How to Get a Job at the United Nations: A Practical Guide

Written by a former advisor to the UN Secretary-General, this book blends personal stories with insider strategies to demystify one of the world’s most complex, competitive hiring systems. In an era of budget cuts and AI, this practical guide shows you how to avoid pitfalls, influence decision-makers, and secure an impactful, funded international job.

In this book, you’ll discover
- Proven strategies to get hired at the UN in an era of budget cuts
- Step-by-step guidance on UN applications, interviews, and career progression
- Insider tips to influence UN decision-makers and avoid common pitfalls
- Real-life stories and lessons from a former advisor to the UN Secretary-General
- Career guidance relevant for all international jobs, diplomacy, and international organizations

This book is perfect for
- Students, graduates, and professionals aiming for a UN career
- Mid-career changers looking for international jobs and consultancies
- Aspiring diplomats and anyone interested in international work

Author:

Naresh Perinpanayagam worked for the United Nations for 15 years in New York, Geneva, Nepal, Sudan and as a peacekeeper in war zones on the Congolese and Ethiopian borders of South Sudan. He recruited staff for new UN Secretary-General António Guterres, then served four years as an advisor on the former Portuguese Prime Minister’s political staff until 2022.

Born in Sri Lanka, he was raised in New Zealand after his parents fled the civil war. A New Zealand lawyer, he also earned a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University on a full merit-based scholarship, studying economics and politics. He passed the New York Bar Exam, authored Extraditing Citizens to China in Columbia Human Rights Law Review, and served as a Wasserstein Fellow at Harvard Law School.