37 tips to make your application a success! Part 3

You put so much thought into what you should add into your resume/P11/PHP (or what the application form is called in the organization you are applying for). Impactpool’s 37 unique tips helps you to focus on the right things and make your next application, the best ever.

29. Highlight Field office experience and Hardship experience 

Even if you apply for a HQ position having experience from field office locations, hardship locations or crisis countries (e.g. Sudan, Afghanistan) are strong hiring arguments. It provides valuable extra information about you as an applicant and shows that you understand the context, complexity and have been able to deliver in the past.


30. Highlight experience from and/or collaborations with governments and International Organizations

Previous sector experience is an asset. If you have work at or with the organization you apply for, make sure it is visible in your application.


31. Highlight previous experience from working in the same Region, Country and/or Area/Province

If you are applying for a field based role, the recruiter loves to see previous experience from the same regions, country and area/province. Geographical knowledge is a strong hiring argument. The candidate knows the region, understands the complexity the mission/programme, and has probably also a broad local network, which is a great asset. Applying to return to the same location is a good way to increase your chances to get to the interview.


32. Highlight all your language skills

80 percent of young professionals at the UN are skilled in 2 or more UN languages. Multiple language skills are always eye-catching when applying for jobs in an International Organization. The more rarer combinations the better, at the moment Arabic is one of the most desired languages. In the actual application, indicate all languages you have, even your native language. Often applicants make the mistake to leave out their native languages. There are cases where this has impacted the auto-filtering and eliminated applicants that should have been eligible if they just included all their languages.


33. Highlight the grades and career level of your experience

If you have worked in an organization using grades and you are now drafting an application for an organization using grades and career levels. Make sure to highlight the grades of your previous work experience. If you haven’t worked in an organization applying grades and contracts, help the recruiter to understand what level you have served at label your experience as junior, mid or senior experience.


34. Tips if you write an application to be used for a promotion

If you are writing an application for a promotion, remember to apply for one grade above only. To the recruiter your self-awareness is shining through your application. The grade you apply for show how realistic you are as an applicant, if you are far too junior for the job you apply for, you send signals to the recruiter that you are not realistic in your application and you have not understood the complexity of the role you apply for. Make sure to study the job description and to understand the job you apply for, what is the career level and what is your level.


35. Highlight experience from an International Organization or the Development Sector

Having experience working at an International Organization shows that you already have an understanding of how the sector works. Experience from working in a comparable organization with a similar mission is also an extra asset you should highlight in your application, e.g. having experience from a NGO like NRC as Protection Officer when applying for a job at UNHCR is of course a great hiring argument.


36. Highlight experience from the same organization you are applying for

If you already worked in the organization, bring forward your performance result. Show that you are a returning star. Even if you apply for a promotion, include your performance appraisals, if they are not worth showing, you may not be ready for a promotion… A previous good performance from the same organization is a strong hiring argument. You will already bring a deep knowledge of the organization and a broad personal network. For the recruiter, returning applicants also opens up an opportunity to take internal references. So make sure you have made a good job in the past when applying for your old employer.


37. Highlight any roster, talent pipeline or talent pool you have qualified for

To indicate that you are on a roster at the organization you apply for or for another International Organization is a great advantage, it shows that you have been assessed and deemed qualified for similar jobs by another organization and their recruiters.