UN Careers Insider: Complete guide to securing United Nations jobs

The United Nations was established at the end of World War II as countries sought to heal the wounds that stemmed from divisiveness and to create a forum where governments could settle their differences. Since then, the organization has evolved to take on a more proactive role, leading the way on important issues such as climate control, gender equity, universal access to education, human rights, fair governance, and medical care for everyone.

Today, more than 37,000 people work directly for the United Nations as salaried employees, while tens of thousands of others serve to further the UN’s mission in a consultancy, vendor, or peacekeeping role, to say nothing of the many charitable organizations, government agencies, and NGOs that partner with the United Nations.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about what working for the United Nations is like, how to find available UN jobs, and how to build a career as an international professional.

UN system overview and career paths

When the United Nations was founded in 1945, it was a relatively simple organization with just six principal organs: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Secretariat (the executive branch of the UN).

Today, however, the UN has expanded into a myriad of different agencies, organs, departments, and programs, each with their own acronym, which can quickly get confusing for the uninitiated. Still, the same six founding organs continue to function as the backbone of the UN system:

• General Assembly (GA): functioning much like the “lower house” of a parliament, each member nation selects one delegate and has one vote. The main role of the GA is to pass the UN budget.

• Security Council (UNSC): functioning much like the “upper house” of a parliament, the UNSC has 15 members, five of which are permanent (China, France, Russia, Britain, and the United States) and ten of which serve two-year terms. The main role of the UNSC is to establish peacekeeping missions and to impose sanctions on member states.

• The Secretariat - Equivalent to the “presidency” of the UN, the Secretary-General is the overall head of the UN and employs a staff of international civil servants who pledge loyalty to the UN rather than to their home countries.

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ): Equivalent to the “supreme court” of the UN. Has 15 judges elected jointly by the GA and UNSC to settle disputes between nations.

• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Has 54 members elected by the GA to three-year terms. ECOSOC now primarily serves as the umbrella coordinator for all the “daughter” agencies like the WHO, IMF, and UNESCO.

• The Trusteeship Council: Was originally designed to help former colonies and territories transition into independence. Although the Trustee Council still technically exists on paper, it has not been active in over 30 years.

The various departments, programs, and agencies of the UN include:

• Humanitarian agencies: These include UNICEF (initially a children’s fund, now expanded to include families), UNDP (UN Development Program), UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), and UN Women (gender equality).

  
  

• Health and science: WHO (health), UNESCO (cultural), FAO (Food and Agriculture), IAEA (atomic energy), WMO (meteorological), UNAIDS (HIV/AIDS), UNEP (environment).

  
  

• Finance and trade: UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); International Trade Centre (ITC): a joint UN–WTO agency.

  
  

• Others: ILO (labor), ICAO (civil aviation), IMO (maritime), ITU (telecommunications). UPU (postal union), WIPO (intellectual property).

There are also related bodies such as the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ), G20, and ICC (International Criminal Court) which work closely alongside the UN, but we will not be discussing those further in this article.

P-Series positions

Most typically, when people think of a UN job, what they’re thinking of is the P-series or “Professional” category of employment opportunities. A P-series job requires specialized knowledge, advanced education, and professional expertise, and applicants are hired from all member states, not necessarily the county where the duty station is.

P-series jobs have several ranks, which range from P-1 (entry level) to P-5 (senior level), however, somewhat confusingly, there are sometimes two additional senior levels referred to as D-1 and D-2 (director level).

Here is a classification of the P-Series positions at the UN:

• P-1 - Entry-level professional with graduate degree, usually little or no work experience

• P-2 - Graduate degree and 2-3 years work experience

• P-3 - Mid-level professional, usually requires at least 5 years of relevant experience

• P-4 - More senior role, often involving supervising other staff, usually 7-10 years of experience

• P-5 - Senior management, often heading up a unit or department

• D-1 - Director level, an executive post above P-5 but below D-2

• D-2 - Senior director ranking just below Assistant Secretary-General (ASG level)

Almost all P-series staff are hired on fixed-term international contracts. It is important to keep in mind that mobility is highly encouraged at the UN for P-series jobs, especially at the higher levels.

G-Series positions

In contrast to the P-series (Professional) positions, the G-series (General Service) jobs are considered to be support roles. These jobs are almost always filled at the local level rather than recruited internationally. A G-series job can be administrative, technical, or clerical, and ranges from G-1 (entry-level) to G-7 (senior).

Common G-series jobs include:

• Office administration

• Secretarial and executive assistant duties

• HR support, finance, and procurement

• IT and tech support

• Logistics and conferences

L-Series positions

These jobs are part of the Language Services category at the United Nations and are specialized professional positions for linguists, translators, interpreters, editors, and other language specialists.

Although L-series positions often require the same level of academic qualifications as P-series jobs, they are classified separately because of their specialized nature. L-Series positions run from L-1 (entry level) to L-7.

Similar to P-series jobs, L-series jobs are usually recruited internationally. Usually, passing a competitive language examination (CELP) conducted by the UN is required to secure an L-series job.

FS-Series positions

This category refers to the Field Service positions, a specialized staff designed to support the UN’s peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. What separates the FS-series jobs from G-series and P-series is, as the name suggests, these are field missions rather than operating from an agency’s headquarters or main office.

Unusually, FS-series jobs start at FS-4 (lower level) and go to FS-7 (senior staff). FS-series jobs are recruited internationally, most typically looking for people with military, police, or humanitarian logistics backgrounds.

Although experienced FS-series staff can apply for P-series jobs, most FS-series personnel remain as field staff, moving from (field) mission to mission.

N-Series positions

These are National Professional Office (NPO) jobs that require professional expertise but, unlike P-series jobs, are recruited locally. N-series jobs run from NO-A (entry level) to NO-D (sometimes NO-E).

N-series roles serve to provide in-depth local knowledge and act as a bridge between international UN staff and local governments, civil society, and other local organizations.

S-Series positions

S-series or Security roles are locally recruited jobs to provide security for UN missions and personnel. This may include things like guarding UN bases or delegates, escorting dignitaries, and emergency services like firefighting, medical treatment, or evacuation.

Similar to G-series jobs, these roles require applicants to be residents or nationals of the duty station and often come with a prerequisite of a security, military, and/or police background. S-series jobs run from S-1 (junior level) to S-4 (senior officers). Above S-4, most management jobs involving security transition into either P-series or FS-series positions.

UN consultant roles

What separates consultant roles from the established staff categories (like P-series) is that consultants are not officially employees of the United Nations but independent contractors hired on a temporary basis.

UN consultants are hired to deliver a specific work within a specified timeframe, and most contracts are on a short-term basis ranging from a couple of weeks to 11 months. Consultants can be hired when expertise is needed that UN staff do not possess, extra capacity is needed during a high-volume period, or short-term or project-based work arises.

Despite the temporary nature of these contracting roles, advanced academic degrees (Master’s degree or higher) are usually required as well as extensive professional experience in a given field or speciality.

Peacekeeping careers

Peacekeeping roles fall under the aegis of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and are classified as multi-dimensional missions that combine the functions of military, police, and civil administration duties.

There are roughly three categories of UN peacekeeping jobs:

• Military - seconded from member states and not classified as UN staff

  
  

• Police - seconded from member states and can sometimes be classified as UN staff and usually not

  
  

• Civilian - Almost always internationally recruited UN staff, either P-series, FS-series, or N-series

As you might guess, there is an overlap between peacekeeping roles and other UN staff categories. In some cases, a UN employee may have their duties partially or wholly dedicated to fulfilling a peacekeeping mission one year and then move onto unrelated duties the next year.

As all military and most police positions related to UN peacekeeping missions are seconded by their home countries, interested applicants need to inquire with their local governments. However, the civilian positions related to UN peacekeeping positions are recruited the standard way as all other UN staff jobs.

Application process breakdown

The good news is that we’re living in a digital age, so finding and applying for UN jobs can be done entirely online.

The first step is to go to the official United Nations Career Portal (careers.un.org) where vacancies for all P-series, G-series, FS-series, L-Series, N-series, and S-series categories are published.

Keep in mind that military/police jobs related to peacekeeping missions are not included, as these roles are directly seconded from member nations.

The UN Career Portal uses something called the Inspira recruitment system, so if you don’t already have an online profile there, your first step will be to create one.

Once you’ve created an Inspira profile, this is where you’ll be able to track your job applications as well as find open roles that match your qualifications. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that you carefully read through the eligibility criteria for posted jobs - including language proficiency, relevant job experience, and education - so that you can tailor your job applications to highlight those relevant factors in the job posting!

Furthermore, keep in mind that UN jobs are highly coveted, so there will be a lot of competition for every available career opportunity. Most UN jobs require multiple rounds of interviews as well as written assessments, so please prepare yourself thoroughly ahead of time.

Note: In addition to the official Careers Portal, many of the various departments, agencies, and programs of the UN have their own standalone recruitment process that can be accessed via their individual websites.

Salary scales and benefits analysis

Generally speaking, most internationally recruited jobs (P-series, D-series, and FS-series) have salaries which are set in U.S. dollars and do not require the recipient to pay taxes. In contrast, most locally recruited jobs (G-series, N-series, L-series,) require the recipient to pay local taxes and are paid in the local currency.

Furthermore, some positions have a higher pay adjusted for the duty post or station as well as special bonuses for working in hazardous conditions or war zones. Nearly all UN jobs come with a pension system and health insurance.

Currently, the average annual salary range for P-series jobs are:

• P-1/P-2 - $38,000 to $80,000

• P-3 - $67,000 to $106,000

• P-4 - $82,000 to $122,000

• P-5 - $97,000 to $138,000

• D-1/D-2 - $116,000 to $160,000

The average yearly salary range for L-series jobs is similar to the P-series scale:

• L-1/L-2 = comparable to P-2

• L-3/L-4 = comparable to P-3/P-4

• L-5 = comparable to P-5/D-1

  
  

The average yearly salary range for G-series jobs (in the equivalent of the local currency) range from $20,000 to $60,000.

The average yearly salary range for FS-series jobs (not including special allowances for hardship duty):

• FS-4 - $70,000

• FS-5 - $85,000

• FS-6/FS-7 - $95,000 to $115,000

N-series jobs are paid in the local currency at a rate comparable to local professional jobs like a lawyer or economist.

S-series jobs are paid in the local currency and are equivalent to a local law enforcement job..

Contractor jobs are paid at the pre-agreed amount and do not come with any benefits such as the pension system, relocation assistance, or health insurance. Rates for contracting jobs vary widely but range from around $100/day to $800/day.

All UN staff jobs come with certain benefits:

• Between 18-30 days per year of paid time off, depending on years of service

• Allowances for children and/or spouses

• Health and life insurance

• Entry into the pension system after five years of service

Furthermore, any duty station classified as a “hardship posting” comes with paid travel every six to eight weeks.

Jobs that are internationally recruited (such as P-series) also come with relocation assistance.

Networking strategies

Although all UN staff jobs are officially posted and hired through official websites (including the UN Career Portal), networking is still a very useful strategy for starting a career at the UN, especially considering how competitive the talent pool is for every opening.

Anyone interested in working for the United Nations is highly recommended to attend UN-related or sponsored conferences, workshops, and career fairs in order to meet with staff and recruiters and gain insights into the application process.

In addition, aspiring candidates are encouraged to join professional associations or academic networks that specialize in related fields such as human rights or international development. It is also recommended that you maintain a presence on the LinkedIn social network so you can engage with UN officials and showcase your expertise in related fields.

Another great resource is alumni networks and any former colleagues who might be working for the United Nations in some capacity as they can be valuable sources for guidance or referrals.

Obviously, networking can never replace the official application process, but cultivating relationships with people in the international development community can only help to strengthen your candidacy for open positions.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Obviously, the first thing you need to do is make sure your Inspira profile is up-to-date and accurate. Any omissions or errors can seriously jeopardize your chances of getting a UN job.

2. Secondly, to give yourself the best shot at landing a coveted UN job, be sure to tailor your cover letter and Personal History Profile to the specific vacancy. Make sure you carefully read the job description and highlight your relative experience and expertise.

3. Another common mistake is failing to understand the UN system of defined competencies. The UN cares a great deal about topics like communication, teamwork, and planning, and you need to give concrete examples of these in both your application and any subsequent interviews.

4. Also, it should go without saying, that if you apply for a position for which you do not have the mandatory language skills, educational background, or relevant experience will result in an automatic rejection.

5. In addition, many jobs require you to take a written exam or a timed test. Failure to prepare for these and take them seriously can disqualify you even if you would otherwise be a strong candidate for the role.

6. Furthermore, carefully review your application before submitting it. Spelling and grammatical errors, or even overly long and complicated answers can lessen your chance of being selected for recruitment. UN recruiters value clarity and conciseness above all else.

7. Keep in mind that all submission deadlines are for midnight at New York City time. Any application received after the deadline will be immediately rejected!

8. Lastly, put in the time needed to prepare for your interview. Unlike some private employers, the United Nations uses structured questions that require specific, real-life examples from candidates. If you are unprepared to answer these or stumble in your responses, your chances of landing the job will be greatly diminished.

Alternative entry points

Aside from the aforementioned positions such as military officers working as UN peacekeepers and other roles directly nominated or seconded from member nations, there are several alternative entry points into getting a UN staff position.

For instance, recent college graduates are welcome to apply for internships at UN agencies and regional offices. Although these jobs are usually unpaid, they provide a great way to engage in networking opportunities and build up exposure to how the United Nations operates. Many of today’s UN staff members started their careers as interns.

Likewise, the United Nations operates a volunteer program (UNV) which is open to college graduates with relevant professional expertise. Although these positions are officially unpaid, they do come with what is known as a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) which functions kind of like a salary. Volunteer postings also help individuals gain exposure to how the UN operates and are a great way to network with people in the sector.

Some countries have what is known as a Junior Professional Officer (JPO) program where the local government pays for young professionals to work at the United Nations for two to three years, forming a great pathway to regular UN jobs. Interested candidates should apply directly to their national government’s JPO program, not the UN.

Likewise, some countries have Associate Expert Programs similar to the JPO but for certain UN agencies like the UNDP, FAO, and WHO. Again, applicants should contact their national governments to learn more about these roles.

Anyone who successfully completes a short-term project (e.g. consultants or temporary appointments) will be added to an official United Nations roster that will automatically let you be considered for future jobs without having to reapply every time.

Lastly, working for a third-party vendor, NGO, or consulting firm that does work with the United Nations can sometimes be a pathway toward landing an official UN staff job.

Career progression timeline

Unlike some civil service bureaucracies in individual member countries, the UN does not have an automatic promotion ladder. To climb to a higher-level salaried job, individuals must apply for and compete for those openings when they become available.

Nonetheless, there is a more or less standard pattern of advancement, especially for P-series jobs, which are the backbone of internationally recruited UN careers:

• P-1/P-2 - Usually for people fresh out of college, commonly recruited via internships, JPO assignments, and/or competitive exams. Usually it takes 2-4 years before you can advance.

  
  

• P-3 - You must demonstrate at least five years of progressively responsible experience. Many UN staffers plateau at this level. Usually it takes 5-7 years before you can advance.

  
  

• P-4 - At least seven years of progressively responsible experience, including managing a section or leading a larger project. Most long-term UN staff finish at level P-4. Requires between 4-6 years at this level before you can advance.

  
  

• P-5 - At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience, including playing a senior advisory role. Competition for D-level roles is extremely intense, so you’ll need at least 12 years of being a UN staffer.

  
  

• D-1/D-2 - A minimum of 15 years of experience, including participating in strategic management decisions and representing the UN at high levels. Only a tiny fraction of UN staffers ever achieve this level.

On average, it takes between 3-6 years before you can move one step up the ladder. Individuals reaching the D-1/D-2 level usually have 20-25 years of experience working for the United Nations. Furthermore, anyone wanting to be promoted beyond P-4 must show a full commitment to rotating between duty stations.

For other career tracks:

• G-series/N-series: Promotions are infrequent and employees rarely transition into a P-series role

  
  

• FS-series/S-series: Commonly leads to P-series security or logistic roles after enough advancement up the ladder.

  
  

• L-series: similar to the career ladder for P-series roles

If you had to describe the “average” UN career, it would begin with an internship or JPO role, move onto a P-2/P-3 job, and then top out at the P-4 level. Only the most ambitious individuals who are fully committed to rotating between duty stations get to P-5 and higher.

At the very top of the United Nations hierarchy is the executive leadership, including the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG), Under-Secretary-General (USG) and Secretary-General. These are entirely political appointments rather than competitively selected, but these roles are often filled by experienced UN staffers.

Conclusion

For many people, a career at the United Nations is a life-long dream to help make the world a better place and improve the day-to-day lives of human beings. As the premiere international organization, the United Nations is home to some 37,000 talented, dedicated, and conscientious employees working in every country and region on the planet.

Although competition for these highly coveted positions is fierce, understanding the recruitment process and learning how to tailor your applications and preparing for interviews can maximize your chances of success. While the demands of a UN job can be many, including frequent relocations and duty stations in hazardous conditions, the generous salaries and benefits combined with the camaraderie of working with dedicated professionals can result in a highly rewarding long-term career.