See how you can get an internship opportunity with the United Nations

Working with the United Nations (UN) is a big opportunity that a lot of people yearn for. This is because the UN is a global body that promotes international cooperation, and peacekeeping and addresses common challenges such as poverty, climate change, and human rights issues. However, if you are looking for a thrilling and exciting opportunity coupled with a flair for diplomacy and public policy, you can start by interning with the United Nations.

The purpose of the internship is to give you an idea of what it means to work daily at the United Nations. Considering that there are a ton of people who want to intern with the Global body, it must take some rigorous process to get in. Are you curious about what you need to do to get an internship position with the United Nations? We have them here. Read on.

Be a graduate student or holder of a first degree 

Usually, this may depend on the type of internship you plan to apply for. While you may be a first-degree holder to be eligible for an internship position with the UN, another internship role within the body may require you to have commenced your postgraduate program. The reason for this is that it will be required of you to apply your academic knowledge to real-life situations and also the body wants to be sure that there is no major source of distraction for you while you intern with them. 

Be sure that your "English" is excellent 

English is the primary language for communication among the UN staff. If you can speak French, that's a plus too because French is another official language of the UN. Your ability to speak expands your opportunity to work in a bilingual role. Also, the UN believes that this can help to facilitate good communication and promote good relationships. 

Decide on the type of internship you want

You need to understand that the United Nations has various specialized agencies which include UNICEF, UNDP, UNOPS, FAO, and more where you can choose to serve as an intern. Each of these agencies has its focus, function, and mandate; so, if you are indecisive about what agency to join, you can research and read up on their mandate to see the one that aligns with your passion and area of expertise. All of these will help you decide the type of job you want to do with the UN. 

Start your application when you should 

You may be stalling on things because you have not made a proper decision - it is important to know that bagging an internship with the UN is a very competitive one which means that you must give it your best shot. Whenever you hear that there is a chance for you to apply, visit the United Nations career page and send in your application. Don't wait for a perfect time because most organizations within the UN work with a particular timeline and expect that all applications should come on before then. 

Follow the right application process 

A lot of people talk about how they send in their applications to the UN and didn't get a response. Apart from not getting a response because the completion is a lot, sometimes, it is also a result of a wrong application process. To apply for an internship position at the UN:

• Be sure that there is really an internship opening. 

• Register on the website. 

• Go ahead to create your profile on the applications home page. (This profile stores all information relevant to your application)

• You can continue to make changes to your profile till you are certain that all information has been properly updated. 

• Identify a job opening that interests you and click "Add Job" to your application which means you can add more than one.

• After answering all questions and providing all documents required of you, proceed to submit your application. 

Follow the UN social media pages

To get first-hand information and also a prompt "come back" from what you are not doing right with your application, it is advisable to follow the United Nations on social media. They share relevant posts and opportunities that you may need to forge ahead and achieve your dream of interning with them. You can follow the UN on: 

• Instagram: @unitednations 

• Twitter: @UN

• LinkedIn United Nations

Build a Social Media Presence that aligns with the UN's goal 

In a world where anyone can use their social media accounts for anything, use yours well. Several people use their social media pages to talk about woman's health, climate change, education, and child nurturing. You can pick a niche that catches your curiosity and create content about it online, share what you think, and let your audience contribute too. Be consistent with this and you can also try to tag the UN when you post your content as it may increase the likelihood of them noticing your content and potentially engaging with it. 

Why should you intern with the United Nations?

The UN is a global body which means they operate on a global scale, tackling issues that affect people around the world. Being a part of the team helps you to contribute your quota to society and the world at large. That's also an opportunity for you to make a positive impact on a global level which sounds more interesting. 

Also, interning with the UN allows you to meet people from all walks of life who you can talk and collaborate with to create a change. Furthermore, the UN exposes you to a complex diplomatic environment that helps you to develop negotiation and diplomacy skills. These skills, in the long run, give you a certain level of prestige and recognition in the international community. 

You should know these too

One of the best ways to get an internship with the United Nations is to know how internships work with the global body. See what we have here:

Remuneration

You need to know that the United Nations does not pay its interns. So, when making your decisions, have this in mind and work with it. 

Duration

Internships, unlike normal jobs, are pegged to last for some time, and with the United Nations, it usually takes about 2 to 6 months. 

Confidentiality 

The United Nations is heavy on some levels of privacy which means that you must be discreet enough to keep all unshared information obtained during the period of internship away from the public. 

Visa/Medicals/Travel

If you have to travel down to a different country or pay for anything - medical insurance, travel expenses, all of these bills will be sorted by you and not the UN. 

Evaluation 

Your application is evaluated based on the criteria relevant to the internship opening. Some internship openings require that you live within a particular country or city. Therefore, do not overlook these things when you apply, be sure to meet all outlined criteria. 

Assessment 

You may have to write an exam or take an exercise as required by the UN board to confirm your competence and eligibility. This assessment helps to shortlist candidates for a competency-based interview that may happen via a video conference or in person. 

Get notified of selection 

After taking the assessment and attending interviews, the UN board will notify you of the selection if you made it through.