7 Steps to get a job in the United Nations

UPD 2023. Young Professionals Programme Guide 2023


This article is updated for UN YPP 2023.

For professionals under the age of 32, the YPP (United Nations Young Professionals Program ) Recruitment is an annual event. Invitations go to those UN Member States that are considered underrepresented, so even if you don't succeed the first time, make it a goal to try again in a year's time.

The new round for the YPP is for the dates of June and in this article we would like to talk in more detail about how to prepare for the exam if you have successfully applied.

The YPP Entrance Exam has several stages, the first of which is the written exam, after which the candidate is interviewed.

It should be noted that it is worth carefully preparing for the written exam because statistically only 5% of candidates pass it. Nevertheless, here we will share tips on better preparing for it and becoming one of those lucky ones. According to our recommendation, sample questions from the UN Secretariat are the best place to start your preparation.

Naturally, it is important to learn about the structure of the UN itself and how it works.

During your preparation, use university literature that presents the most important aspects of the field you are considering; read the world's newspapers and magazines in depth, from which you can always draw knowledge and understanding of certain theory.

The Young Professionals Programme (YPP) is a recruitment initiative for talented, highly qualified professionals to start a career as an international civil servant with the United Nations Secretariat. It consists of an entrance examination and professional development programmes once successful candidates start their career with the UN.

Successful staff will be placed in a professional position at the P-1 or P-2 level, depending on their qualifications and will work in different offices in various functions contributing to the goals of the Organization.

Who can apply?

The YPP examination is held once a year and is open to nationals of countries participating in the annual recruitment exercise. The list of participating countries is published annually and varies from year to year.

๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—š๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฎ ๐—๐—ผ๐—ฏ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ! ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ก๐—˜๐—ช ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜ ๐—š๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—จ๐—ก๐—›๐—–๐—ฅ, ๐—ช๐—™๐—ฃ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—œ๐—–๐—˜๐—™, ๐—จ๐—ก๐——๐—ฆ๐—ฆ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—™๐—ฃ๐—”, ๐—œ๐—ข๐—  ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€!

Basic application criteria:

You must have the nationality of a participating country.

You must hold at least a first-level university degree relevant for the exam subject you are applying for.

You must be 32 or younger in the year of the examination.

You must be fluent in either English or French.

Participating Countries YPP 2023

Each year, countries that are un- or under-represented in the United Nations, are invited to take part in the Young Professionals Programme.

Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic Peopleโ€™s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao Peopleโ€™s Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sรฃo Tomรฉ and Prรญncipe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

How the YPP written exam is structured 2023

Exam Structure:

The exam consists of three stages: an online exam (stage 1 and stage 2) and an interview (stage 3). The process may vary slightly from year to year. Below is an outline of the examination structure, with more details provided for convoked candidates.

Online Exam - Stage 1:

  • Duration: Approximately 2 hours
  • Format: Multiple-choice questions (general and specialised)
  • Language: Questions available in English or French
  • Purpose: Assess various competencies and abilities necessary for working in an international organization, such as written communication skills, reasoning skills, and understanding of UN core values and competencies.
  • Successful candidates in stage 1 proceed to stage 2.

Online Exam - Stage 2:

  • Duration: Approximately 2 to 2.5 hours
  • Format: Specialised constructed response (open-ended) questions
  • Language: Questions can be viewed in English or French
  • Language Requirements: Certain questions must be answered in English or French, while others can be answered in any of the UN's six official languages.
  • Word Limit: Each question has a suggested response word limit.
  • Proctoring: This stage may be proctored remotely through webcam and monitoring software.

Interview Stage - Stage 3:

  • Candidates successful in the online written examination proceed to the oral examination, which is a competency-based video-conference interview.
  • Verification: Candidate performance or identity may be verified at any stage of the exam process.

Examination Preparation:

  • Candidates invited to participate in the exam receive access to the UN Online Examinations & Tests System.
  • Purpose: Familiarize candidates with the testing platform and provide specific preparation material.
  • Preparation Material: Includes a suggested reading list, sample or previous questions, and other preparation tips.

So, as stated earlier, it is necessary to pass the exam to get on the roster (P1/P2 vacancies). The structure is 2 parts, the first of which is written, the second is oral. This is the structure you will find in most UN recruitment processes.

The written exam (max. overall score is 800 points)

This exam lasts 2-2.5 hours and consists of a general knowledge assignment and a specialized one. You must familiarize yourself with the tests in advance because you are to manage your own time during it. The main tip that few people pay attention to is studying the task description closely and precisely. The more specific you understand it, the less chance to do it incorrectly.

General paper sample

This task was given in 2020-2021. You are given a text in English or French of approximately 900 - 1,000 words, your task is to summarize it into a 300-word text. The aim of the paper is to check the candidate's skills in composing and analyzing text in the language presented. The maximum you can score for this paper is 150 points.

Specialized Paper Sample

This task was given in 2020-2021. This test has two parts and a maximum score of 650. It is aimed at testing the candidate's knowledge in the area of specialization that has been chosen. It is important to show your analytical thinking skills as well as your subject knowledge. The candidate can choose which language he/she will take the test in (among the 6 official languages at the UN).

Part 1: Multichoice Questions

You will be given a sheet of 50 multiple-choice questions and an answer sheet. You must write the correct answer on the answer sheet under the number of the question! It is not allowed to put any marks on the answer sheet (another sheet of paper is offered for that), only circle the option that you think is correct. You get 3 points for a correct answer. We strongly recommend that you practice your handwriting as it should be well readable (given the use of computers).

๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—š๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฎ ๐—๐—ผ๐—ฏ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ! ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ก๐—˜๐—ช ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜ ๐—š๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—จ๐—ก๐—›๐—–๐—ฅ, ๐—ช๐—™๐—ฃ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—œ๐—–๐—˜๐—™, ๐—จ๐—ก๐——๐—ฆ๐—ฆ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—™๐—ฃ๐—”, ๐—œ๐—ข๐—  ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€!

Part 2: Items with a constructed response.

This paper includes about 13 questions that must be answered in length; it may be an analysis, a full-length text, or a speech.

Questions 1-3 are the longest answers, up to 4 pages long.

Questions 3-13: the answers are shorter, about 2 pages.

The examination committee (UN experts) graded the examination paper's answers anonymously. The general exam is graded at the very end if the candidate was able to pass the specialized exam.

The first cutoff is defined after the marking of multiple-choice questions. Any of the following items needing more long and structured answers can be an additional cutoff. Note: Only those applicants who have successfully passed all parts of the examination receive marks on all parts (including the overall paper).

Exam procedure




1 STAGE: APPLICATION

The application period for the 2023 YPP exams is now open. Applications will be accepted through 29 June 2023.

Application Process

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility

Carefully review basic application criteria on the YPP YPP Home page.

Step 2: Review the job opening

Read the job opening for the exam subject you are interested in and make sure you fulfil the requirements. The list of job openings can be found on the YPP YPP Home page.

Step 3: Prepare an application

Apply to the selected job opening through Inspira. Additional guidelines on creating applications are available by clicking on the โ€œManuals and Helpโ€™โ€™ link found in the upper right-hand corner of the web page when you log into https://inspira.un.org.

In order to be placed on the roster for P1/P2 vacancies of the United Nations, you need to pass the YPP examination, which consists of the written and the oral part. The total number of points a candidate can score in both parts of the exam is 1000.



2 STAGE: WRITTEN EXAMINATION

The written examination consists of two parts This task was given in 2020-2021:

The General Paper, which is the same for all exam subjects, tests your drafting and analytical abilities in English or French. It consists of a text of approximately 900 words, which needs to be summarised in around 300 words. The number of words may slightly vary between the two languages. There are no titles, subtitles or paragraphs in the text, which you have to summarize. You can score a maximum of 150 points in the General paper.

Written Part: What to bring

Your convocation document

E-mail with application number

Original AND photocopy of picture ID indicating nationality and date of birth

Blue or black pens, pencils, highlighters etc.

Some light food, beverage in clear bottle

Written Part: What NOT to bring

Mobile phones (may be sealed before)

Dictionaries n Portable computers

Reference materials n Draft/scrap paper

White-out liquid

Good ideas

Be well rested

Arrive in plenty of time

Follow the instructions correctly

Answer the question! n Manage your time!

Review the โ€œWhatโ€™s newโ€ page on the Careers Portal regularly

TIPS: Time-keeping/time-management extremely important!!!

Practice handwriting ahead of time. Practice time keeping.

Do not neglect the general paper โ€“ summary writing is harder than may seem

For summary writing, practise summarizing UN documents and time yourself

Task 1. Written examination. GENERAL PAPER:

SUMMARY (150 points) SAMPLES OF WRITTEN EXAMINATION TASKS. Sample Answer Paper

Good summary:

accurately reflects the ideas, contains only the main ideas, is objective n is clear, coherent and concise, is logically organized, is mainly written in the summary writerโ€™s own words.

Here you may find SAMPLES OF WRITTEN EXAMINATION TASKS of YPP.

And here is an example of answer brochure Sample Answer Paper.

Workshop "How to do YPP Written examination task 1".

Read the text and answer the questions below.

1. What is the main idea of the text- state it in one sentence. Where in the text do you
find it?

2. Can you chunk this text into sections? What are the main ideas of each of these
sections?

3. Should you include questions in your summary? What about examples, such as the
example about Anta and Assiatou in this text?

4, flow should you handle the figures and statistics given in the text?

5. How often should you refer to the writer or the text?

๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—š๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฎ ๐—๐—ผ๐—ฏ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ! ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ก๐—˜๐—ช ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜ ๐—š๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—จ๐—ก๐—›๐—–๐—ฅ, ๐—ช๐—™๐—ฃ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—œ๐—–๐—˜๐—™, ๐—จ๐—ก๐——๐—ฆ๐—ฆ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—™๐—ฃ๐—”, ๐—œ๐—ข๐—  ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€!

"Chunked" text. Written examination sample. Part 1.

Surrounded by the cracked and food-stained walls of her primary school in Dakar, Senegal, Anta attends classes and dreams of becoming a pediatrician. Anta knows she is lucky to be in school - because she knows that many of her peers are not so fortunate. Her friend Aissatou had to drop out of school to help her grandmother.

Unfortunately, Aissatou's story is not uncommon. What does failing to finish elementary school mean for the life and future of an 11-year old girl in Senegal? In sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia? What does it mean for every child? The answer is simple: almost everything. Education is essential to every child's ability to thrive, to become a productive adult, to contribute to society - and it is every child's right.
Education is imperative to empowering girls and women - which is itself a critical lever in lifting the standard of living in even the most disadvantaged communities. And education is central to breaking the cycle of poverty for millions of the world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

Ten years ago, world leaders came together to pledge themselves to an unprecedented effort to build a more peaceful, equitable world. The Millennium Declaration recognised the transformative role education plays in building stronger societies and set a global goal, now known as MDG 2, of ensuring universal primary education for the world's children. Since then, we have made significant progress in meeting MDG 2. The number of children out of school has decreased by 33m since 1999, with the sharpest declines in the places with the greatest difficulties, sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia. Many countries also have made significant progress in achieving gender parity in primary school enrolment. Since 1999, the number of girls out of school has declined from 58 percent to 54 percent.

This shows that progress is possible, even in the most challenging circumstances - but while there is cause for encouragement, there is also deep cause for concern. In fact, UNICEF estimates that over 72m children of primary school age were out of school in 2007. If we continue at our current rate of progress, this means that by 2015, around 56m will still be out of school โ€” far short of the goal. We know who these 56m children are: the overwhelming majority are growing up in the most disadvantaged countries, living through the most chronic crises. Fully 75 percent of the children out of school today live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. More than half are girls. And these disparities are growing - not only among countries but within countries. Children from the poorest 20 percent of their societies are two to three times less likely to attend primary school than those in the richest 20 percent.
Girls are still less likely than boys to attend primary school. Children from ethnic and indigenous minorities are likely to be excluded at even higher rates. And children with disabilities are the least likely to go to school at all. These same children are missing out on critical health services; on adequate nutrition; on access to clean water.

As we work to meet these needs, we must make sure that our progress is sustainable. And that means a focus on education. For, in the long run, it is education that lifts communities and nations out of poverty. Consider the impact of education in the life of a girl like Anta - and on her society's health and progress. Educated girls are less likely to marry or have children early; they are better able to protect themselves from HIV and Aids, from sexual exploitation and abuse. Educated women are more likely to seek antenatal care and are both less likely to die in childbirth and more likely to have healthy babies who survive their infancy and thrive. Secondary education for a girl will increase her future income and greatly raise her family's standard of living. And educated girls and women are far more likely to send their own children to school.

So, as world leaders gather this September at the Summit on the Millennium Development Goals to review our collective progress in meeting the MDGs โ€” and to plot a course to accelerate that progress as we approach 2015 - we should also renew our collective commitment to providing education for all. This means eliminating school fees and other school-related costs like uniforms and school books. It also means supporting policies specifically designed to help girls stay in school, by improving sanitary facilities and security policies. And we need to encourage programmes that enable girls to re-enter school when their education has been interrupted by pregnancy or for economic reasons. And it means focusing on children from countries in conflict or other chronic emergencies, children whose educations are frequently interrupted, often never to resume. The net result of a less educated population is a society more prone to instability - and this affects us all. And let me emphasise: it means focusing our efforts on the most disadvantaged children, in the greatest need. By investing in their individual futures, we invest in our collective future; just as supporting the rights of all children - especially the forgotten children - is the key to sustaining all of our progress and to building a more prosperous and equitable world, in other words, our common humanity and our common interest are as one. We have a chance to lay the foundation to serve both now - and we should take it. (904 words)

Underlined text

๐Ÿ“š ๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—›๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—š๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฎ ๐—๐—ผ๐—ฏ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿค ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ก๐—˜๐—ช ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ฟ๐˜‚๐—ถ๐˜๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜ ๐—š๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—จ๐—ก ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฏ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐˜๐—ต ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—จ๐—ก๐—›๐—–๐—ฅ, ๐—ช๐—™๐—ฃ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—œ๐—–๐—˜๐—™, ๐—จ๐—ก๐——๐—ฆ๐—ฆ, ๐—จ๐—ก๐—™๐—ฃ๐—”, ๐—œ๐—ข๐—  ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€! ๐ŸŒ

โš ๏ธ ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐‹๐ข๐Ÿ๐ž ๐๐จ๐ฐ: ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐“๐ž๐œ๐ก๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ž๐ญ ๐š ๐ฃ๐จ๐› ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐”๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–!

Surrounded by the cracked and flood-stained walls of her primary school in Dakar, Senegal, Anta attends classes and dreams of becoming a pediatrician. Anta knows she is lucky to be in school - because she knows that many of her peers are not so fortunate. Her friend Aissatou had to drop out of school to help her grandmother. Unfortunately, Aissatou's story is not uncommon. What does failing to finish elementary school mean for the life and future of an 11-year old girl in Senegal? In sub-Saharan Africa or South Asia? What does it mean for every child? The answer is simple: almost everything. Education is essential to every child's ability to thrive, to become a productive adult, to contribute to society - and it is every child's right. Education is imperative to empowering girls and women - which is itself a critical lever in lifting the standard of living in even the most disadvantaged communities. And education is central to breaking the cycle of poverty for millions of the world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

Ten years ago, world leaders came together to pledge themselves to an unprecedented effort to build a more peaceful, equitable world. The Millennium

Declaration recognized the transformative role education plays in building stronger societies and set a global goal, now known as MDG 2. of ensuring universal primary education for the world's children. Since then, we have made significant progress in meeting MDG 2. The number of children out of school has decreased by 33m since 1999, with the sharpest declines in the places with the greatest difficulties,_sukz_ Saharan Africa and South Asia. Many countries also have made significant progress in achieving gender parity in primary school enrolment. Since 1999, the number of girls out of school has declined from 58 percent to 54 percent.

This shows that progress is possible, even in the most challenging circumstances - but while there is cause for encouragement, there is also deep cause for concern. In fact, UNICEF estimates that over 72m children of primary school age were out of school in 2007. If we continue at our current rate of progress, this means that by 2015. around 56m will still be out of school โ€” far short of the goal. We know who these 56m children are: the overwhelming majority are growing up in the most disadvantaged countries, living through the most chronic crises. Fully 75 percent of the children out of school today live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. More than half are girls. And these disparities are growing - not only among countries but within countries. Children from the poorest 20 percent of their societies are two to three times less likely to attend primary school than those in the richest 20 percent. Girls are still less likely_than_boys to attend primary school. Children from ethnic and indigenous minorities are likely to be excluded at even higher rates. And children with disabilities are the least likely to go to school at all. These same Children are missing out on critical health services: on adequate nutrition: on access to clean water.

As we work to meet these needs, we must make sure that our progress is sustainable. And that means a focus on education. For, in the long run, it is education that lifts communities and nations out of poverty. Consider the impact of education in the life of a girl like Anta - and on her society's health and progress. Educated girls are less likely to marry or have children early; they are better able to protect are less likely to marry or have children early; they are better able to protect themselves from HIV and Aids, from sexual exploitation and abuse. Educated women are more likely to seek antenatal care and are both less likely to die in childbirth and more likely to have healthy babies who survive their infancy and thrive. Secondary education for a girl will increase her future income and greatly raise her familyโ€™s standard of living. And educated girls and women are far more likely to send their own children to school.

So, as world leaders gather this September at the Summit on the Millennium Development Goals to review our collective progress in meeting the MDGs โ€” and to plot a course to accelerate that progress as we approach 2015 - we should also renew our collective commitment to providing education for all. This means eliminating school fees and other school-related costs like uniforms and school books. It also means supporting policies specifically designed to help girls stay in school, by improving sanitary facilities and security policies. And we need to encourage programmes that enable girls to re-enter school when their education has been interrupted by pregnancy or for economic reasons. And it means focusing on children from countries in conflict or other chronic emergencies, children whose educations are frequently interrupted, often never to resume. The net result of a less educated population is a society more prone to instability - and this affects us all. And let me emphasise: it means focusing our efforts on the most disadvantaged children, in the greatest need. By investing in their individual futures, we invest in our collective future: just as supporting the rights of all children - especially the forgotten children - is the key to sustaining all of our progress and to building a more prosperous and equitable world, in other words, our common humanity and our common interest are as one. We have a chance to lay the foundation to serve both now - and we should take it. (904 words)

Underlined text only

Education is essential to every child's ability to thrive, to become a productive adult, to contribute to society - and it is every child's right. Education is imperative to empowering girls and women - which is itself a critical lever in lifting the standard of living in even the most disadvantaged communities. And education is central to breaking the cycle of poverty for millions of the world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

Ten years ago, The Millennium Declaration recognised the transformative role education plays in building stronger societies and set a global goal, now known as MDG 2, of ensuring universal primary education for the world's children. Since then, we have made significant progress. The number of children out of school has decreased the sharpest declines in the places with the greatest difficulties, sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia, significant progress in achieving gender parity in primary school enrolment. But there is also deep cause for concern. In fact, UNICEF estimates If we continue at our current rate of progress, this means that by 2015, around 56m will still be out of school โ€” far short of the goal, the overwhelming majority are growing up in the most disadvantaged countries most chronic crises. Fully 75 percent in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. More than half are girls. Children poor less likely to attend primary school than rich. Girls less likely than boys ethnic and indigenous minorities likely excluded at even higher rates. And children with disabilities are the least likely to go to school, same children are missing out on critical health services; on adequate nutrition; on access to clean water.

We must make sure progress is sustainable, focus on education, lifts communities and nations out of poverty, the impact of education of a girl on her society's health and progress. Educated girls are less likely to marry or have children early; better able to protect themselves from HIV and Aids, from sexual exploitation and abuse, more likely to seek antenatal care and less likely to die in childbirth and more likely to have healthy babies who survive their infancy and thrive. Secondary education for a girl will increase her future income and greatly raise her family's standard of living. And educated girls and women are far more likely to send their own children to school.

So world leaders at the Summit on the Millennium Development Goals to review progress should also renew commitment to education for all. eliminating school fees and other school-related costs supporting policies specifically designed to help girls stay in school, encourage programmes that enable girls to re-enter school focusing on children from countries in conflict or other chronic emergencies whose educations are frequently interrupted, focusing on the most disadvantaged children. By investing in their individual futures, we invest in our collective future; the key to building a more prosperous and equitable world. (479)

Model Summary

The article stated that education was essential to the health and development of every child and to enabling him/her to contribute to society. It was also critical to the empowerment of girls and to ending the poverty of many disadvantaged people and nations. World leaders had recognized the importance of education when they adopted the Millennium Declaration 10 years previously. Since that time, significant progress had been made towards realizing Millennium Development Goal 2 (MDG 2) of ensuring universal primary education, reflected in increased enrollment and greater gender parity in primary schools. However, UNICEF estimated that millions of children were still out of school and at the current rate, MDG 2 would not be reached by the target date of 2015.
Fifty-six million children would still not be enrolled in primary school, seventy-five per cent in Sub-Saharan Africa and more than 50 percent girls. Ethnic minorities and children with disabilities were also more likely to be excluded from school. Moreover, these children would have less access to health care and other essential services.

The writer argued that education was critical to alleviating all of these problems and creating sustainable progress and emphasized the positive impact that educated girls and women can have on the welfare of their communities. They tended to marry and have children later; to seek sexual and maternal health care; to earn higher incomes, thereby improving the living standards of their families and communities; and to enroll their children in school. The writer, therefore, urged world leaders to recommit themselves at the upcoming Millennium Development Goals Summit to MDG 2 by abolishing school fees and establishing guidelines to ensure that girls stayed in school. Children from countries in crisis required special attention. The author concluded that
universal primary education would ensure a better future for everyone. (299 words)

Candidates who pass the written examination will be invited for the interview.



3 STAGE: INTERVIEW

If you are successful in the written examination, you will be invited to take part in the oral part of the examination which consists of a competency-based video-conference interview. Each candidate will be interviewed by an interview panel consisting of members of the Specialized Examination Board. The total number of points in the oral examination is 200. You can find more information on competency based interviews

The UN YPP interview is conducted in either English or French and consists of a competency-based interview and possibly an oral presentation. The competency-based interview aims to test your consistency with values and competencies of the United Nations. Values/competencies vary for different job families and are specified in the YPP openings announcements.

During your interview with the United Nations, we utilize a competency-based interview process to ensure that we attract the most exceptional candidates. Competency-based interviews, also known as behavioral or criterion-based interviews, focus on the belief that past behavior and experience serve as the best indicators of future performance. Essentially, your personal history tells a story about your talents, skills, abilities, knowledge, and actual experience in handling various situations.

In a competency-based interview, you can expect questions like:

  1. Tell us about a situation in which you exceeded your manager's expectations.
  2. Provide an example of a time when you utilized your problem-solving abilities to resolve an issue.
  3. Describe a situation where multiple demands were placed on you simultaneously. How did you handle it?


  1. Prepare a range of concise real-life stories showcasing your achievements. Understand the specific skills that each story exemplifies and remember to highlight the positive outcome or lesson learned from each experience.
  2. Be ready to discuss your strengths and your ability to learn from past experiences. Also, think about how you can contribute to the work of the United Nations and the specific position you are applying for.
  3. Review the competencies outlined in the job opening. These will be explored during your interview, so ensure that your stories demonstrate your proficiency in these competency areas.
  4. Be prepared to address both positive results and achievements using these competencies, as well as challenges you have faced in each of these areas.
  5. Structure your answers using the Situation, Action, Result (SAR) format.
  6. Share information that you deem relevant and appropriate.
  7. Actively listen to the questions and stay focused on the main point. Be as specific as possible in your responses.
  8. Familiarize yourself with competency-based interview techniques by researching and accessing available resources on this interview structure.
  9. Learn as much as you can about the department, office, and the work it entails, specifically related to the position you are applying for.
  10. Practice extensively to refine your interview skills.

Remember, the key is to showcase your abilities and experiences effectively through concrete examples. By preparing thoroughly and practicing, you can approach your UN interview with confidence.

Values and Competencies

Core Values

Core

Managerial

Competencies

Competencies

โ–  Integrity

โ– 

Communication

โ–  Vision

โ–  Professionalism

โ– 

Teamwork

โ–  Leadership

โ–  Respect for

โ– 

Planning and

โ–  Empowering Others

Diversify

Organizing

โ–  Managing

โ– 

Accountability

Performance

โ– 

Creativity

โ–  Building Trust

โ– 

Client
Orientation

โ–  Judgment and
Decision-making

โ– 

Commitment to

Continuous

Learning

โ– 

Technological
Awareness

Why competency-based interviews?

forward-looking, clarify expectations, define future needs, past professional experiences, behavioral/situational questions

USE CAR(L) Principe: Context, Actions, Results, Learning, Preparing, and Practising, Be flexible and nondemanding with time, Prepare,Practise, practise, practise!

During the interview: do

Dress appropriately n Listen carefully n Be specific

Make a good first and last impression v Provide concrete examples n Smile!

BAD IDEA:

โ€ฆanswer hypothetically

โ€ฆsay โ€œweโ€, when you mean โ€œIโ€

โ€ฆmake blanket generalizations

โ€ฆinterrupt

โ€ฆask questions on benefits

Samples:

Exercise Planning and Organizing

  • -Talk about a major event you organized

Exercise Professionalism

  • - Talk about your experiences as an Administrative Officer

Exercise Teamwork

- Describe a successful teamwork work experience

Exercise Creativity

  • -Describe a situation where you had to be creative

Exercise Integrity

  • - Describe a situation where values were threatened to be compromised.

UN Preparation to the interview.


Successful Candidates Placement & Reserve Lists

P-1/P-2 placement in any Secretariat duty station. Those who cannot be placed -> will be kept on a reserve list for 2 years.

Candidates who refuse one invitation to interview or employment offer will be removed from the reserve list.

YPP FAQ 2023

Why is YPP not open to nationals of all countries?

The YPP is mandated to ensure equitable representation of all Member States in the UN Secretariat. Therefore, it is available only to applicants from countries that are un- or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat in a particular year.

Do I need to have work experience to apply?

No, work experience is not required. Relevant work experience will be taken into consideration as one of the additional screening criteria when more than 60 candidates from the same country apply to the same exam subject.

When should I apply?

Apply as soon as the application period opens. The application period will be announced on the UN Careers Portal.

What is the format of the YPP examination?

The exam is administered online. Further details on the dates, times, and structure of the exam will be provided for convoked candidates.

What is next if I am successful in the YPP examination?

As a successful YPP candidate you will be placed on a reserve list of qualified candidates who can be selected for available positions across the UN over a 3-year period. Q

In case you have any questions please feedback me to feedback@uncareer.net or check FAQ about UN recruitment

Steven White, CEO Uncareer.net