Step-by-Step Guide on the UN YPP 2019 Application

www.ypun.orgSpeaker: Alexandra Gordina

Sunday, 26 May 2019

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info@ypun.org

Agenda Y PU NY PU N

1. Overview • History • Staff Categories • Timeline • Employment Prospects

2. Eligibility & Screening • Eligibility Criteria • Participating Countries • Exam Areas • Relevant Degrees • Screening Procedure

3. Application Form • Inspira Profile • Screening Questions • Education • Work Experience • Languages • Skills & Training • Cover Letter • References • Last Questions

4. Live Q&A Session!2

UN YPP Overview

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① UN YPP: History Y PU NY PU N

2017 2018201620152013 201420122011POLNET

MAGNET

INFONET

Social Affairs

Legal Affairs

Statistics

Economic Affairs

Information Systems

Administration

Finance

Legal Affairs

Social Affairs

Public Information

Statistics

Administration

Finance

Legal Affairs

Public Information

Statistics

Economic Affairs

Human Rights

Information Systems

PhotographyPolitical Affairs

Radio Production

Architecture

Economic Affairs

Information Systems

Political Affairs

Radio Producer

Social Affairs

Administration

Humanitarian Affairs

Public Information

Statistics

Annual recruitment examination for entry-level professional posts in the UN Secretariat

Replaced the National Competitive Recruitment Examinations (NCRE) in 2011

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Economic Affairs

Information Systems

2019

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• Professional and higher categories (P and D)

• General Service and related categories (G, TC, S, PIA, LT)

• National Professional Officers (NO)

• Field Service (FS)

• Senior Appointments (SG, DSG, USG and ASG)

Entry level Mid-level Senior level

P-2 minimum 2 years of work experience, but no experience is required for the YPP

P-4 minimum 7 years of work experience

P-6/D-1

minimum 15 years of work experience

P-3 minimum 5 years of work experience

P-5 minimum 10 years of work experience

P-7/D-2

more than 15 years of work experience

① UN YPP: Staff Categories

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① UN YPP: Timeline Y PU NY PU N

UN YPP Cycle

1April-May 2019 Participating countries and exam areas are announced

2Early June-mid July 2019 Applications are open (45 days)

July-September 2019 Applications are evaluated

October 2019 Convocations for the written exam are out

November 2019 First part of the

written exam

December 2019-January 2020 Second part of the

written exam

April-May 2020 Convocations for the

interviews are out

May-June 2020 Interviews

June 2020 Results announcement

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If the written exam is conducted in two

parts (to be confirmed at a later stage)

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• Entry-level permanent staff positions (P-2) are filled only with successful UN YPP candidates

• Successful candidates become rostered and can apply for entry-level jobs (P-2)

• Roster membership expires in three years

• Initial assignment is a two-year fixed term contract; after two years candidates are granted a continuing contract

• Duty stations are located worldwide, posts are open depending on the UN needs

• Candidates receive a competitive remuneration package: Base salary + Post adjustment + Other benefits

① UN YPP: Employment Prospects

Example: Annual salary for the entry level position in New York varies from $61 753 to $133 520 !7

UN YPP Eligibility & Screening

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② UN YPP: Screening Procedure

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First round screening criteria: • eligibility requirements (age, nationality, degree, language) • selection is fully automatised

Performance at the Written Exam Part 1 + Secondary screening criteria: • relevant work experience • additional relevant degrees • additional official UN languages

40 candidates of the same nationality in

each job family

- Written Exam Part 1 -

- Written Exam Part 2 -

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• 32 years old or younger (as of 31 December 2019)

• Have at least one completed university degree (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD or equivalent) relevant for the selected job family

• Fluent in English or French

• National of a participating country

• Not a child or sibling of the UN Secretariat staff member

② UN YPP: Eligibility Requirements

If you do not meet any of these requirements (or do not show that you meet all of them in the Personal History Profile

form), your application will be automatically disqualified.

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② UN YPP: Participating Countries

60 countries

Un- and under-represented among the

UN Secretariat staff members which agreed

to participate

The latest representation report is available here:

digitallibrary.un.org/record/1627944/files/

A_73_79-EN.pdf

If you have two nationalities, you can

apply with either

Afghanistan Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Bahrain Belarus Belize Brazil Brunei Darussalam Cabo Verde Cambodia Central African Republic China Comoros Cyprus Democratic People's Republic of Korea Dominica Equatorial Guinea Gabon Grenada

Guinea-Bissau Indonesia Iran (Islamic Republic of) Japan Kiribati Kuwait Lao People's Democratic Republic Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Luxembourg Marshall Islands Micronesia (Federated States of) Monaco Montenegro Mozambique Nauru Norway

Oman Palau Papua New Guinea Qatar Republic of Korea Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Solomon Islands South Sudan Suriname Syrian Arab Republic Thailand Timor-Leste Turkmenistan Tuvalu United Arab Emirates United States of America Vanuatu Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

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• Economic Affairs

• Information Systems & Technology

② UN YPP: Exam Areas & Degrees

The UN YPP 2019 exam will be held by job families:

Number of applicants per job family

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Specific degrees relevant to each job family will be listed in the UN YPP 2019 job openings (to be published in early June). Typical requirements are as follows:

Main Course of Study: Social & Behavioural Science; Mathematics & Statistics; Business & Administration; Environmental Protection; Agriculture, Forestry & Fishery

Main Course of Study: Arts; Computing; Mathematics & Statistics; Engineering & Engineering Trades; Physical Sciences; Business & Administration

Economic Affairs

Information Systems & Technology

Personal History Profile: Application Form

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1. Screening and Fitness Questions

2. Education

3. Work Experience

4. Languages

5. Skills & Training

6. Cover Letter

7. References

8. Last Questions

③ UN YPP Application Sections

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0. Inspira Profile

Inspira Profile

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Application Section 0:

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③ Inspira Profile

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• Is not a part of a specific vacancy application • Includes information about your Personal Details, Family Details,

Nationality & Residence

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③ Inspira Profile

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This field is a screening section, you should indicate the country of nationality you are applying with to the YPP. If you have two nationalities, list here the one which is included in the list of participating countries. If both of your countries of nationality are included in the list, inundate here the one which is less competitive. Most competitive countries in 2019: USA, Brazil, China

Screening and Fitness Questions

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Application Section 1:

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• Intend to verify the eligibility of applicants.

• Make sure you carefully read through the screening questions.

③ Screening and Fitness Questions

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Education

Application Section 2:

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③ Education Section: Content

List your degree studies only (completed, not completed, in progress)

List your high school diploma

Add information about other diplomas granted to you as a part of the official education process

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③ Education Section: Eligibility

The name of your university should be selected from the dropdown list. Try different abbreviations to find your university name. If you can not find it in the list, select “Other“ and enter the details manually (not recommended)*

To make degrees recognised as “eligible“ for the YPP

application, these sections should be listed exactly as stated in the job opening

!22*This list is based on the World Higher Education Database (WHED) compiled by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Association of Universities (IAU)

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③ Education Section: Example

Economic Affairs Example extract from the UN YPP 2016 Economic Affairs job opening (link)

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Important! A job opening may also require a specific selection of the “Field of Study”. If listed, it will also be used for the

screening.

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③ Education Section: Example

At least a first-level university degree in one of the following areas:

Social & Behavioural Science; Mathematics & Statistics; Business & Administration; Environmental Protection; Agriculture, Forestry & Fishery (to be selected from the “Main Course of Study” dropdown menu).

Economic Affairs Example

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③ Education Section: Key Points

• Do not include short-term non-degree studies, e.g. Coursera

• List all formal education institutions from age 14

• Indicate the "Main Course of Study” and the “Field of Study” items exactly as stated in the job opening for your relevant degrees

• If you do not see the exact match for your degree name in the dropdown list, select the closest option.

• “Title in English or French” means the title of your degree, not the title of your thesis

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Work Experience

Application Section 3:

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③ Work Experience: Content

If you were/are employed in a UN entity, add relevant details here. This includes UN internships, permanent/temporary staff roles, consultancies or UNV assignments (but not online UN volunteering)

Add information about your current and all past professional engagements

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③ Work Experience: Details

Indicate “Yes“ only if you have an official status of a civil servant

List all phone numbers in an international format starting with “+“, country code, city code, phone number

State your job title exactly as listed in your employment contract

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③ Work Experience: Details

If you work on a part-time basis, indicate here the number of working hours per week.

Though no work experience is required for the YPP application, it is one of the criteria used at the second screening round. Your work experience is counted as “relevant” if your selected “Field of Work“ matches the YPP responsibilities. In the “Description of duties and achievements“, you need to provide the details of your engagement emphasising that it is relevant for your current application. • Relevant selection for EA: Economics, Economics Related • Relevant selection for IST: Administrative specialists (area of speciality: Computer

information system specialists/Management information systems specialists/similar

In this field list the information about the employees you officially supervised as per your job contract

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③ Work Experience: Duties & Achievements

The main difference between a duty and an achievement is that duties state what you did while achievements demonstrate how well you did.

Duties Achievements• Outline your primary responsibilities and

the context in which you worked with careful attention to the job opening.

• Focus on the “big picture“ of the job rather than operational details.

• Be concise – aim for two or three sentences (or bullet points) to sum up your duties.

When describing your duties, be concise, make the context clear, identify your main roles and areas of practice and use action verbs.

• Highlight your contributions and the skills you demonstrated at the job.

• Provide specific examples where you made an impact or contribution to the organisation's performance.

• If you have received any feedback or recognition, indicate it here.

When describing your achievements, be concrete and specific. Use strong, dynamic verbs. Focus on outcomes and results, provide numbers where possible and use action verbs.

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③ Work Experience: Example

Did you perform any of these activities in your past roles?

Select those which you did and incorporate them in the description of your duties.

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Economic Affairs Example extract from the UN YPP 2016 Economic Affairs job opening (link)

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③ Work Experience: Example

Duties Achievements

Responsible for conducting research on sustainable development issues in the Latin American and the Caribbean Region, including analysis and collection of socio-economic and infrastructure data and preparing inputs for organisation’s publications on the region’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Based on the researched information, prepared two official reports on the relevance of natural resources and infrastructure for Landlocked Developing Countries within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. The reports were finished on time, approved by the responsible authorities and published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

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685 characters (maximum 5000)

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③ Work Experience: Key Points

• Where possible, indicate the “Job Family“ and the “Field of Work“ fields as relevant to your job opening

• Understand the difference between your duties and achievements and be specific and detailed describing them

• Use the UN vocabulary from the job announcement

• Use figures/numbers to support your achievements where possible

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Languages

Application Section 4:

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• Fluency in English or French is required for the YPP. To be eligible, you should indicate “Fluent“ in all four sections (Reading, Speaking, Understanding, Writing) for either English or French

• Do not forget to include your mother tongue

③ Languages

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Skills & Training

Application Section 5:

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③ Skills & Training

If you have completed any UN trainings, indicate it here

Add information about your officially published books, articles, journals and reports only

List recognised certifications only, e.g. ACCA, PRINCE2

Add here all other courses you have completed that do not match the requirements of the “Education“ section, e.g. Coursera

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Cover Letter

Application Section 6:

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③ Cover Letter: Content

Do not attach your CV, Resume or Cover Letter

If you have a disability, attach a medical certificate as a proof

Enter/paste your cover letter here

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③ Cover Letter: Common Mistakes

• Using a generic template for all applications

• Repeating information from education and work experience sections

• Including irrelevant information

• Being emotional

• Missing a clear and logical structure

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③ Cover Letter: Start

Review the job opening:

• “Special Notice“ • “Responsibilities“ • “Competencies“

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③ Cover Letter: Structure

Plan the cover letter structure:• Introduction • Motivation • Education background • Work experience • Compliance with the UN competencies • Summary/Other skills • Closure

!42Recommended length: 400-600 words

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③ Cover Letter: Introduction

Start the letter in an official and respected manner, greet the reader and indicate the position you are applying for:

Dear Sir or Madam,

This letter is to express my interest in the United Nations Young Professionals Programme (YPP) in the job family of …

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③ Cover Letter: Motivation

Explain your motivation: • Why are you applying for a job at the UN? • Why are you applying for this specific exam area?

I am motivated to become a part of the United Nations and be empowered to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable people. The opportunity to make a difference and the ensuing fulfilment I get from contributing to the world’s economic development strongly motivate me in the pursuit of further achievements.

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③ Cover Letter: Education

List your educational credentials and explain how they will help you perform the responsibilities listed in the job opening:

My academic credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, which have provided me with a strong understanding of socio-economic concepts and global trends, as well as a Master’s degree in Policy Development which taught me how to adjust and effectively apply policy theories and models to various country contexts.

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③ Cover Letter: Work Experience

Elaborate on your work experience and explain how your previous engagements helped you acquire the vital skills needed for the YPP job:

My academic experience was further enhanced through over three years of solid professional engagements. My background includes working with economic issues in developing countries, focusing on women’s economic empowerment and sustainable employment. I have been engaged in research on public policies in these areas, and therefore I am prepared to perform the research responsibilities listed in the UN YPP job opening in a quality and efficient manner, including mapping actors, reviewing the literature and analysing a large volume of data.

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③ Cover Letter: Competencies

Demonstrate that you possess the core UN competencies required for the YPP job: • Professionalism • Teamwork • Planning &

Organizing

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③ Cover Letter: Competencies

To demonstrate your competencies, use specific cases from your past experience as examples of your behaviour.

My engagement in the project ABC required a different kind of social and team skills, but the overall experience of learning to work as a part of a group was invaluable. Together with my colleagues, we accomplished many tasks together, which led us to a deeper understanding of the importance of cooperation, further enhancing my teamwork competency.

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③ Cover Letter: Summary/Other Skills

At the end of the letter, allocate one-two sentences to summarise your credentials. If relevant, highlight other skills you consider valuable for your application (e.g. your language proficiency or IT skills).

As a young and aspiring professional with a strong affinity with international environments, I am highly motivated to tackle the future challenges of the YPP job. Given my personal and professional skills, as well as my fluency in English, Chinese and Spanish, I am confident that I will contribute substantively to the social affairs arm of the United Nations.

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③ Cover Letter: Closure

Close the letter in an official and respected manner, thank the reader for considering your application and sign it with your full name.

Thank you for your kind consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

[Name]

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References

Application Section 7:

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③ References

• We recommend you to list three references even if you have had more than three supervisors.

• It is recommended to include professional references. • To provide a comprehensive review of your credentials, list one supervisor, one peer,

and one client as your references. This approach will demonstrate your effectiveness as an employee, coworker and organisation’s representative viewed by others !52

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Last Questions

Application Section 8:

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③ Last Questions

List N/A unless you are currently employed as a UN staff member

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Final Tips

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③ Final Tips

• You can file your application now by creating a “Draft Application“ and submit it when the job openings are published

• Carefully follow our recommendations

• Never lie in your application form

• Try to avoid the “Other“ field throughout the application

• Always proof-read your application

• Submit your application at least one day before the deadline

• Start preparing for the written exam even before you are convoked

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Q&A session

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Individual Application Assistance

Individual review of your PHP: • Verification of screening

criteria for the first and second rounds and recommendations on how to increase your ranking

• Duties and achievements examination and proposition of improvements to tailor the description to the UN YPP 2019 in your job family

• Correction of your cover letter content and structure

+ Exclusive UN YPP 2019 application materials !58

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Individual Application Assistance

We provide you with detailed feedback (in writing) on your application form (including the cover letter) with suggestions on improvements within 3 working days after submission.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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How exactly your PHP is reviewed? Watch this video: https://youtu.be/F4kGc_KcuBc

Your application form will be reviewed individually by our qualified experts assisting UN YPP candidates from 2014.

Application packages which include individual review start from just $39.99.

If the button above does not work, copy and paste the following link in your web browser: ypun.org/our-services/applying-to-the-ypp/

Thank you!!60

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