Learn how to prepare
your application. Click below:
Learn how to answer
the Job Requirements questions. Click below:
How do I apply for a job?
All job openings in the UN Secretariat are published on the United Nations Careers Portal. When you apply for a job, you have to submit an application in the UN online recruitment system called inspira.
For information on how to apply for a job using the online recruitment system, go to Application Process.
Completing your Application
The inspira application is an extended online resume, specifically used by the United Nations, where you articulate your education, competencies, achievements and professional experience. The application is used to evaluate your eligibility and suitability for the job. It is your opportunity to tell your story in a way that demonstrates that you are the best candidate for the job.
If you want to apply for more than one job you can update and change your information in the online recruitment system before submitting a new application.
Understanding the job requirements
Make sure you find as much information as possible about the job and apply only to vacancies that are suited to your strengths and aspirations.
Completing the job requirement section is a mandatory step, in your application process. It is your opportunity to highlight your specific experiences, skills, knowledge, and practitioner credentials in relation to the job you are applying for in order to convince the hiring manager that you are a qualified candidate.
Your job requirements responses should be coherent, consistent, and supported by information provided in your candidate profile. Watch the Job Requirements video on this page to learn more.
Preparing the Motivation Statement
The motivation statement allows you up to 2,000 characters (including spaces) to include information that is not found elsewhere in your application.
You may wish to use the motivation statement to explain why you are applying for this job, in this location, at this moment; how the position aligns with your overall career goals, including a career or location change; how elements of your personal character or experience will support your success in the role; and/or how your competencies, values, and behaviors align with the mandate of the UN and the mandate of the particular UN office you are applying to.
Application tips:
Be concise.
Make your words count. Your use of language is extremely important; you need to project yourself efficiently. Address the job's needs with clearly written, powerful phrases. Provide small, digestible pieces of information. Use action verbs. Avoid passive sentence constructions. Avoid clichés.
Make the most of your experience.
We need to know what you have accomplished to have an idea of what you can do for us. Don't be vague. Especially in your achievements section, focus on what you've accomplished and achieved, as opposed to what you do on a daily basis. Be honest. There is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it.
Target. Target. Target.
Be specific. If you are going after more than one job opening, customize your application accordingly. The system allows you to update it, so you can tailor your application for a specific position. The same applies to your answers to the Job Requirements questions as well as to your motivational statement – customize them for each application. Customizing your application is the easiest way for you to demonstrate that you have clearly read and understood the job opening.
FAQs on preparing your Application
Q: What kind of duties should I include in my employment details?
A:
Duties describe the specific responsibilities of your job. They accurately reflect what you are doing or have done in each of your previous jobs. In other words, it is the "what you do" of your job, including detail of your supervisory/managerial responsibilities, if any. You may include achievements as well to describe in specific terms "how well" you did in your job. Number of characters is limited to 1,000 including spaces for the duties of each of your jobs.
Q: Can I update my Application to apply for a new JO?
A:
Yes. Each time you apply for a new JO, we recommend that you review your Application and update it, if appropriate, or target it to better reflect your suitability for the new JO. Your updates will not affect the content of Applications previously submitted against other JOs.
Q: Can I save my Application?
A:
Yes. You should save your Application when you make changes and/or update it. It is recommended that you save different versions of your Application in Word format and then edit the Application online according to the post for which you are applying.
Q: How do I know if my Application has been received?
A:
You will receive an automated email confirming that your application was received by the United Nations.
Should you not receive a confirmation email, please check your spam filter or visit, if needed, your "My Applications" page to check the status of your application: if its status is not 'Draft' or 'Withdrawn' then it means that this application has been successfully submitted and was received by the United Nations.
Please note that, to receive automatic confirmations of application submission, the primary email address you provided during registration and displayed in your profile should still be valid.