Who is good at probation at the UN. Personal Experience: UN Internship UN Driver Interview Questions

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Last academic year, MSLU created a pilot group of the strongest 5th year students of the Faculty of Translation, who, under the guidance of the head of the English Department I.M. Shokina took part in the preparation program for the UN exams in simultaneous translation. Oleg Lovkov, a graduate of the Moscow State Linguistic University's Faculty of Translation, spoke about his internship at the United Nations, the role of the Russian language as the official language of the UN, and employment prospects for graduates of our university.

- Oleg, tell us, what are the requirements for candidates who want to get an internship at the UN?

Firstly, knowledge of at least two foreign languages ​​that are official languages ​​of the United Nations. I speak English and French. Secondly, openness and communication skills are important selection criteria.

What department did you train in?

I did an internship in the Verbatim Recording Service. At all meetings, transcripts are kept, they are transferred to the English service and translated into English, and then sent to other languages. My responsibilities included translating wall reports from English into Russian.

- In your service men or women predominated?

The UN is trying to maintain a gender balance in all services, as this organization gives equal rights to both women and men.

- Did you have to acquire additional knowledge and skills that you did not receive at the university?

During the internship, I got the specifics of translating sten reports. I'm not sure what specifically teaches this somewhere specifically. The speeches of the speakers are quite complex both in terminology and in the construction of sentences. Sentences can be very long, but they cannot be broken up: when translating, the same structure must be maintained. Sometimes I struggled for thirty minutes over one sentence, but there is a lot of text, and I need to have time to translate everything. In addition, it is necessary to protect the honor of the university! I felt this responsibility. The first text I translated was literally full of corrections. Then we analyzed it with the head of the Russian section, after which, already taking into account previous mistakes, I translated the rest of the texts much better. But the first pancake is lumpy, I think everyone is like that. It must be taken into account that when translating excerpts from the Charter or the UN Resolution, one cannot change a word: everything is very strict. The rest of the knowledge and skills acquired at our university was enough for me.

- Describe the everyday life of an intern.

The working day lasts eight hours with a break for lunch. The schedule is flexible: you can come at nine o'clock, and at eleven, the main thing is to fulfill the norm. At first, I was advised to pay attention to quality, not quantity. In addition, interns do not have a strict norm, but it is desirable to do as much as possible, work quickly and efficiently, as this is a real chance to prove themselves. Employees have a norm of five texts in two days. By the end of the internship, I reached this standard.

All interns have a curator who notified us by e-mail about activities and events. In the first few weeks, we were shown how different services work. We went to meetings of the General Assembly of the Security Council, visited the simultaneous translation service, the UN library, watched how it works. The library has its own terminological base, which has been compiled for several years. Now everything is being digitized and entered into the UN database. And in the evenings, jazz evenings were arranged: ordinary employees gathered a musical group and invited interns to perform as well.

Of course, there were weekends and free time after work. I visited America for the first time, for me it was a culture shock. There is definitely something to see in New York. The city is very unusual, life in it boils day and night. I think it's my atmosphere.

One of the main goals of the United Nations is the development of friendly relations between countries and peoples...

The UN has a very friendly staff. Whoever I meet, everyone is ready to help and answer questions. In fact, this is a clear example of intercultural communication, which is taught at MSLU. I saw different nations in the UN. There were also indigenous peoples who walked in loincloths. Employees, of course, are advised to follow the dress code. But a strict dress code is followed in the building of the UN Secretariat and in the General Assembly. And where the translation service is located, there are no hard and fast rules.

A translator is a specialist not only in the field of linguistics, but also a connoisseur of different cultures, a person who is well versed in the political and economic spheres. In a word, this is an erudite person ...

Yes, definitely. The specifics of working at the UN implies knowledge of the geopolitical situation in the world, professional orientation in all important topics. If you need to clarify the features of a country, for example, Cuba, then you should go up to the Spanish section and get an answer to your question from the Cubans working there. Any UN staff member can be contacted for assistance. I never felt that I was inferior in rank: I was treated as an equal member of the team.

- How would you characterize the profession of an interpreter? Who is the translator?

A translator is a person who is able to masterfully connect two cultures so that the fact of translation is invisible.

If we talk about Russian, which is the official language of the UN, what does this status of mother tongue mean for our country and for you personally?

The Russian language is in great demand and is on an equal footing with other official UN languages. There is a lot of work in Russian because the meetings are held mainly in English, French and Spanish, and everything must be translated. But this is even good, since sitting back is boring.

- Have you ever felt a specific attitude towards Russia or towards Russians?

No, people don't judge Russia because they're on the news. Everyone has already understood that you need to get to know a person personally and have your own opinion about everything. There was no prejudice.

Yes, being where all world events are unfolding, attending meetings and translating serious texts of the Security Council, of course, you feel your involvement. Working at the UN and seeing with my own eyes what I used to see only on TV is very cool.

- This is a big step for a future career. What range of opportunities opens up after an internship at the UN?

I would like to try my hand at simultaneous translation. Perhaps I will teach at our university. But now I was offered to do another internship at UN television. They have excellent large studios, but there are no Russian specialists yet. I have already completed and sent the form. If everything works out, then this year I will once again go for an internship at the UN.

- What would you wish our students and graduates? How to achieve the same results that you have achieved?

In the UN, first of all, a good knowledge of the native language is valued. You must be fluent in your language, be able to speak beautifully, read books, and, of course, learn foreign languages. Everything that our university gives must be absorbed, because in the end everything will come in handy at the most unexpected moment. During the two months of the internship, I took advantage of many of the knowledge that MSLU gave me.

Interview prepared by Natalia Bukina

For many, the UN is such a Kafkaesque castle. Alluring, mysterious and inaccessible. Everyone wants to get there, and someone seems to get there, but no one knows exactly how to do it. Everyone heard about the very time-consuming application process, passing some kind of interviews and exams, about the long wait for an answer - several months or even years.

To some extent, this is all true. Although there are situations when the applicant gets a job quite quickly and without superhuman effort. If we get lucky. Whether you are accepted or not depends on many factors. Here, both your work experience and, for example, the status of your state can play a role. For example, if your country is "under-represented" in the UN, the chance of getting a job there increases dramatically.

About the risks associated with working at the UN

The mission of the UN is to unite peoples, help the suffering and fight for world peace.

Of course, getting ready for work every morning, UN employees do not mutter under their breath: "Here, I'm going to save the world again." But in general, this feeling depends on the specific duties. I think if a person with a humanitarian convoy goes to the besieged Syrian city of Homs and distributes food and clothing to those in need, he feels that he is doing something very important. Well, or, for example, an employee of the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), involved in the removal of chemical weapons from Syria, probably feels that he is making the world a better place. Not to mention those who sit at Security Council meetings and decide "the fate of the world."

Willingness to work in places remote and not the most comfortable at the UN is always welcome. Exotic lovers and altruists who want to help starving children in Africa, as it turns out, are not so few. But not everyone is clear about the realities of everyday life and work in, say, the Central African Republic, South Sudan or other hotspots.

UN staff intimidate, shoot at, kidnapped, killed

Working in UN missions in troubled countries and in war zones can be extremely dangerous. UN employees are intimidated, fired upon, kidnapped, killed. However, everyone knows about it from the news bulletins.

By the way, in the event of the death of an employee in the line of duty, his family and friends are paid generous monetary compensation.

About the UN Headquarters in New York

I personally work at the UN Headquarters in New York, in the General Secretariat. Everyone, of course, remembers the emerald skyscraper with the flags of all member countries of the organization lined up along it. It is beautiful, comfortable and absolutely safe here.

All members of the secretariat take pride in their work, although they try not to show it, and in conversations over lunch in the canteen they like to discuss the bureaucracy and inefficiency of the organization that reigns in the UN. In fact, everyone here feels like a part of some elite club. The bus that goes down 42nd Street in Manhattan (its last stop is called "United Nations") every morning becomes a platform for a conceited flash mob. At the entrance to the UN, many passengers begin to remove UN passes from their bags and pockets and at the same time furtively look around: who else takes out the same blue ID? And the one who gets it last does it with special relish: yes, yes, don’t think, I’m also “your”.

On the other hand, this is done primarily for convenience, so as not to dig into the bag later at the entrance to the territory of a huge complex under strong winds from the East River (the UN building stands right by the river).

How they joke some leave the UN only feet first

About salary, schedule and working conditions

One of the reasons why many seek to work at the UN is, of course, high salaries (8-10 thousand dollars a month on average) and social guarantees. Good health insurance, pensions, flexible taxation (the UN pays most of the taxes for its employees), allowances that compensate for the cost of living in the city where you work, housing subsidies (if you have to move to another region for work). And that's not all that the world's most powerful non-profit organization will offer you.

If you are accepted to the UN for a permanent job, then this is, in fact, a guarantee of employment for life. As some people joke, people leave the UN only feet first.

About UN Radio

I work for UN Radio (the radio service is part of the Department of Public Information of the UN Secretariat). Many, when they hear this phrase, are surprised: does the UN have a radio? In fact, it has existed since 1946. By the way, it is the founding day of UN radio that is considered World Radio Day - February 13th. We mainly talk about the activities of various structures and bodies of the UN (there are countless of them: the Security Council, the General Assembly, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the World Meteorological Organization, UN peacekeeping missions in countries affected by conflicts). Reports, interviews, daily UN radio news programs can be found (including in text form) on the official website. As a rule, all these materials are regularly used by our partners. In the case of the Russian-language service, this is, for example, "Echo of Moscow" in some CIS countries. UN radio broadcasts in eight languages ​​- English, French, Russian, Swahili, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic. All employees are located on the same floor, and the most real internationalism and friendship of peoples reign here.

Once, walking along the corridor, I saw through the door in one of the offices of the UN Radio Arab Service a woman in very beautiful clothes - dark blue, embroidered with silver threads. She prayed to Allah. I delicately passed by, although her bright attire attracted me very much. The next time, passing by the same office, I expected to see her again. But a completely different lady was sitting there - in boring office trousers and a jacket, with her hair loose. I involuntarily caught myself thinking: where did that Muslim woman in beautiful religious clothes go? Of course, it was the same woman, she just changed clothes for prayer.

The building is literally teeming politicians, celebrities
And Nobel Prize winners
from around the world

In general, there are not so many people in national costumes walking around the corridors of the UN headquarters. Of course, you can occasionally meet Sikhs in turbans or women in hijabs. But most of the employees dress in quite a standard office style.

The situation changes when some kind of conference is held at the headquarters, say, dedicated to African women. Then permanent employees are guaranteed a multi-day exotic show. Everything is filled with the rustling of lush multi-colored dresses and headdresses a meter high. Sometimes it is even difficult to walk down the corridor. And when they leave at the end of the conference, it becomes empty and gray.

The biggest charm of working on UN radio is this: firstly, the authority of the organization allows you to get almost any interview, and secondly, you don’t have to go far. The building is literally teeming with politicians, celebrities and Nobel Prize winners from all over the world.

About the Northern Salon of Delegates

Of all the endless halls and rooms of the UN Headquarters, the most attractive is the Northern Delegates' Lounge, or, as it is also called, the Delegates Lounge. Here you can have an excellent lunch or dinner while admiring the view of the East River - however, through the Knots and Beads curtain, consisting of 30 thousand porcelain balls. This is the decision of the Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, who took part in the large-scale restoration of the bar.

The result, by the way, caused irritation in many. They turned, they say, luxurious and mysterious, shrouded in twilight in the style of James Bond films, the nightclub of diplomats into an environmentally friendly school cafeteria.

The Delegates' Lounge is almost always full. The most interesting things happen here and happened, of course, in the evenings. Many in the UN generally believe that all major decisions are made here, and not at all at meetings of the General Assembly or the Security Council. Tipsy (and sometimes frankly drunk) and relaxed diplomats supposedly quickly find a common language and in a matter of minutes agree on issues that had previously been fruitlessly discussed for hours in a bureaucratic setting.

Old-timers of the UN say that once the atmosphere in the Delegates' Lounge was even more relaxed. During the Cold War, diplomats were allegedly even visited by girls of easy virtue.

I don’t know how much one can believe everything that is said about the Northern Salon, but mission personnel clearly perceive it as their personal territory, where they can discard etiquette, forget about protocol and loosen the knot on a tie. One day, my colleague and I showed up there with a camera and tried to take pictures of the legendary Lounge. A couple of minutes later, a representative of the Chilean mission was running towards us across the entire hall, waving his arms. He demanded that we not "point the camera at him" even though we weren't filming him at all. The man very emotionally, in a raised voice, said that it was impossible to shoot here, and threatened that he would call the guards.

Illustrations: Masha Shishova

The Russian-speaking diplomat spoke incognito about her experience of moving to the United States. Photo depositphotos.com

A Russian-speaking diplomat incognito told ForumDaily about her experience of moving to the United States and how the diplomatic statute interferes with renting housing.

Living in the USA has become for me rather a consequence than a cause or even a purpose of life. And if everything started as a temporary phenomenon, now, after about nine years, I remember the saying:

"Nothing is more permanent than temporary."

Since 2007, I have been living in New York, where I arrived on a United Nations (UN) work visa. The United Nations Diplomatic Visa was issued on the basis that I was selected to be an assistant in one of the departments of the Secretariat. I remember getting an email from New York City from a Human Resources representative on August 29th: “Congratulations on your position…see you back at work October 1st.” I immediately answered in the affirmative and began collecting documentation and medical certificates for obtaining a visa.

From receiving the signed contract to the interview at the Embassy, ​​no more than two weeks passed. The interview was short and went without much delay, since all the necessary documents were in my hands, and the UN itself sent a special letter directly to the Embassy, ​​confirming my status and the duration of the contract - 3 months with the possibility of extension with satisfactory work and the availability of funds from the host me of the department.

With a three-month visa in hand, a return ticket and three suitcases of autumn and winter things, I flew to a country that was very distant and alien to me. Far away, both in distance and culturally. But since it was the headquarters of my dream organization, I knew that I would not miss this chance, and the fear of the unknown would not become an obstacle. After all, you don’t want to regret it for the rest of your life, right? And I can always go home.

Until now, many years later, I am very grateful to local friends - a married couple from Puerto Rico, who met me at the airport and sheltered me for the first time until I found an apartment for myself.

Since my work contract began on October 1, I did not have enough time and knowledge to quickly figure out where and how to look for housing, what it costs, what a social security number is, why you need to open a credit card and have some permanent or temporary address of residence in the United States. At work, new employees were not provided with any assistance in moving to New York. These were supposed to be personal problems that you solve yourself and do not cause headaches to your superiors. All they helped me with on the spot was documentation for opening an account with the UN Credit Union bank, to which my salary was transferred.

The salary, after subtracting the required amount for food, travel, telephone and other minimum line expenses, allowed you to rent either a small apartment outside the island of Manhattan, or a room somewhere in the city, in the area of ​​​​residence of Columbia University students (Harlem). With that in mind, I took to the internet and methodically wrote letters in response to apartment listings using the craigslist page. It is noteworthy that even today, with much more advanced housing search resources, this service is still very popular among users, as it collects data on the supply and demand of a wide variety of goods and services in all cities and states of the United States.

The first weeks of attempts to see the apartments were unsuccessful. All brokers, namely they, as a rule, put up apartments for sale or rent, refused and shrugged their hands in helplessness. “Do you only have a contract for 3 months (apartments are usually rented for a year)? No social security number (meaning a foreign tourist with no long-term prospect of staying in the US)? What is your credit history? How "no credit history"!? Without it, we cannot process you, because we do not know about your solvency! What kind of visa are you on here - diplomatic? Does that mean you won't be held accountable? Do you have a local trustee who will vouch for you in case of early departure from the apartment (after three months, based on the logic of the contract) and who will pay your annual rent?

By the way, the status of a “UN employee-diplomat” and a diplomatic visa to the United States not only did not come in handy for me, but only exacerbated the difficult situation with finding housing.

Americans, for various reasons, believe that the UN is a structure of dependents and freeloaders who need to be dissolved, since the organization is inefficient and only spends their money from taxes paid to the state. In addition, in their opinion, the status of a diplomat implies only privileges and immunity, while there are no obligations to the US authorities and law. In the event of any offense, they cannot be called to account, and they will calmly “fly away” home without paying utility bills or rent, leaving the owner of the apartment with nothing. When I, naive, said where I work, a couple of brokers simply interrupted the conversation in mid-sentence. Over time, I no longer mentioned the words “diplomatic visa” unnecessarily.

I remember another funny case of calling brokers in the Brighton Beach area of ​​Brooklyn, where Russian-speaking immigrants live who left the post-Soviet republics or Israel in the 1970-90s. The first words of the broker were in polite English, the conversation began with standard questions about the contract and status in America. Realizing that I was also speaking Russian, the interlocutor switched to Russian, changing his businesslike tone to: “in short, give us $2,000, and we will try to persuade the community at home so that your documents are not so carefully examined.” I did not want to give away my savings for nothing, without a guarantee of a positive response, so I ended the conversation on this “corrupt” note.

After six weeks of non-stop searching for housing (on weekends and late evenings), working days (ten hours at work and three hours on the road from home to office and back), I despaired of finding anything. But I did not want to sit on the neck of my friends, although they morally supported me and never hinted that it was time to move out.

As a result, I settled on the option of living in the suburbs of Manhattan, in a four-room apartment, furnished rooms in which were rented out on a monthly basis. The cost - as I understand it now - was very high ($ 700 per month). I had to share the kitchen and bathroom with three other tenants. Was I delighted with the "Obshchakovsky" living in a small room without windows, where it was cold all the time (without central heating), but only with a portable electric heater? Of course not, but in the absence of alternatives, and for this option, I was grateful to fate.

Already a year and a half later, when the market conditions changed due to the financial crisis of 2008-09, having issued a temporary social security number and a couple of credit cards (and thanks to them my credit history somehow began to appear), I began to look more solvent in in the eyes of brokers and still found a studio in Manhattan. By that time, I already knew how to bargain and bring down the price, and also spoke more perfect English.

My first experience in the country was unforgettable and very rewarding.

I think it was a very good test of survival - in a country where you are an outsider, whose accent language you do not always understand and feel like just an unwanted immigrant.

This country and its harsh conditions harden you, making you stronger and more experienced. I do not know how long my short-term contracts with the UN will be extended, and, accordingly, how long my notorious “diplomatic visa” will be. But I know one thing - after America, I'm no longer afraid to be in any corner of the world.

Do you want to prevent environmental degradation, help poor countries develop their economies, resolve civil conflicts, or promote social justice and the redistribution of capital? You will definitely be able to find the perfect job for you at the United Nations. The UN is a huge employer and offers opportunities for career advancement and career path choices comparable to those in large private companies. Although the competition for most positions is quite intense, with enough preparation and a bit of luck, you will have a chance to land your dream job at the UN.

Steps

Training

Browse the UN website to learn more about the organization's different areas of work. What areas of activity interest you the most? Are there any areas for which you already have the right qualifications? Are there areas in which you would like to work, but for which you do not have the right skills and experience? Do a little research on the organization and its structure before you start looking for open positions. A lot of useful information can be found on the following websites:

• UN official website (http://careers.un.org)
• UN Job Monster website (http://www.unjobmonster.com)
• UN Job List website (http://unjoblist.org)

1. Decide which category you would like to work in. Careers at the UN are divided into several categories, each of which has certain requirements for the level of education and area of ​​specialization. Within each category, there are several levels of positions that differ in terms of previous work experience requirements. Based on your skills, interests and experience, choose the category and level that suits you. Here are your options:

   • Professional and higher categories (P and D)
   • General service and related categories (G, TC, S, PIA, LT)
   • National Specialists (NO)
   • Field Service (FS)
   • Senior positions (SG, DSG, USG and ASG)

2. Make sure you have the required education and skills. Each position has specific educational and work experience requirements. Before applying for any position, make sure you meet all of its requirements; otherwise, your candidacy will not be considered. Here is a list of some of the requirements that are found in many UN vacancies:

   • Proficiency in English or French (these are the working languages ​​of the UN). Knowledge of additional languages ​​such as Arabic, Chinese, Spanish or Russian is also preferred.
   • Bachelor's degree or higher. Some low-level general positions (mostly administrative and clerical positions in the General Service category) require only a high school diploma and usually suitable work experience, but most UN positions require at least a bachelor's degree. Many specialized positions require higher academic degrees in the specialty.
   • Experience in a relevant field. Depending on the position, you may be required from 1 to 7 years of work experience.

3. Pass the oral exam. The oral exam includes an interview with the admissions committee, the purpose of which is to determine whether you have the skills and characteristics that are required to work in your specialty at the UN. Based on the results of this exam, you will know whether you will become a YPP member or not.

4. Get approval from the Central Board of Examiners. If you successfully pass the interview, you will be approved by the Central Examination Board for a position on the YPP work roster. When the next vacancy opens in your specialty, you will be offered this position.

   • Getting approval from the Central Examination Board does not guarantee a job. Although your chances of finding a job will be extremely high, a job offer depends on the number of open vacancies in your specialty.
   • If you did not pass the final exam, you will be notified that you have not been approved by the Central Examination Board.

• Paul is an advantage. Article 8 of the UN Charter states: "The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the right of men and women to participate in any capacity and under equal conditions in its principal and subsidiary organs." However, there is a clause in the UN Employment Rules (ST/AI/2006/3, Section 9.3) that gives women the right to receive benefits in the process of applying for a job. If you are a woman and are on the UN job roster (a list of candidates who have been approved by the commission but have not received a job offer), your name will remain on the roster for three years", which means you can expect a job offer during that time. Men remain on the register for only two years.
• Be extremely careful when applying. Check spelling and grammar, information integrity, etc. Remember that every small blot can be a reason for your exclusion from the competition, especially since employers are usually inundated with thousands of applications.
• Submit your application as soon as possible. Employers usually don't take last-minute applications very seriously. In addition, there is no doubt that a large number of applications will come at the last moment, which means that your candidacy will be considered less carefully if your application is one of the last. Applications sent after the vacancy closes will not be considered.
• People who apply for jobs at the UN usually know someone in the organization. Do you know anyone? Think about how you can meet people who could help you get a job at the UN. Despite the principles and rules, merit is not always the key to employment at the UN. Also, don't forget about the quotas of employees from each country and about biases about certain countries - these factors can either work in your favor or hurt your chances.
• Feel free to find out more about the vacancy via email or phone. For example, you might ask if the position is open to lower-level UN staff. This way you will know what kind of competition you have. At the same time, don't be surprised if your attempts to get more information about the position are not successful.