Questions and answers about the United Nations

Having decided you wish to do something greater with your career, time and focus to join an organization within the United Nations you have made the first step. To help clarify what exactly it is like working for the UN we have enlisted the founding members of this site to help share their experiences and answer typical questions on the Volunteering programmes as an entry to commence a professional careers in a respective UN agency. To get a taste of a job in the UN the UNV (United Nations volunteer programme) is a great way to see if it is something that interests you.

How long are the UN volunteer assignments?

Typically assignments are formed of 6 to 12 month contracts that can be extended or renewed up to a maximum length of four years.

Do you need to have any experience to become a UN volunteer?

The UN offers volunteer opportunities for those with specialisms (deemed International Specialist) and also for those who are at University and higher education (termed in UN language as National Youth and International University)

Where are the UN volunteer assignments?

Depending on whether you wish to volunteer at home or abroad the UN has anumerous volunteer vacancies with suppporting organsiations with the UN in Juba, South Sudan, UN in Kenya, UN in United States, Myanmar and many other locations shown on the UN volunteer site.

Do you have to pay to become a UN volunteer?

UN volunteering does not charge any fee at any stage of the UNV (UN volunteering) recruitment process such as the application, interview, training or any other associated activities .

Some good news for UN volunteers is that the United Nations provide what is commonly known as the Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): All UN Volunteers are entitled to a monthly volunteer living allowance.

Receive more career information through a call with one of our former UN colleagues who can guide you on the UN career choices they made.

The UN is headquartered on international territory in New York City; other main UN offices are in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna and The Hague. While Headquarters in New York serves as the principal nerve centre of the organization, several important activities are directed from offices located in centres around the world. Meetings and various UN bodies are often held away from Headquarters. Conferences on topics such as population, food, the environment and human rights have been held in different parts of the world.

The UN headquarters in NYC consists of four main buildings: the Secretariat, the General Assembly, Conference Area (including Council Chambers) and the Library.

The most noted is the Secretariat building. The Secretariat building is a 39-story building that is known to house the office of the Secretary-General among other offices. The complex also has the General Assembly building, with a sitting capacity of 1,800 and houses the United Nations General Assembly. The Conference Building sits between the General Assembly Building and the Secretariat and holds the Security Council Chamber. The complex also has a library founded in 1946 by the United Nations; this library was dedicated and named in honor of Dag Hammarskjöld. The UN headquarters complex has 193 flagpoles that carry the flags of all the UN member states and the UN flag in alphabetical order.

Thinking about packing up and moving to the Big Apple? New York is with no doubt one of the greatest cultural hubs in the world but surely also the busiest one and quite expensive one.

Mastering the subway is essential as commuting by car can take ages. Getting used to the subway system might take you some time but once you crack it it’s the most efficient (and surprisingly affordable) way to get around; keep a decent pair of shoes with you at all times!

My advice to anyone planning to moving to NYC is to take the time to get accustomed with the city and everything it has to offer. There is a good reason why New York has the reputation of being the city that never sleeps.

Take a wider look at all of the possible UN locations you could work at and first decide which UN organization you would like to work for.

1. What does the UN do?

This section will cover the typical UN organization questions.
(links will take you to the answers or scroll below)

Table of contents:

• What does the UN actually do?

• What does the UN stand for?

• How does the UN work?

• Where is the UN located?

2. What’s it like working for the United Nations?

This section will cover ways to work for the UN and what it is like working at a UN agency.

Table of contents:

• Can you volunteer for the UN?

• What is a typical working day at the United Nations?

• Where could you be based working for the UN?

3. How to increase your chances for a Job in the UN?

This section will answer typical UN application questions.

Table of contents:

• How long does a UN application take?

• Are there specific UN women jobs?

• Do entry level UN jobs exist? Are there entry level UN jobs I can apply for?