For those who work/worked in INGOs such as USAID, Jphiego, Save the Children, UNFPA, etc. Can you share your experiences? Salary, benefits, workload, work environment and anything else you would like to share. Eyeing to shift careers, from the government to INGO. Thanks in advance!

I received a job offer from a UN organization and accepted it. I subsequently decided that I did not want to join due to some personal reasons and emailed HR requesting withdrawal of my acceptance, explaining that I was unable to join due to personal circumstances.
My contract is an Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) with no specified end date, and it contains a clause requiring 30 calendar days’ written notice for termination. My joining date is approaching, but I have not received a response to my withdrawal email.
I have not started working or commenced the assignment. I want to handle this situation properly and understand my contractual position.
For anyone familiar with UN contracts or who has experienced a similar situation:
Can an ICA be terminated before the commencement date, and does the 30-day notice requirement apply in that situation?

Hi, I have a interview this week for an internship position in UNODA in Geneva that I applied for about a month ago.

Some background about me:

• Somewhat recent PhD graduate in a STEM field with experience in science policy, worked as a postdoc until July and unfortunately have since been unemployed (thanks, job market)

• Speak English, German, and Russian fluently

• Several publications, including in biosecurity and science diplomacy, and would like to pursue a career in these areas

I have no experience with the UN, so I have been trying to read about the processes a bit more. I intend to practice answering behavioral questions in the days leading up to the interview.

• Any idea how many other candidates are competing against me? Do I have a good chance at an offer if I do well in the interview?
• It seems it depends on the office, but if my panelists like me, should I expect an additional task to complete after this or another interview? Is there a typical number of interviews for an internship position (unpaid)? My invitation email describes this as a "screening opportunity for shortlisted candidates."
• When asked about my availability and desired duration, I said 2-3 months for sure with willingness to extend based on the team's needs and my circumstances. Does this hurt my chances compared to a candidate who upfront could commit to six months? I said I could start as soon as early December (given the visa and housing logistics).
• I am fluent in the mother tongue of both of my panelists. Should I expect to answer a lot of the questions in this language? I assume my skills in the third language would not be tested if my panelists do not know it. All of our communications have been in English, and the internship does not require knowledge of another language (though desirable).
• I think I could make the unpaid position work if I receive an offer, but I absolutely would apply for funding from an external source that could respond to me within about a week (and obviously significantly lessen the burden for me if my grant were approved). Is this worth mentioning in the interview?

At the moment I am desperately applying for jobs without much success, but as hiring winds down for the year, this could be a great opportunity for me. It would be cool to work for the UN someday, but I absolutely do not expect to come back after six months and be offered employment. However, this experience could meaningfully improve my profile for other positions in science diplomacy. I also would love to move to Switzerland in the near future, so I would like to build connections in the country.

Thank you for any tips.

Hi everyone, I’m a Kenyan based in California seeking advice on finding a UN role in Nairobi.
I have 13+ years of GIS and geospatial technology experience at Esri, where I’m a Senior Technical Consultant and Cross-Sector GeoEquity Practice Lead. I help governments use geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic data to identify disparities, improve service access, and support evidence-based decisions.
I hold a master’s degree in GIS, am pursuing a PhD on the strategic adoption of geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), and founded Black Girls MAPP, an initiative focused on representation and community impact through GIS.
I’m interested in roles involving geospatial analysis, data and technology strategy, programme management, capacity building, and technology-enabled development, particularly work supporting underserved communities. I’m open to staff positions, consultancies, and other potential entry points.
My family is considering relocating to Nairobi to be closer to relatives and strengthen our support system while raising our two young children. I’m also nearing the end of the US citizenship process.
For anyone working with the UN or familiar with its recruitment process:
Which Nairobi-based agencies or roles best match my background?
What helped you get shortlisted and hired?
Are consultancies or rosters effective pathways to longer-term opportunities?
How can someone with substantial private-sector experience make a competitive transition into the UN?
Which professional networks or recruitment resources would you recommend beyond the main careers portals?
I know the process is competitive, and I’d appreciate honest advice, personal experiences, or suggestions on where to focus my efforts. Thank you!

I’ll be moving to Brussels for an EU job soon and would love to hear your advice! Especially interested in tips on finding an apartment and the overall cost of living. Any recommendations or things you wish you’d known before moving to Brussels would be greatly appreciated.

M, 32 yo.

Hi everyone.

I am about a month into a six month consultancy at the Green Climate Fund.

Seven days after I started, a staff vacancy opened for a similar role in a different department. I asked around first because it felt a bit rude to be applying elsewhere that early, and everyone I spoke to said go for it. So I did, and I now have a panel interview.

For what it is worth, I actually like where I am. If there were a way to stay in my current department I would take it. But it is a consultancy with an end date, so I cannot really sit and hope something turns up.

So I have a few questions:

1. Do I raise that my consultancy ends next year, or wait for them to bring it up? It feels like leverage and like a weakness at the same time.

2. Should I tell my current manager I am interviewing internally? Nobody has asked and I have not volunteered it.

3. For anyone who has gone consultant to staff at GCF or a similar organisation, what did the panel actually want to hear? I assume "I want job security" is the honest answer and the wrong one.

Any experience welcome, especially from people who moved sideways into a different department rather than up within their own.

Hi everyone,
I’m posting here because I want the opinions of people in the UN system.

I started working remotely for a UN agency 6 months ago and I absolutely love it. Joining the UN was a dream come true, and I’m lucky to be doing the type of work I love most.

However, in these few months, I saw signs of instability in the agency, several “restructurings” and contracts not being renewed.. and it’s making me feel unsafe in my position despite my manager’s reassurance.

Before I joined, I had another offer from a company that I turned down, but they’re still interested in me. This offer is less interesting (not the kind of work I want to do, private sector, less money) but the company is stable (never heard of layoffs there) and it will allow me to move to a better country (I live in a 3rd world country) while my UN position is tied to my country..

I’m in a dilemma. I don’t want to leave but I dont want to miss out on a good opportunity only to be discarded by the UN and be stuck in my country with no prospects.. Is the relocation to Europe worth giving up the UN?

I would appreciate any advice or past experience

​

In a few interviews I attended this year, I struggled to understand a panelist’s English accent, particularly when questions were lengthy. Even after asking them to repeat, I sometimes couldn’t follow. On a few occasions, they moved to the next panelist to keep the interview on schedule.

How do you handle it professionally? Is asking for the question to be rephrased or shared in the chat acceptable?

My interview for a GJO is scheduled next week. Since it is a CBI, I am supposed to quote examples from real life. However, I am worried that I will blank out, given the no. of competencies is large. Is it ok to have written notes in a notebook for jogging my memory?

I am happy about the fact that I was selected for UN job (somewhat of) but I am thinking if it is really worth it. Will it be a real career asset in the future (one year contract)? I am a recent master graduate in sociology (top school) speaking three official languages fluently.

Has anyone here had any experience with part-time P positions in the UN? For example, a P-2 at 50%, based at the duty station.

I'm curious how this actually works in practice. Do you work 4 hours every day, or can you do 2.5 full days a week instead? Is that something you negotiate? Also, how does it work with relocation benefits? Do you get the full entitlement or just 50%? And what about the step you're placed at?

And finally, what happens with pension contributions, health insurance and other benefits? Are those all reduced proportionally too?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been in this/similar sotuation.

Hi everyone!

I’ve been shortlisted for an internship at the World Food Programme (WFP), and I'm quite glad about it (even if I still need to see if I will be selected).

The role combines administrative and operational support, stakeholder engagement, communication, data analysis, reporting, and preparing documents and presentations.

I've been invited to complete an online assessment through the "iMocha platform" next week.

Unfortunately, the email doesn't provide much information about the assessment itself. It only says that there will be two separate parts, and that I need Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on my computer.

For anyone who has completed a similar WFP assessment through iMocha, or maybe has an idea, i would appreciate some insights:

• How much time does the assessment take ?
• Does it include logical reasoning, numerical reasoning, or other aptitude questions?
• What kind of Excel tasks are required? Are they mainly basic formulas and functions, or should I prepare for more advanced exercises? I'm guessing Excel will be one of the main components.
• What kinds of exercises are involved in Word and PowerPoint?
• What would you recommend to prepare for?

I'm not sure whether this is mainly a formal technical assessment designed to test specific skills, or something more informal intended to get a general idea of the candidate's abilities. It would be helpful to understand what kind of assessment to expect, so I can have an idea.

Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Just to clarify, as I think my original question may have been misunderstood.

I'm not questioning my rejections or underestimating how competitive UN recruitment is. I'm simply trying to understand how accessible these opportunities are to external candidates without previous UN experience.

For context, my professional background is in governance, ethics and compliance, risk management, and project management. I've also lived in different countries across Latin America, Asia, and Europe, gaining international and cross-cultural experience. I've only applied to positions that closely match my qualifications, and I'm currently focusing on Copenhagen, where I've been living and working for almost ten years.

My main question is whether external applicants have realistic chances of being considered for publicly advertised roles, particularly given the current restructuring and budget cuts, and whether certain contract types offer better entry points.

I appreciate those who have shared constructive insights. That's exactly what I was hoping to learn!

Original Question:

Hi! How is the general process to get a successful application in any of the UN agencies in Copenhagen? .

I have been applying to 3 different positions, and all of them have been rejected even months after I applied. The application form is extensive and takes a lot of time to fill in all the information too

I have been living in Denmark for about 10 years, graduated from a Master at a Danish University and have experience in both NGOs and corporate. So I am wondering, is there anything about these types of roles that are meant for other internal hires or people with referrals? Would you think that merit and experience alone is enough to get an interview? How bureaucratic is the process?

Hello everybody! I am planning on applying to the UN Women internships for both Mexico and Turkey. Does anyone have any application advice/ has done or was offered an internship with UN Women before? What should make sure to highlight on my application?

Hi all, I sent an application for a fixed term job at WIPO. Last update of my application is October 7, but no further news...did not receive any email from them inviting me to the written test or alike. Shall I have any expectations on this or should I assume that if nothing was received by now, they will not invite me to the test?

Thanks

Some background on me: I have a background in economics and public policy. I spent approximately five years working as a research assistant and portfolio analyst at an IFI, all on long-term consultant contracts. Then I got married and moved from the EU to Latin America to follow my spouse, who was offered a good fixed term position in a UN Agency. After moving, I worked for a little while as a consultant on the design and assessment of IFI loans/investment projects, coordinated some research projects, and wrote some papers that were published by the World Bank and a few other places. Since 2024, I've been working a fixed term P3 for a UN Agency, mostly working on regional project coordination and technical assistance in statistics and demography. I'm neither strictly a statistician or demographer, but my economics background and basic understanding of project management have largely enabled me in this environment. I speak English (native) and Spanish (learned) interchangeably at work.

Right now, the environment is precarious, and there's a real possibility (not certain, but definitely on the table) that my position will be abolished within a year. If it goes, I really don't know what I will do. I pivoted away from portfolio and investment project analysis for this role, because it offered more stability than the consulting work that I was doing, and frankly, I like what I'm currently doing. But right now, I don't feel like I offer much of anything outside the institutional environment that I'm in. I'm not a highly technical economist or statistician, and as I've moved roles, I no longer feel that I'm building deep subject matter expertise that is transferable back to the IFI world or to the private sector. I don't really know how to asses what I'm good at and what I'm suited to anymore.

On a personal level, I'm a US citizen who somehow found their way to Europe after college for these jobs. My wife is a dual EU/LatAm citizen and may be rotated to a better position in a few years. Her childhood home in LatAm isn't exactly stable right now and doesn't offer good job opportunities. We were both open to moving to the US at some point, but with our job market decimated and the current political environment, that now looks impossible. I'm now stuck looking at my home country from the outside, seeing my parents get older and my friends drift apart, but without any idea of how to get back there, and where we can go to continue growing our careers. It feels like the only thing ahead is degrowth. This is to say nothing of the experience of seeing our work lose its impact and people suffer as a result, which may belong in another post.

I know that I'm so lucky to have a job right now, but things look bleak and I struggle to see a path forward in what I'm currently doing. For those with similar backgrounds, do you have any advice for figuring out what to do after this? Are there any specific areas, courses, or certifications that might make former UN staff more suited to private sector work, for example, with multinational companies? I know this is very general, but I don't really know what else to say.

I got a position in NYC last year and I am trying to figure if I can open a savings account here. The APY from UNFCU is super low. I tried opening a savings account with CapitalOne and they informed me that as UN staff I can't. I am interested in knowing what others have been doing. Any tips would be appreciated.

For the associate & assistant positions in UNIDO, duty station Vienna
do they hire only from Vienna? & if anyone has any idea of payscale ?

So I want to apply for a UNICEF job, but I’m hearing talk of rosters of people that were laid off recently. Apparently, the story goes that any job has to be offered to people on this roster first, and that it is hard for hiring teams to hire people that are not on this roster.

If this is the case, I wonder if it makes a lot of sense to put in the significant amount of work it takes to apply.

Can anyone confirm that this it’s over how it works at Unicef currently?

I've been looking into long-term investing options as someone working in emergency response and humanitarian operations, and I've come across a potential problem.

I asked IBKR what would happen if I were posted to a sanctioned country (e.g. Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen). They told me that if I became a resident there, they would have to close my account and liquidate my investments.

Has anyone here actually dealt with this situation? Were you able to keep your brokerage account? If so, how did you manage it?

This seems like a major risk for anyone trying to build a long-term portfolio while working internationally, especially when duty stations can change at short notice. Curious to hear from anyone who's dealt with this in practice, as well as any alternatives or workarounds you've found.

People, I need a piece of advice! I got an offer from the ICMPD local office for a managerial position, and currently I am with the UN family in an assistant position. What would you do? Pay and benefits are similar; the question is about future career prospects 🤔

Hi everyone,

A quick but important update on what can be posted here.

What's changing

Starting today, posts and comments promoting job boards, job aggregators, or similar platforms are no longer allowed on this sub. They will be removed.

Why

With AI making it easy to build a website in a few days, we're now seeing a new job aggregator pop up almost every week. Most of them are created in good faith by people genuinely trying to help, and we appreciate that.

The problem is that we cannot verify which platforms are trustworthy. Fraudulent UN vacancies are a well-documented issue, and the UN itself regularly warns job seekers about them. Pointing people toward sites no one has vetted is not something we are comfortable endorsing, even indirectly.

The only fair and safe option is a blanket rule that applies to everyone.

This applies to us too

I also run untalent.org, so in the interest of fairness, I have removed all references to it from the sidebar. No exceptions, including for the mod team.

What we expect from you

You are all capable of finding official job listings yourselves, and we trust you to do your own due diligence. A few reminders:

• When in doubt, go straight to the source: the official careers page of the UN entity or organisation you are interested in.
• The UN never charges fees at any stage of recruitment. If anyone asks you to pay in order to apply, it is probably a scam.
• Be careful about where you upload your CV and personal documents. Check who runs a site before sharing anything.
• Watch out for communications from personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) claiming to represent UN agencies.

What's still welcome

Questions about careers, application processes, specific vacancies, interviews, contracts, and life in the system are as welcome as ever. That is what this community is for.

If you spot a post that breaks this rule, or something that looks like a scam, please report it.

Thanks for understanding, and for helping keep this sub useful and safe.