Vita or Vitae) is a longer and more detailed document than a Resume.
It generally contains the candidate’s full job and academic history (including relevant internships and voluntary work), as well as information about their language knowledge, competencies, publications, awards, honors and scholarships, among others.
Resume
In turn, a resume is a shorter document, of only one or two pages, with a short description of your professional experience, academic profile and competencies. This document presents a candidate as having the profile and competencies required for the position and organization.
Studies show that a recruiter spends an average of 15 seconds evaluating a resume. Therefore, it should be concise and objective, containing only essential information for the position sought.
A resume is a widely disseminated document in business-related selections and in the majority of selections for employees at intergovernmental organizations (IGO), within and outside the UN system.
So, given the conciseness needed for a resume, we’ll focus on this type of document instead of the longer version.
Crafting your resume/CV for United Nations Job
There are three types of resume formats, namely: a) chronological; b) functional, and c) combination.
If the incorrect format is selected, important information may not be sufficiently highlighted, making the text less attractive for the recruiter, and that may decrease your chances of success!
a) Chronological resume
Considered as the most traditional model, the chronological resume lists the candidate’s work experience in chronological order.
It also includes the names of the companies where you have worked and the time spent there. However, preference is given to your most recent professional experience, which should be listed first.
This resume format is one that recruiters prefer, since it gives an idea of the candidate’s professional evolution.
b) Functional resume
As the name suggests, the functional resume seeks to emphasize the duties or competencies that you have developed, and not necessarily the positions occupied, or the companies where you have worked.
This resume is the opposite of the chronological, and it is indicated to people who have not had a great deal of professional experience, or have experienced a considerable amount of unemployment.
The focus is not given to previous jobs but, instead, to skills and the knowledge acquired while performing the role, focusing more on the results obtained.
Even when a job does not appear to be highly relevant, as is the case of experience with voluntary activities or internships, this information may be very useful in a functional resume!
That is because since you describe which competencies, knowledge and skills you have gained in that specific job, listing the length of time the activity was carried out, or the organization’s name is not required.
c) Combination resume
Lastly, the combination resume is a format that includes the main advantages of the chronological and functional models!
In it, the organizations and positions held can be listed chronologically (date and length of employment), but the candidate can also include the competencies, skills and knowledge acquired from performing these functions, as in the functional format.
Therefore, this is a more complete resume format, but it is the most complex one to prepare!
Now that you know the three types of resumes that exist, it’s time to answer the question: how do you craft the ideal resume/CV for United Nations Jobs?
Crafting your resume/CV for United Nations Jobs
Now that you have a general idea about what a resume and a CV are, it’s time to focus on writing one!
Below, we will provide you with suggestions related to resume structure and content, as well as the most common mistakes that candidates make during the document preparation.
Storytelling
You should write your resume/CV for United Nations Jobs so that it tells a story, or rather your story.
People tend to appreciate reading more and have a greater connection to the text when they are involved in a story. This is no different with the recruiter in a job selection process!
As a result of reading your story in your resume, the recruiter will certainly feel a stronger involvement with your application.
Preparing to write your resume/CV for United Nations Jobs
But before you get underway in writing your resume with its storytelling aspect, you should prepare!
The preparation process requires the candidate’s time and dedication. The smallest details may be the difference between being selected or otherwise.
We recommend the following simplified steps when preparing to write this document:
- Explore the job opening thoroughly. Understand the position’s duties and identify the desired professional competencies.
- Study the organization’s profile: its mission, vision, values, form of operation and main activities. This will help you to gain a more holistic view of what they expect from a candidate, enabling you to incorporate elements important to the organization in your resume.
- At this point, reflect on and write down in detail the reasons for applying for this selection process and how your academic and professional profile fits with what this international organization is looking for. This reflection will be extremely important for you in preparing your resume in a way that is more suited to the position’s profile.
Want to know more detailed aspects of this prepation process with very useful insights? Check out our eBook now!
What should be in your resume/CV for United Nations Jobs?
Most organizations do not require a defined structure for your resume. If on the one hand, this gives more flexibility and freedom for candidates to select the structure and contents of their resumes, then, on the other, you might forget to include elements on it that are relevant to the recruiter!
Always remember that the objective of a resume is to provide, in a concise way, the most relevant activities of a person’s professional and academic trajectory!
With that in mind, we suggest that your resume includes the following sections:
- Personal information;
- Professional summary;
- Academic background;
- Professional experience;
- Qualifications.
What personal information should be in your resume/CV for United Nations Jobs?
It is important to put in your resume some of your personal information at the beginning, such as:
• Full name (in cases of long names, middle name(s) can be abbreviated);
• Date of birth;
• Contact telephone number (with the country and area code);
• Email;
• Home address;
• Nationality(ies).
Candidates must be very careful not to insert erroneous personal information. Telephone and email contacts should always be updated. If any changes occur during the process, candidates should inform the UN recruitment team!
What else should be in your resume/CV for United Nations Jobs?
Besides all we have said, these things are also important to be included in your resume: your professional summary; your academic background; your professional experience and your qualifications (such as language proficiency, skills, competencies, etc).
Do you wish to understand all these indispensable aspects of a resume with more detail? Then check our eBook:
eBook – Landing your dream job at the United Nations
Bonus: Mistakes most people make when crafting their resume/CV for United Nations Jobs
It is common for candidates to make mistakes when writing a resume, and these may affect their success in the selection process.
Therefore, in an attempt to prevent these, we’ll provide you with a list of the most common mistakes below:
- Inserting unnecessary information: it is common for candidates to put unnecessary information, such as: political affiliation, political ideologies, religion, expected salary, reasons for leaving previous jobs or experience which has nothing to do with the vacancy sought. Remember that this document should have only 1 or 2 pages maximum;
- Inserting information which is not true: unfortunately, there are candidates who put information on their resume, which does not correspond to the reality, such as a more advanced level of proficiency in a foreign language than they really have, or a longer period of time at a job than is really true;
- Forgetting information relevant to the selection: many candidates forget to update their Resume or do not see the importance of information which may be extremely relevant to the assessor;
- Spelling and grammar mistakes: making spelling or grammar mistakes on a Resume could show that the candidate is not proficient in that language or is not careful with the presentation of their work. Therefore, candidates should always read and re-read the Resume after it has been finalized, looking for any mistakes, especially if it is written in a foreign language. Ideally, seek assistance from a competent professional, such as those at OpenIGO.
Generally, in the first phase of the UN Jobs selection processes, you must fill out an online application form and upload documents (Curriculum Vitae/Resume, Cover Letter, etc.). However, some opportunities may require that candidates submit these documents by e-mail. In both cases, these documents are decisive for your success in these competitive selection processes. Therefore, it is of fundamental importance that your documents are carefully reviewed! This is exactly what our award-winning team will do for you.
At OpenIGO, we have analyzed documents from dozens of UN candidates. This service is confidential and your files will be deleted from our systems when the service has been completed.
Would you like to know more about our application review service? Access:
By having access to this information and much more from our eBook, you will certainly have a head start over other candidates!
With that in mind, check out our eBook, “Landing your dream job at the United Nations”, which will help you land your dream job at the United Nations System. It will introduce you to the complex world of the United Nations and it will guide you through all the stages of the selection process. Access:
eBook – Landing your dream job at the United Nations
