Working for the UN: What you need to know before applying.

What can you expect working at the UN?

What is it like working at the UN in NYC or Vienna?

My day in the life of the UN would start with an early breakfast, a coffee and a quick look in the news to keep abreast of the latest UN system related developments around the globe. In my role as a professional, I made sure to dress adequately for unexpected/ad hoc meetings with Member States and/or potential partners, donors or senior managers of the UN. Having worked for the UN in Vienna for a considerable time, I enjoyed riding my bike to work along the beautiful Danube which takes you straight to the gates of the Vienna International Centre. 

The most enjoyable part of the job is working with diverse people from all over the globe. A typical day of work starts with hearing different languages being spoken in the elevator. The team one works with usually comes from different countries all over the world.

Don’t forget your UN badge!

In order to get through those gates, one however needed to make sure to always have your UN badge on you! Trust me, no matter how long you have worked at the UN and how well you think you know the security guards, if you show up without your badge, no matter how important you meeting is, or how high your grade is, you won’t be granted access. Forgetting ones badge also means you have to go through a quite time-consuming security x-ray check (similar to the airport security controls). Usually this procedure is only done for visitors and/or other NON- UN staff members entering the building. Additionally, your badge is not only needed to get in the UN but for some UN organisation also used as a timecard to lock in and off after work. 

UN coffee anyone?

Once you made your way through security, you may want to grab a coffee or tea in the UN cafeteria or mensa; some colleagues also had their breakfast there but I usually preferred just to grab a coffee while exchanging the latest news/updates with my UN colleagues before the first meeting. Yes, meetings, get ready for a lot of those; internal, external, with member states, permanent missions, the press etc. the list of UN meetings is long. 

The offices are spacious and depending on your grade you get your own office (the higher the grade the bigger and with more windows) or have a shared office with 2-3 colleagues.

The UN system Benefits

Working for the UN comes with great benefits such as reduced language courses which you can take during lunch time and/or gym membership, yoga classes and many more club membership offers. At the UN in Vienna for example there is a UN photo club, a sailing club and of course a running club, my favourite activity during my lunch break. 

Lunch at the UN headquarters is one of the coolest experiences, especially in NY where you might share the lunch table with an ambassador, a security officer and/or the press officer of the UN. Everyone mixes and mingles; there’s no hierarchy or seating order and you can have the most unexpected inspiring and interesting conversations. In addition, the UN cafeteria offers a wide range of food, from a cook who’s preparing your fresh pizza in an often to a sushi master and, during summer times, an ice-cream shop.

Back in the office a lot of work is done either via email or by attending meetings. I usually prefer getting up and talking to people personally which is easy to do at the UN with its open door ‘policy’. 

Talking about writing emails, using the ‘UN Language’ is something to be learned. Besides the ‘UN correspondence and communication’ rules, there are quite a lot of unwritten rules to be considered.

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