An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 19 Berty with UNPROFOR on the Ribnica by-pass near Sarajevo, Bosnia, January 1995 certification and CPC course (including tacho- graph training). Even if you have to pay to do these courses in your own time, they are a good investment. The more qualifications you have the better chance of getting a job. Go to the UN careers website (see the links below) and set up an account. Once you have your account you can begin listing all your qualifications and experience in a personal history profile (PHP). You can update your PHP as required, such as if you complete more courses. Here is a short list of generic job fields in the UN and who they might suit. Transport: tech stores staff; mechanics; fitters; driving in- structors, especially armour and off-road; truck/bus drivers; POL & detail office staff. human resources/personnel: orderly room clerks; recruit- ing office or training depot staff. logistics/supply: QM, rations and tech stores staff; truck drivers; POL & detail office staff. Communications: radio room operators or techs; telephone techs; LAN and WAN techs; microwave and satellite techs; video conferencing techs; riggers and linesmen. Movcon: anyone with experience in logistics, convoy plan- ning, large troop movements, etc.) Finance: orderly room/payroll staff. Air ops: Air Corps personnel. engineering: tradesmen; draftsmen; plant operators/me- chanics; disaster stores. Security: almost all military personnel are eligible for this field (armoured VIP drivers need a Class C licence). For any of the driving positions a relevant valid civilian driving licence is required. For info on annual leave, pay and allowances, etc, see links at the end. Apply for several vacancies, the more you apply for the better your chances. If you are successful you will receive an email informing you that you have been short-listed for a vacancy announcement and that a telephone interview is scheduled for a particular time and date. Once you know which vacancy you're being interviewed for, go back to the original announcement on the UN website and thoroughly read the job description and duties. Check similar jobs on the internet and get as much info as you can about any regulations and equipment that are relevant to the position being interviewed for. For the interview, print out a list of all courses and experi- ence that you mentioned in the job application. Highlight any important parts and stick the pages to the sides of your monitor where you can easily read when relevant ques- tions are asked. At the end of the interview you will have a chance to ask questions but keep it short as they will have other candidates to interview on the same day. If successful, you will be notified by email and given instructions about what to do next and when you should arrive at your duty station. You will also receive a contract to sign and return along with a medical certificate to attest that you are in good overall health. Bear in mind that UN contracts are often short and will include phrases to the effect that there is no obligation on the part of the UN to offer further employment when this contract expires. I worked for 9-years with UNMIK in Kosovo, on one-year contracts that were renewed without question. My UN career only ended when I left voluntarily after successfully applying for a position with EULEX (Euro- pean Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo). When you arrive at your duty station, you may find yourself wearing many hats and having to do several jobs. This usually happens in the start-up phase of a new mission when waiting for new staff to arrive, or when a mission is winding down and staff are let go before the disposal of mission assets have been completed. Things to know: 1. The UN is an equal opportunities employer. Male and female applicants will be considered equally for all jobs. 2. The UN does not charge any fee to applicants for any job offer or vacancy. Any websites offering UN jobs for a fee are bogus. 3. You can apply for as many positions as you are qualified for but you must have all the relevant paperwork – original certificates, diplomas, etc – and you must provide these when asked to do so by Human Resources. 4. Before being deployed to any UN mission, you must pass a medical examination. You will have to pay up front but you will be reimbursed. 5. All UN staff members must be in possession of a valid driving licence suitable to the type of job applied for. Per- sons applying for admin jobs only need a valid Class B licence. 6. All new staff, regardless of rank or title, must undergo a driving test on arrival at their duty station. 7. In some cases you may have to get a visa or several visas to get to your duty station. You must pay for these up front but you will be reimbursed. 8. Once you have been offered a position with the UN, check with the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, for any vaccina- tions required for the country where you will be located or any you will pass through en route. Any vaccinations required must be paid for by you but will be reimbursed. 9. When you arrive at your duty station you must submit your boarding passes, tickets and any hotel receipts for overnight stays between flights. 10. You have up to 30 days to claim 'terminal expenses'. This is a fixed sum of approximately US$250 that covers meals at airports, taxis, buses, etc. No receipts are required. useful links: For an up to date list of vacancies go to https://careers. un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=SJ&vacancy=All For information on pay and allowances go to www.un.org. Click 'Welcome' on the home page and then, on the right side under 'Resources and Services, click on 'Employment'.

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