Quickstart How to Find a UN Job on the Inspira Human Resources Gateway Website

UN job searches can be overwhelming because of the sheer complexity of the United Nations and that organization's online human resources website, Inspira. Although the UN has prepared an Inspira manual, the website requires a considerable investment in time to understand the online UN job application process. This post simplifies the process with a series of steps. You will therefore learn how to search for UN job openings and to quickly understand the jargon and codes at precisely the stage of your application when you need them. This post does not seek to replace the UN's comprehensive Inspira manual. However, it serves as a useful precursor that makes it easier to follow the Inspira manual.

You need not register to perform a preliminary UN job search on Inspira. If you are not logged in or have an Inspira account, all UN jobs openings will appear in the following categorized format.

However, if you already have an account, login (via https://inspira.un.org ). Otherwise, create an Inspira account. If you see any job(s) that interest you, create an account that will allow you to complete the UN's online version of your CV (called the 'PHP' of 'Personal History Profile'). In fact, Inspira allows you to save multiple jobs, work on them over a period of time before submitting the application, save search criteria, see the status of your applications and so on.

-- -- Once you are logged in, select 'Main Menu' and then 'Careers' in the top left menu option at the top of the page as pictured below.

In the 'Basic Job Search' box, select 'Advanced Search' for more options (especially if you do not understand the options in the basic job search (which assumes prior knowledge of how UN jobs are categorized).

How to Fine-tune a UN Job Search on Inspira

If uncertain about the UN job structures, use as many drop down menu options as possible that are more related to skills you offer. For instance, it is arguably unfortunate that you will need to know the geographical names of duty stations / DS (i.e. geographical work locations). As you can see, if you do not know the DS by name, you can not choose easily on that basis. As you see in the image below, the site displays DS options by region names like 'Aba', 'Abancay', etc without specifying the country name. If this listing confuses you (as is likely to be the case for most people), consider searching on other drop down criteria like 'job network' to increase your chances of finding something appropriate to your skills. A 'job network' is a grouping of jobs that are related, i.e. a 'job family'. However, as pictured below, the last field allows you to request that 'display results are sorted by' location. Click 'Search' when you have completed filling out the fields in the best possible way.

Below are the results of the search above. First note the number of search results. In this case, a first glance may lead you to wrongly assume there are only 5 results. However, there are 33 UN job opening, the rest of which can be accessed only by first clicking on the ticked box next to the '33 results found', hovering your mouse over he faint empty column to the far right (of the 'Deadline' column) until a black scrolling cursor to appear, then hold and drag that cursor to scroll down. Notice too that, if you had been initially concerned about a field like 'duty station', it is worth researching the country names from duty station names on this page (on Wikipedia.com). After all, the jobs on this page are already potential good fits.

In the image above, you can of course look at the duty station. In this case, the first 4 are in Bangkok which is in Thailand while the last is in Beirut, Lebanon. You may scroll down using the steps above to see additional duty station options if the duty station is a major consideration.

Using the image above, you can also consider options based on other fields. The 'posting title' give a clue. However, the 'level' is also noteworthy. For instance, 'I' for that field in the 1st, 2nd and 5th options reveal that they are all 'interpreter' positions. 'Levels' are usually alphanumeric. For starters, higher numbers usually refer to higher level UN positions (regarding number of years of experience and or education). For instance, in the example directly below, the P5 position is more senior than P4.

As suggested earlier, the letters at the beginning of each 'level' code relate to the UN job 'Category', In the case above 'P' means 'professional' UN jobs. However, here is a list of of other letter codes and their meanings.

• ASG - Assistant Secretary-General
  
• P - Professional and Higher Categories
  
• D - Director
  
• FS - Field Service   (usually requiring a high school diploma or equivalent. However, see note marked with a red asterisk (*)
  
• G - General Service and Related Categories
  
• TC - Trade & Crafts
  
• S - Security Service and Public Information Assistant perform support functions
  
• I - Interpreter
  
• Intern - Intern
  
• LT - Language Teacher
  
• NO - National Officer
  
• USG - Under-Secretary General
  
• T - Translator 
  

UN Job Categories on Inspira

Now, here is a list of alphanumeric UN job codes and their meanings. The listings are in order of 5 broad UN job categories.

FIELD SERVICES   (usually requiring a high school diploma or equivalent. However, see note marked with a red asterisk (*). 

FS-4 level - a minimum of six (6) years
FS-5 level – a minimum of eight (8) years
FS-6 level - a minimum of ten (10) years *
FS-7 level - a minimum of twelve (12) years *

For positions marked with (*), the minimum years of relevant work experience is reduced for candidates who possess a first level university degree (i.e. Bachelor level degree) as follows: for FS-6, a minimum of 5 years of experience from 10; for FS-7, a minimum of 7 years of experience from 12. 

GENERAL SERVICES  (usually requiring a high school diploma or equivalent)

GS-5 level – a minimum of five (5) years
GS-6 level - a minimum of seven (7) years
GS-7 level - a minimum of ten (10) years
TC-4 level - a minimum of three (3) years
TC-5 level - a minimum of five (5) years
TC-6 level - a minimum of seven (7) years
TC-7 level – a minimum of ten (10) years

TC-8 level - a minimum of twelve (12) years

S-3 level - a minimum of five (5) years
S-4 level - a minimum of nine (9) years
S-5 level - a minimum of twelve (12) years

S-6  level - a minimum of fifteen (15) years
S-7 level - a minimum of eighteen (18) years 

NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL OFFICER  (NO)
NO-A level - a minimum of one to two (1-2) years
NO-B level - a minimum of two to three (2-3) years
NO-C level - a minimum of five (5) years
NO-D level - a minimum of seven (7) years
NO-E level - over seven (7) years 

PROFESSIONAL & DIRECTOR CATEGORIES    (P) and (D)
P-2 level – a minimum of two (2) years
P-3 level - a minimum of five (5) years
P-4 level - a minimum of seven (7) years
P-5 level- a minimum of ten (10) years

D-1 level - a minimum of fifteen (15) years
D-2 level - over fifteen (15) years 

QUICKLY Know If a UN Job Opening is Your Match

Click the UN job link for which you meet the criteria that its job code reveals. (See above). An often lengthy full description will be provided.

To avoid wasting time with job applications for which you are not eligible, look at the short paragraphs labelled 'Education', 'Work Experience' and 'Languages' to verify your eligibility. Another noteworthy components of the job details is the 'Job Opening Number / ID', as pictured immediately below ('16281'). If you are ambitious about understanding the UN opening, note the highlighted 'job type' and 'job nature' descriptions below.

• Year:  10 for 2010
  
• Job Family:  ECO for Economic
  
• Department/Org. Unit:  DESA for Department of Economic and Social Affairs (the Department or Org. Unit can be depicited here depending on which was selected during the creation of the job opening)
  
• Number:  inspira-generated number, e.g. 16281; this is the unique identifier of the job opening
  

Position type:  this indicator could be: 

R for a Standard Requisition  

D for a D2 level JO or
P for a Continuous Job Opening

• Duty Station:  “New York” or, where multiple identical positions are advertised, “MULTIPLE D/S”
  
• Post Nature: Only one of the below indicators can be shown as they are mutually exclusive.

G - indicates a position funded through the regular budget at the Professional and higher levels, which has been earmarked for geographical status under the system of desirable ranges.

L - indicates a language position at the Professional category for which a special United Nations language examination is required (Translators, Interpreters, etc.).R - indicates a regular budget funded position or a peacekeeping support account position for one year or longer at the Professional and higher levels that are not geographic and not language.E - indicates a position at the Professional and higher levels funded by project funds (typically used for Experts and Advisor positions) in the field.X - indicates a position at the Professional and higher levels that is funded by voluntary contributions or extra budgetary resources other than project funds, i.e. PSC (Peace and Security Council), GTA (General Temporary Assistance) or TAM (Temporary Assistance for Meeting) funds.M - indicates a position in a peacekeeping operation or special political mission (typically used for positions at the Field Service and at the Professional and higher levels).O - indicates a General Service or related category position, except National Professional Officer, irrespective of the source of fundingT- indicates a temporary position for normally less than one year (not yet implemented)N - indicates a National Professional Officer position 

-- -- After reviewing a job, you may save the information in several ways. Options are as follows.

• Save the URL for that specific UN job opening. In the image below, the red arrow points to the URL. Highlight, copy and paste it in your preferred location. 
• Take the details highlighted for that opening. All UN job openings (paid and otherwise) include these details
• Click the 'Email to a friend' button (pictured below). You can send it to yourself if you have not yet set up an Inspira account
• Click the 'Apply Now' button (pictured below). This option does not require you to complete the application immediately. However, you will need to have an Inspira account for this option. See the steps below.

Click 'Apply Now' to Start the Application for a UN Job Opening

After you click 'Apply now', you will see the following screen.

• In the 'Apply Now' section, tick the 'Confirm' radial button
• In the section, 'Select how to start an application', select accordingly. For instance, you can select 'choose existing application' if you want to type over details of any previous application for a job that is similar to the current job. This even includes the previous application's completed forms and cover letter. However, this option will require you to first read the 'Requirements' in the long description of the job for which you are currently applying as a means of ensuring it matches an old job application.
• Click 'Continue'
• You will be immediately sent to a screening page that will ask about requisite skills. After completing that section, choose 'Save'. 
• After this point, the particular job will be listed as a 'Draft' when you select 'Main Menu' from the top menu bar, then 'Career'.