The presentation includes an overview of the UN Peace Operations roster-based recruitment process along with useful advice on how to: 1) prepare your application in https://careers.un.org, 2) get ready for a written test, and 3) study for a competency based interview.

1. Practical Tips for Your Application
1
Kristina Koch, Chief, Recruitment Section
Field Personnel Division/Department of Field Support
United Nations
March 2018

2. Where are the civilian vacancies
in UN Peace Operations?
2
The majority of current
mission vacancies are in
three French-speaking
countries: MONUSCO,
MINUSCA, & MINUSMA.
Being bilingual in French
& English is an
enormous asset!

3. Where do I start? careers.un.org
• ALL job
openings –
including
roster
vacancies are
posted here
• Useful tips
• Information
on benefits
• Application
manuals
3

4. Rosters – Fastest Route to UN
Field Missions
• Approximately 90% of civilian staff
are recruited from rosters
• A roster is a list of pre-approved
candidates who have already been
assessed and cleared. They can
then be rapidly selected for service
in UN Peace Operations
• Once you have a roster
membership, you will receive
invitations to apply for posts at
that level (e.g. P3 or P4) and job
title (e.g. political or civil affairs)
Let’s
Go!
• You decide which posts to apply
for and when to apply based on the
vacancies available
• Roster openings are also
advertised on careers.un.org 4

5. Current Roster Vacancies
5
The recruitment process for the rosters takes about 6 months.
Roster vacancies for Female Candidates to enable implementation of the UN Gender Parity
Strategy
• D1 Chief of Service, Political Affairs https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=94375
• D1 Chief, Security Sector Reform https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=94297
• D1 Chief of Service Rule of Law https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=94358
• D1 Chief of Mission Support https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=94360
• P5 Senior Corrections Officer https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=94301
• P5 Chief of Mission Support https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=94302
Roster vacancies for men and women
• P3 Judicial Affairs Officer https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=92007 (Deadline 24
March)
• P3 Human Rights Officer https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=91245 (Deadline 17
March)
• P4 Political Affairs Officer https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=92567 (Deadline 15
March)
• P3 Political Affairs Officer: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=92514 (Deadline 14
March)

6. Recruitment Partner: impactpool
6
• Free membership
organization at
www.impactpool.org
• Promotes UN Peace
Operations vacancies on
impactpool site and social
media
• Job alerts, career advice,
recruitment process tips
• Testimonials from current
UN staff
• Campaign sites: Logistics,
Senior Women Talent
Pipeline, new Political,
Human Rights and Rule of
Law Campaign

7. How do I get on the roster?
7
• Submit your application by the closing date
• Suitable candidates will be invited to take a
written test (online)
• Short-listed candidates invited to a
Competency Based Interview, usually
conducted in English
• During the interview, candidates are asked
to provide examples from their past
experience to illustrate the competencies
specified in the job description
• Successful candidates will be notified and
placed on the roster
The recruitment process for the rosters may take up to 6-12 months.
Roster Checklist

8. 2017/18 Roster Opportunities
8
Priority 1 - Supply Chain/Service Delivery
• 11 GJOs in the LOGNET Job Family from FS-4 to
P-5 levels.
Priority 2 - Roster Gaps
• 16 GJOs based on roster gaps which will
comprise various Job Families including
LOGNET, MAGNET, POLNET, INFONET and
SECNET ranging from FS-5 to P-4 levels.
Priority 3 - Women-only GJOs
• In Mission Support at the D-1 and P-5 levels,
matched to Senior Women Talent Pipeline
profiles, which will be posted as part of the
implementation of the Gender Parity Strategy.
Generic Job Openings (GJOs) scheduled are …

9. Check the Job Requirements
9
careers.un.org

10. Tips on Creating a UN PHP Profile – 1/4
10
Education
• If you have the required qualifications, always
indicate your first level degree as
‘Bachelor’s degree ‘ and your Master as
‘Master’s Degree’. Do not select
‘Certificate/Diploma’ as this is not recognized
as a degree by the system.
• Always list an end date for your degree and
indicate that you have obtained the degree
(tick ‘Yes’ for ‘Degree obtained’). If you do
not do so, the system will automatically reject
your application.
• Always indicate whether you completed the
degree full time or part time, and in person or
distance learning.
• If you don’t find your university in the list, put it
under ‘Other accredited university’.

11. Tips on Creating a UN PHP Profile –
2/4
11
Language
• It is very important to include your mother
tongue in the list of languages you are fluent
in.
• Candidates who forget to list English will be
automatically rejected by the system if fluency
in English is a requirement.
• Fluency in a language is defined as being
‘Fluent’ in all 4 areas (Reading, Writing,
Speaking and Understanding). If you are
fluent but do not indicate fluency in all 4, the
system will reject your application if fluency is
required, even if you have worked in that
language previously.
• Good working knowledge of a language is
defined as being ‘Fluent’ or ‘Confident’ in at
least 2 of the 4 areas. When in doubt, check
the requirements!

12. 12
Work Experience
• The UN needs to know all of your work
experience history. Make sure to list all your
work experience, even if it goes back 15 years!
• Don’t forget to list your current job in your
PHP.
• Indicate an end date on all your previous
jobs and make sure all dates are consistent.
• Highlight 5-10 outcomes or deliverables under
‘Achievements’.
• Do not assume recruiters know what you
mean. Be clear and precise in your
description of duties.
Tips on Creating a UN PHP– 3/4

13. 13
General Tips
• Ensure your cover letter and the information
provided in your PHP are always up to date.
• Your cover letter is the personal introduction
that accompanies your PHP. It should not be
longer than ½ to 1 page.
• Look at the ‘work experience’ requirements in
the job opening and make sure these are clearly
reflected in your PHP.
• Do not use acronyms – spell out everything.
• Tailor your PHP and cover letter to the actual job
you are applying to.
• Always proof read your application and edit for
consistency and accuracy.
Tips on Creating a UN PHP – 4/4
It takes up to three hours to
compile a PHP from scratch -
do not wait until the last
minute to apply!

14. 14
Competency-based Interviews
“Past, demonstrated behaviour is the best indicator of future performance”

15. 15
Values and Competencies
Core
Values
Core
Competencies
Managerial
Competencies
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect for
Diversity
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Planning and
Organizing
• Accountability
• Creativity
• Client Orientation
• Commitment to
Continuous
Learning
• Technological
Awareness
• Vision
• Leadership
• Empowering Others
• Managing Performance
• Building Trust
• Judgement and
Decision- making
Check competencies in the job
opening before your interview
to prepare for likely questions!
Questions are based on the
competencies!
Questions on
professionalism
will include a
gender parity or
mainstreaming
element

16. 16
“ CARL” Principle
Context
Provide an overview of the situation; what it was about, when it
occurred, how you first got involved; identify key events and timeframe
Actions
Cover significant events, specific instances, that were clearly
attributable to you rather than the team
Results
What was the outcome, impact or results of your actions? You may be
asked questions such as: How did it turn out? What was the final result?
Learning
What learning did you take away from this experience?

17. 17
During the Interview
• Make a good first and last impression
• Maintain eye contact with the person who
asked the question, if culturally appropriate
• Even on the telephone, smile
• Listen carefully to the complete question
• Keep to the point & be as specific as possible
• Provide concrete examples demonstrating how
you were able to handle a situation and/or
learned from it
• Ask for clarification if a question is not clear
Do

18. 18
During the interview
• Answer in the hypothetical
• Talk about “we”, rather talk in the “I”
• Talk endlessly about theories and
values…. (“waffling on”)
• Make blanket generalizations or
statements about the future
• Interrupt the panel
• Ask questions about benefits and
entitlements
Don’t

19. 19
Question Time
http://www.un.org/en/
what-are-you-doing-
peace/index.html