A day in the life of a UN Intern
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 UN System Interns’ Most Common Tasks
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A Day in The Life of a UN Intern: 2 types of tasks
Working at a UN System organization requires a high level of dedication from an intern, since many of them work on topics of the utmost importance for global development, such as fighting climate changes, poverty and social inequalities. However, have you stopped to think about how you will assist these organizations in achieving their objectives? Are the tasks undertaken identical to any other job?
There are usually two categories of activities conducted by an intern: a) research activities and b) administrative support activities.
Research activities usually vary according to the agency`s needs and are more frequent during the process of writing a report or important publication for the institution. Therefore, an intern`s research related tasks may involve:
• Cataloguing information;
• Analysis of statistical data;
• Researching topics relevant to the development of publications;
• Writing and revising documents;
• Preparing tables, charts and figures using computer software;
• Preparing and applying questionnaires;
• Discussing important articles.
It should be emphasized that some internships, such as the International Maritime
Organization (IMO), only focus on research activities. In other words, they serve to develop graduate students` dissertations or theses. Therefore, tasks not linked to the purpose of the research will not be expected on this program.
In turn, administrative support activities are required in the majority of the internship vacancies and also vary according to the specific focus of activity of the agency or department involved. However, the most common tasks are as follows:
• Assisting in solving organizational problems;
• Generating data and institutional documents;
• Taking part in meetings and training with other agency members;
• Organizing events, conferences or forums;
• Providing other types of support, according to your professional specialties;
• Meeting with the agency`s clients;
• Working on the organization`s internal and external communication (preparing audio-visual materials, managing social networks, generating institutional repositories or preparing internal documents);
• Preparing and giving presentations.
It is commonplace for an intern to carry out both research and administrative support activities. This will depend on your abilities and work experience, and the organization`s specific requirements.
At the end of the internship, your supervisor or mentor will usually write a report detailing the activities you have carried out during the internship period and evaluating the learning acquired. In some cases, you may be asked to complete this document and hand it to the manager responsible for the organization`s Human Resources department.
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