How Important Is It To Have Done Voluntary Work In Order To Obtain Employment With The UN???

Answer 1

Before volunteering, there are a few things you need to consider. The most important question you should ask yourself is “Why am I doing this?” Whatever reasons you come up with (such as a need for self-fulfilment, altruism, or just a desire to travel and escape the ‘rat-race’ for a while), they aren’t necessarily right or wrong, provided they are well-considered. If you can prepare yourself beforehand by precisely knowing your reasons for wanting to volunteer, you may find your answer to this question will be more valuable to you while you are away than just about anything else you take.

There are many things you may have to cope with when you decide to volunteer for an overseas placement: culture shock, poverty, local customs and conditions, security, racism, sexism, language barriers and unstable political foundations are just a few. It is important to balance these with the overwhelming good that will come out of your work, and to make sure that you prepare yourself as much as possible by researching the country and the organisation you will be working in.

Try this link to find several opportunities in voluntary work:

http://goafrica.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=goafrica&cdn=travel&tm=31&f=00&su=p531.31.152.ip_p531.29.420.ip_p284.8.150.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/SiteIndex/AssetBrowser/default%3FassetTypes%3DVolunteerOpportunity%26browse-path%3Dcontinent%253Acountry%26continent%3DAFRICA%26fetchLimit%3D30%26languageDesignation%3Den%26onlyFetchApproved%3D1%26onlyFetchAssetProperties%3D1%26sid%3D33049813-0-mdgpI%26sortOrderings%3DmodificationDate%26validStatusTypes%3DAPPROVED

Answer 2

Start with voluntary employment for the UN, then in 15 or 20 years, they might just put you up for a paid position over the new pHD in town.

Answer 3

What you need is a college degree, a post-graduate degree is always an advantage. The more letters you have after your name, the better. The UN loves hiring people with post-grad degrees even if they lack the necessary experience or are simply stupid. Then, of course, connections always help.

Answer 4

frankly speaking no neeed at all. all u need are the degrees and the connexions tt u can pull. its not a charitable, magnanimous org, just another org that hires/fires like any other. they prefer graduates with one/two yrs experience.
also dont waste time writing / enquiring / pte letters. they wont reply at all!!
there was one lady accountant fr africa who took 9 yrs to get a job. she did not give up.
if u r willing to go to darfur, u stand a good chance. u can say so in the web application. or the peackeeping missions. goodluck

Answer 5

Why don't you ask the UN? Surely they are in the best position to be able to advise this on you.

Email them and find out, I am sure their contact details are on the website.

Answer 6

Doing work for charity means that a person is willing to serve the UN that need sincere people to work for them.

Answer 7

What is important if you want to swing a job with this useless, corrupt institution is connections, connections, connections. It would also help if you had a relative in a powerful position in the Third World.

Answer 8

None at all, to be a UN lapdog, you just have to want a racist "black-haird-brown-eyed-look-alike world", take bribes, lie and be prepared to lead the world into a nuclear war.