1. How to best present your candidature to the United Nations John Ericson Chief, Outreach Section Office of Human Resources Management December 2009

2. UNITED NATIONS ASKS FOR A LOT OF INFORMATION Birthdate, nationality, gender, marital status, no. of dependants, languages, etc. Education and publications: ensure that your post-secondary degree is from an accredited academic institution Comprehensive but concise work history, salaries, names of supervisors, skills, etc. References

3. Go to http://jobs.un.org Or website of organization of interest to you: undp.org, unicef.org, etc. Open an account Complete your profile Select the vacancies you are interested in applying for Submit application, including cover letter

4. Personal History Profile/P.11 BEFORE YOU BEGIN DRAFTING YOUR APPLICATION: Understand the position 1. Saves time and reduces frustration that results from applying for jobs not suited to your strengths and aspirations. 2. Improves ability to position yourself to meet the needs of the hiring office.

5. Personal History Profile/P.11 The Employment section Description of Duties Highlight your job responsibilities. Describe your duties with careful attention to the vacancy for which you are applying. Use action verbs; Current job in present tense All others in past tense.

6. Personal History Profile/P.11 The Employment section (cont’d) Summary of Achievements Provide specific examples where you made an impact in the positions for your employers. Be specific in describing the impact/ contributions you have made.

7. Duties & Achievements – What is the difference? Duties = what you do (did) in your job Achievements = how well you did in your job

8. Cover Letter WHAT IS THE COVER LETTER? Describe how your experience, qualifications & competencies match the position for which you are applying. You can distinguish yourself from other candidates by highlighting what makes you a good match for the position.

9. Cover Letter Standard Structure 1. Open with statement of interest 2. Summarize qualifications, experience & competencies 3. Close with a brief recap Make it Impressive

10. PHP & Cover Letter: additional tips Remember, the UN will first get to know you only through these documents Be specific Make your words count Write/Edit in wordprocessor Proofread

11. Q & A Any Questions?