UN Internships Selection Process
Be selected for a UN Internship Program is a dream for many! Understandably, since working at the UN combines prestigious and a wide range of benefits with meaningful work that can help billions of people around the world. In addition, interning at the UN means developing a global career with a global reach, in a multicultural and pleasant environment; you will be able to construct influential networks and receive encouragement to develop professionally.
In this article, we will take a look at the stages of the UN Internship Selection Process!
In pursuit of its mission, the OpenIGO network has prepared a comprehensive eBook (available soon) and support and guidance services, with the aim of highly increasing your chances of success in these competitive processes. These services include revising your UN internships application documents (curriculum vitae/resume and cover letter) and a mock interview, as per the United Nations model. We also offer a range of packages that combine the eBook with different services.
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UN Internships Selection Process
Have you ever asked yourself how UN internships selection process operate? How many stages separate you from achieving an internship vacancy? The following information seeks to demonstrate how this process operates, and to give you a general idea of your chances of being selected.
Generally speaking, the UN internship or job vacancy selection process can be divided into six stages:
i) Advertising period;
ii) Longlisting;
iii) Shortlisting;
iv) Interview;
v) Post-interview process;
vi) Contacting applicants.
The advertising period varies according to the different UN System agencies. Some internship programs receive applications throughout the whole year, others open during pre-determined periods (seasons), and there are also specific vacancies that open up, according to agency demands. (See section 2.1 for further information).
In the longlisting, an initial analysis of the applicants is conducted through automatic systems that compare information from the participant’s profile with the requirements established, according to the agency’s demands, and the specifications established by the recruiters. In order to increase the chances of your application being successful at this stage, you should provide information/references that confirm your skills in a specific area/sector of the organization. It is easier for the systems to select applications that demonstrate a high level of professional specialty.
The shortlisting stage is formed by potential applicants for the internship program, but the vacancy is not yet guaranteed. The people on this list are generally contacted for the fourth stage, in which one of the agency recruiters interviews them.
An interview is usually held over the telephone, but it may also be via video-conferencing, in which questions are asked that not only verify the applicant’s competencies, but also their knowledge about the agency’s activities, and relevant global development topics. The following questions should be expected: “Why did you select this agency?” and “What will your contribution be to our organization?”. Without a doubt, the interview is one of the most decisive moments, since it is here that the information provided in your CV, cover letter, and other documents, will be evaluated in practice. (See further information in Chapter 7 – UN Internship Interview).
This is followed by the post-interview process, which involves the last selection preparations, which may include a review of the application documents, final adjustments and a comparison of the applicant’s performance in all the previous processes, so that a final decision can be made.
If no irregularities are found, it continues onto the sixth stage: contacting applicants. Generally, contact is made by email: the agency sends an internship proposal, in some cases with a possible deadline to start the internship, details about any compensation (if applicable), and other practical information. However, if the individual selected decides not to continue with their application, the next person on the shortlist is contacted.
In addition, in some selections, there may also be a stage called the written test, which is usually soon after the shortlisting, to confirm the capacity to write, summarize, demonstrate the applicant’s general knowledge of the organization, and their area of expertise.
The following table summarizes the information provided until this point:
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