I have worked with the United Nations for three years now and I have been very fortunate to experience three different departments. I started with the Organization and began my UN career with the Office of International Oversight Services (OIOS) as an Information Technology Assistant. There I served in the Inspections and Evaluations Division. My work with OIOS was a unique experience. This Office acts as an agent of change that promotes responsible administration of resources, a culture of accountability and transparency, as well as improved programme performance. As an Information Technology Assistant, I dealt with the use of computers and software to convert and process important information. Subsequently, I transferred to the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), specifically with the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). CERF is a humanitarian fund established by the United Nations to enable timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to people who have been affected by natural disaster and armed conflict. I enjoyed this Office because I felt like I was truly making a difference in the lives of those caught up in unfortunate situations. Recently I joined the Financing and Development Office at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) where I currently work as a Research Assistant for the International Tax Cooperation Unit.

For me, the United Nations was a clear choice for employment. Although I was born in Pakistan, I am a national of Myanmar. I attended primary and middle school in Switzerland, high school in Myanmar, and college in the United States. I traveled throughout the world growing up and immersing myself in each different culture while learning the different backgrounds, life stories, and experiences of everyone I met. Multiculturalism and diversity have always been a constant in my life so joining the United Nations where I am exposed to an incredibly rich international environment everyday through the people I work with was a natural step.

I love my job because I know that every day I am making a difference in people’s lives. As a Programme Assistant at the CERF, I handled a lot of the logistical assistance and the processing of funds needed for critical humanitarian aid. There, we receive requests from the World Health Organization to fund emergency vaccines; from the United Nations Children’s Fund to provide basic needs to displaced children, as well as from the United Nations Humanitarian Air Services and United Nations High Committee for Refugees for air transport, emergency on-site logistical requirements, and crucial humanitarian relief support. This type of responsibility motivates me to work harder and facilitate funds processing as quickly as possible to ensure that those in need get timely relief. I love serving a greater cause.

As you can see, the United Nations is a demanding, but a rewarding career experience. As an employee of the Organization you must always remember that you are working to serve those who are in dire need of assistance. It is imperative that you put forth your best effort in every aspect of your job. If you are interested in working for the United Nations, I challenge you to look at all you have to offer this institution because ultimately you are not just helping the Organization, you are helping the world.

It is also important to be a “team player” as this line of work is a group effort. And as the United Nations prides itself on cultural diversity and enriched experience, I recommend learning a second or third language. My fluency in English and French has been crucial. Your colleagues will be from all over the world, so it is important to enhance your linguistic abilities. But most importantly, I recommend that you always keep the United Nations’ goals in mind and help to achieve those goals.

There are United Nations duty stations all over the world and each station immerses itself in the beauty and culture of the host nation. I currently work in New York City, which is an amazing location with millions of things to do. Portrait photography is my strongest hobby and New York City is a perfectly diverse place for me to pursue it.