Full House at Spring 2019 UN Career Fair
On Thursday, April 11th, UNA-NYC hosted its Spring 2019 Career Fair. Dozens of UNA-NYC members and guests attended a panel session and participated in one-to-one interactions with human resources experts from several of the UN’s specialized agencies.
The session started with a panel discussion led by UN Human Resources Officer Eva Jansen, who had a very dynamic interaction with the audience. Eva has an extensive career within the UN, her expertise on HR allowed the audience to understand much clearer the application and selection process for job opportunities within the Secretariat. She described how crucial it is to understand every section of the job description, including all basic requirements, making sure that key words on work applications match the tasks of the post. Eva was pleasantly surprised to see such a diverse and experienced audience attending the session.
Kevin McMahon, a Human Resources Manager from UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services), described the differences between applying to a UNOPS post and a UN Secretariat post. He underlined the agency’s extra attention to more detailed experiences, including technical expertise. Kevin also highlighted the importance of avoiding overlapping dates in the letter of intent. He encouraged professionals with no UN-related experience to actively apply, since the organization aims to also look for outside talent that could bring innovative and fresh perspectives to the organization.
Another presenter, Jillian Oliver, a UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) Human Resources Specialist, defined some of the current job opportunities within the organization. She illustrated the variety among the different types of work within the organization and the necessity to include professionals from all fields. UNICEF looks for a diverse range of professionals, not only from international affairs backgrounds, but also from other fields. Jillian, as well as other UNICEF staff present on this occasion, expressed the need for continually offering such events as this career fair, to more people in New York City.
Sarjo Sarr, a UN Volunteers (UNV) Program Analyst, brought a fresh and innovative perspective to the process of applications within UN-related agencies. As an agency that values volunteer work, UNV does not offer paid employment but does include compensations for applicants with monetary stipends to cover living expenses. Sarjo is one of the talented young professional staff working at UNV. She specified that professionals within UNV are making sure more young people are being considered to positions within the agency. As a young person herself, she has advocated for more inclusive job opportunities within the organization.
A specialist from UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) involved with Performance and Career Development, Holly White gave to the audience key insights on what the fund is looking for in applicants. For instance, she recommended candidates to write more about their accomplishments and leadership roles than just their mere tasks and responsibilities, listing some of the major achievements within work experiences. Holly also suggested that sharing any publications is a plus in the application.
The outcome of this event leaves no doubt about the willingness and excitement of civil society for participating in, and strengthening, the work of the United Nations. Therefore UNA-NYC will continue to serve its members and the New York community at large by facilitating these important UN-related career fairs.
Special thanks to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP for hosting our Career Fair this year.