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United Nations

A Typical Day at Work
A day at the UN can be highly diverse and fast-paced, depending on the role. For someone in logistics or field operations, a typical day might involve coordinating shipments, managing supply chains, troubleshooting resource bottlenecks, or liaising with multiple teams (military, police, or civilian) to ensure smooth operations. You could also spend the day attending briefings or collaborating with international colleagues to solve pressing issues in conflict zones or post-disaster environments. The workday often involves problem-solving, as priorities can shift quickly due to the volatile nature of the environments.

What You Believe You Learned
Working with the UN teaches invaluable lessons about diplomacy, international relations, and crisis management. It hones your ability to work under pressure, adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, and work with diverse cultural backgrounds. One of the most important skills you develop is effective communication, both in high-stakes environments and in collaboration with teams from around the world. You also gain a deep understanding of global governance, humanitarian relief efforts, and how to implement complex operations under challenging conditions.

Management
UN management can vary based on the department, but it generally emphasizes accountability, transparency, and teamwork. Given the scale and complexity of UN operations, leadership often needs to balance multiple missions and stakeholders. Managers are expected to be diplomatic, culturally aware, and solutions-focused. The management style can be both directive and collaborative, depending on the situation, with a strong emphasis on upholding international laws and ethical standards.

Workplace Culture
The UN fosters an inclusive and multicultural workplace environment, with professionals from all corners of the globe working together. The diversity within the team enriches the work culture and encourages the exchange of ideas, perspectives, and approaches. The organization is mission-driven, with a strong emphasis on human rights, peace, and sustainable development. Team members are generally passionate about making a positive impact, which creates a collaborative and respectful atmosphere.

The Hardest Part of the Job
The most challenging aspect of working for the UN, particularly in conflict or post-conflict zones, is dealing with the unpredictability and risk associated with the job. It can be emotionally taxing to witness humanitarian crises firsthand, and the logistical difficulties in delivering aid or executing operations in unstable environments add to the stress. Balancing the needs of the mission with the safety of staff, all while navigating complex political landscapes, can be a significant challenge.

The Most Enjoyable Part of the Job
The most rewarding part of working with the UN is the sense of purpose that comes with making a tangible difference in people’s lives. Knowing that your work is contributing to global peace, helping vulnerable populations, and promoting human rights brings immense satisfaction. The opportunity to travel, engage with diverse cultures, and work in a truly global environment is also a major plus. Additionally, the potential for career growth and continuous learning, through exposure to international policies and world-changing missions, makes it a highly enriching experience.

Overall Opinion
The UN offers an unparalleled platform for professional development and personal fulfillment. It’s an excellent place for career growth, particularly for individuals committed to global service and humanitarian causes. The diverse work environment, meaningful projects, and the chance to contribute to positive global change make it one of the best jobs you could have. It truly is a place where you can continuously learn and make a lasting impact on the world.








I've been working in few UN agencies and applied to many. The idea of working in UN is very aspirational, but the processes there are total disaster.
So pros: you will be a part of big mission, the salary is good, benefits are good too if you have a good contract.
Cons: most of contracts are non-staff, meaning you have less benefits, no pension scheme and have to take care of your taxes;
- highly developed nepotism. In some offices if you dont know who would recommend you, forget about it. Especially if thats Geneva or NY. Even if positions are international or for external candidates, they'll get someone who is already there, or have a work permit and so on. Within last year I've sent multiple applications to positions, where I fully fit or even overqualified and I got zero response. Why would that happen you think?
- bureaucracy and  unprofessional personnel. So after they higher someone by recommendation (see above), this someone will be managing some units, so as a result we will have horrible recruitment procedures, chaos in staffing (we are constantly under staffed, selection process can take months, my latest contract extension took over a month (and thats just 1 piece of paper to adjust), great people, who work here have to leave because there is no adequate procedures for extensions);
- you will not build a carrier there. the only option to get higher position is to apply for it. But here we are facing the thing with recruitment of someone's friends and you might stuck at your position for ages.
- you will never get a feedback upon recruitment. As it might take months, you'll never know if you are not shortlisted or they are just still working on shortlist.
- you'll never know if your contract will be extended or not. As apparently its impossible for the management to plan ahead, you might face a situation, where project you worked for will end and you will stay without a job. So here comes a thing - on one hand you shouldnt leave and UN would like you to stay to close the project, on other hand its not very easy to find another job where you'd say that you'll be available in 2.5 months and they'll wait for you. So its either UN loosing an employee (and then other employees have to cover for everyone who left early) or employee is staying, but might stay unemployed after. 
- They cant just move you to another position, they want it to be a competitive process. So they will do the announcement, will go through whole recruitment process and at the end will hire someone from inside, because that a good employee, who has years of experience working inside. And at the end we will have months of wasted time for competitive recruitment, wasted time of all who applied, went through tests and interviews, had hopes to be hired, and as a bonus we will have an employee, who left from his position and got another one through fair competition, so now HR will need to advertise his position and arrange whole recruitment again. Isnt it genius?) I think that instead of those ridiculous competency based questions on interview they would better arrange some sort of IQ tests or aptitude tests, so at least there would be some hope that hired personnel is able to think.

So overall, I wouldnt recommend it. UN definitely needs modernization, transparency and stick to their values.

I've worked in the UN in a range of roles in several countries and in several departments, and overall I find the work incredibly rewarding and colleagues talented, friendly and incredibly diverse. An adventure like no other--in one role, you get to engage in fascinating technical work with colleagues from universities and institutions from around the globe; in another, you're travelling, giving talks and presentations at events in locations you never thought you'd travel to. Small perks you'd never imagine in other locations: diplomatic identification in many field duty stations, very generous tax benefits through special treaties with every country. 

Though like any large institution, what matters most is the job fit and the match with the managerial environment and a sense of derived value from the work you do. This is not always automatic, and a bad match can have detrimental aspects on your career. It would be unwise to simply join because you want to be in the UN. If you dislike your job, or you find your supervisor intolerable, the fact that you work in the UN will be of little consolation to you. I've been lucky and have had roles where I've been challenged and supported by my supervisors in beneficial ways; yet I've known many talented individuals who have resigned and taken substantial pay reductions simply due to what can be called a poor interpersonal match with their supervisors or the job itself.

The institution is changing: though never rapid, the pace of incremental change is relentless and generally positive. You generally drive your own professional development, though your supervisors can support and guide you in this. There has been no free food in any of the locations I've been to--no bean bags, though we do have recreation rooms and good staff facilities. The decor is often spartan and minimalist, and occasionally dated, depending on the office you're in. It is not unusual to be the only person from your home country on a small team. You may find that, despite years of international travel and your high school exchange to Spain, that cross-cultural work environments are as challenging as they are rewarding. The institution is governed by a series of rules that can often impose seemingly arbitrary (unintended) constraints on the way you do your job, and resolving these even with the most results-driven, organization-first logic can prove maddeningly adversarial. But overall if you're a good match for a vacancy with a strong, self-driven work ethic and the behavioral competencies to thrive in a very diverse environment, and a friendly attitude that is not easily discouraged, then the UN may be an excellent match.

I have always been proud of working for the United Nations and following its main core values: integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity.

I have been fortunate, throughout my years of experience with the UN, performing different functions: a) from Chief Budget & Finance Section for the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials in Cambodia (UNAKRT), where I was responsible for daily tasks such as managing the allocated resources, redeployment of funds if needed, budget proposals, formulating my Section’s strategic framework, improving internal controls and managing the Finance staff’s performance, as well as clarifying financial matters to judges, lawyers, and other staff; 
b) to Business Analyst/Process Expert for Umoja interacting with other entities around the world, i.e. the Information Center in Tokyo or The Regional Center in Entebbe providing guidance, support, and clarifications on their daily tasks, or performing testing on complex finance scenarios and validating the models with the process owners.

I have always been an early riser, starting very early, around 6 AM, to prepare for the day, to distribute the tasks, prioritize, respond the queries from other entities; provide production support, occasionally interact with Senior Managers to stay on track with expected objectives, etc. I would normally work 10 hours a day, but available after working hours if additional information was needed. 

I have had many tough situations working with Umoja such as encountering many delays on completing the initial phases of the project due to lack of resources, or not having any knowledge of ERP when I started with Umoja, or developing a deployment strategy and associated planning tools. There were stressful moments that needed reviews and readjustments of timelines to achieve the objectives.

But I have also had many enjoyable moments: becoming a Process Expert in Financial Accounting (AP, AR, GL), transferring knowledge/information to the user community, finalizing configuration files and all testing associated with transition to Umoja solution, or learning other cultures and languages while assigned overseas to 8 different peacekeeping/special political missions in different capacities.

I have had very good Senior Managers who provided excellent leadership. Overall, a great experience.

As UN peacekeeping mission is completely secluded and living in a four corner surrounded by 24 hours security, I play an important role in entertaining UN staff through various activities to keep them fresh and lively. I conduct Yoga classes, fitness training, numerous evening get together for all of us to gather under one roof and enjoy the moment. I enjoy making people happy. The team that I work with is wonderful and we share success and credit as a team. Everyone's input is taken into consideration and we reach the goal as a team. Working with more than 100 nationalities does give me an exposure to multiple cultures which widens my overall view. I served as focal point for the UN games held at Paris, Spain and New York in 2012/13/14 for UNAMID group. Arranging visa, hotel, transport, train ticket, etc and bringing them back safely was a major achievement. Was awarded a silver certificate received at UN games 2013. I am an experienced and competent Fitness Instructor and Recreation Director with 20 years of experience in the 5* hospitality sector. 

I also contribute to the Rations section in UN which has exposed me to all sectors and team sites at Darfur (Sudan) by knowing the troop strength, requirement of food, receiving, checking and processing invoices submitted by the contractor for payments of goods. I create service certification against the relevant requisitions for payment, warehouse operating fees, outbound transportation and other services related to Rations. 

I offer myself as a candidate carrying loads of experience in hospitality business development by developing personal itineraries for clients and delivering exceptional service. Also use my excellent communication skills in French, Italian and English to find out exactly what clients want from their travel experiences and then liaise with agents to deliver everything that is required for a hassle-free holiday. As Manager – Inbound Tourism I have been in charge of all inbound operations, conferences, seminars, etc. Generated variety of packages like family package, honeymoon package, cultural package, ayurvedic massage package, cycling package, adventure package, etc for all age groups and promote the same through tour operators and independent travelers, both domestic and international.

My work day at the United Nations varied quite often, however, the majority consists of personal protection for dignitaries, managing a team of 6+ personnel, conducting route assessments, monitoring CCTV, maintaining dignitary schedules, ensuring that equipment is operational, coordinating with security personnel at visiting sites, completing daily reports and movements. I have learned the importance of professionalism and customer satisfaction. Additionally, my ability to understand and adapt with different cultures and language barriers within the United Nations. 

The most challenging part of the job is the language barrier and hardship environments. My limited knowledge in foreign languages and the security personnel that I worked with having a minimal knowledge of English. Thus, causing difficulty in communications, however, I made it a point to learn important words in the specific language and to communicate effectively by actions. At times, being deployed in areas that require a strong mentality and harsh environments would take a small amount of time to adjust and adapt. Nonetheless, these cases make you stronger and more effective in decision making and appreciating what you have. 


The most enjoyable part of my job was the challenge of working with the various cultures and nationalities. Furthermore, the excitement of traveling and learning different techniques from the International staff that I worked with. And, the experience of working in a team environment. I have thoroughly enjoyed working in the various environments and the opportunities the United Nations has offered me. It is an honor and privilege to work with such a prestigious organization.

As regards the typical day,I provided administrative support for the preparation of annual procurement plans and requests and also coordinated with government counterparts. I learned how to prepare Fund Authorization and Certificate of Expenditures (FACE) requests, also prepared, arranged and implemented plans, activities and appropriate materials as directed for conferences, seminars and project steering committee meetings. I was also responsible for establishing, collecting and maintaining data and information on project activities by reviewing and preparing monthly and annual records and reports. Furthermore, in addition to working with other members of our project team I was also responsible for maintaining effective working relationships with two different supervisors. 

As for UNFPA management, I provided administrative support for all project management.planning, coordination and implementation activities and was responsible for the monitoring and reporting of project budgets on behalf of UNFPA management.

The hardest part of the job was collecting data from counterparts outside of my office in order to follow up on their project activities. However, the most enjoyable part of the job was gaining experience interacting with internal UNFPA and external governmental and non-governmental organization clients from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, I also enjoyed working with a variety of government and institutional staff levels in order to prepare the UNFPA's weekly, monthly and quarterly work plan and the financial progress reports.

Provide extensive administrative and secretariat support to the Chief and Desk Officers in the Section, as well as staff in the Field Offices, in the most effective manner.
Schedule and coordination of appointments and meetings with high-level Government authorities, United Nations Agencies and NGOs.  Organize and coordinate flow of documents and follow up timely responses.  Sort out  correspondence.  Answered queries on various office matters.  Carry out quality control functions for outgoing documents; proofread and edit texts for adherence to format, grammar punctuation and style in compliance with the United Nations's correspondence manual.  Coordinate interviews, Section Meetings.  Arrange bridge lines for teleconferences.  Maintain electronic and paper filing system for the Section including converting relevant documents into PDF files through scanning or conversion using Adobe PDF applications and retrieve documents whenever required.  Assemble and distribution of documentation for internal meetings, interviews and workshops confirming arrangements with participants and find venues.  Prepare and process confidential information., Make , process and finalize travel arrangements for the Chief of Section and Desk Officers.  Coordinate travel itenerary.  Prepare Visa requests.  Prepare and collate information packages for the Section Chief and Desk Officers's mission trips and work with Section staff to pepare briefings books for Director and Chief of Section.  Prepare final travel claims.  Get security clearances for travel to the Field.

The United Nations is an honorable organization with the best of intentions to facilitate diplomatic solutions to global conflicts. From an Administration perspective, the bureaucracy overarches any and all activities from the technology stack to their hiring process.  

Everywhere there are politics, but in the case of the UN, the politics will dictate competency. Even if one is severly lacking in their abilities and professionalism, if they can further the political career of their manager/director (etc... up the chain) then the incompetent person will be retained and even promoted.

There is a caste system of staffing grades (levels) within the Organization.  From the International Staff to the Local Staff to the Consultants/3rd Party Contractors, there is a disdain and generalization that the "lower" of these are not as essential to the operations and administration of the UN, are the first to be threatened with a cut and are significantly underpaid and with very little of the same benefits.

However, immersed for over two years, my experience is quite the opposite.  I've observed what is perceived as the lower class (local staff) to be the most knowledgeable and responsive. Without the local staff, which are well underpaid, the UN would suffer catastrophic administrative failure.  It's unfortunate such a huge disparity exists.  It's unfortunate that very large reforms are coming and the career politicians are jockeying for their own gain.

This behavior in the administration is in striking contrast to the UN Charter.

The United Nations is a fantastic and exciting place to work.
There is the opportunity to move from one job to another i.e. different fields of employment.
There is the opportunity to work with people from all over the work and meet with movie stars who are ambassadors for the U.N. and UNICEF.
You also meet many heads of States and get to be present for meetings where the futures of various countries is being discussed.
Then for those who want to go further, you could apply to go on missions all over the world as well as be transferred to other U.N. offices all the world.
There really is no hard part of working in the U.N.  As long as you are a hard and dedicated worker, it should be fine.  When there is the General Assembly meetings the security is extremely tight because of the presence of world leaders.
Management differs from office to office but in general if you are prepared to work hard and put in the extra mile, everything is fine.  Work colleagues are generally good but there Is no real time for associating with colleagues on the job because of the volume of  work. 
However there are special occasions for assembling informally and staff enjoy those when they occur.
This organization is truly an international one and its name really describes the organization - United Nations.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Physical education teacher 2 salaries reported	$49.50 per hour
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