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    United Nations Reviews

    Updated July 16, 2018
    734 reviews

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    Full-timePart-time
    3.9
    StarStarStarStarStar
    Rating TrendsRating Trends
    Recommend to a friend
    Approve of CEO
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    António Guterres
    40 Ratings

    734 Employee Reviews

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    Pros
    Cons

    • "It was unfortunately an unpaid internship" (in 35 reviews)

    • "hard to get a full-time position" (in 25 reviews)

    More Pros and Cons

    1. "If you believe in multilateralism, this is the place to work"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Program Officer in New York, NY
      Former Employee - Program Officer in New York, NY
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at United Nations full-time (More than 8 years)

      Pros

      Mission driven, interesting and meaningful work, partnering with finest organizations, learning international diplomacy, exposure to international policy making and negotiations

      Cons

      Extreme bureaucracy, admin is very dysfunctional, still very European and Northern donor oriented, not truly evolved to be relevant to the reality of the 21st century, and under resourced

      Advice to Management

      Member states, please be open to multilateralism.

    2. "Youth Rep UN"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at United Nations part-time

      Pros

      - Good work environment
      - Networking
      - Renowned

      Cons

      They do not pay stipend

      3. Join the United Nations team
      See Our Latest Jobs

    3. "Good place to work!"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Project Manager in New York, NY
      Current Employee - Project Manager in New York, NY
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at United Nations full-time (More than 5 years)

      Pros

      Salary, benefits, prestige, multi-cultural and very friendly place.

      Cons

      Career progressions are slow and I know staff how is at the same place for years.

    4. "Overall positive"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Director in New York, NY
      Current Employee - Director in New York, NY
      Recommends
      Neutral Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I have been working at United Nations full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      Amazing mission, great benefits, good people

      Cons

      Difficult internal politics, funding constraints

      Advice to Management

      Be prepared to be unpopular sometimes - that’s a part of great leadership too

    5. "Internship"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Current Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I have been working at United Nations full-time

      Pros

      it is a really horizontal organization

      Cons

      it is a slow paced environment

    6. "associate information officer-photographer"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Photographer in New York, NY
      Current Employee - Photographer in New York, NY
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      No opinion of CEO

      I have been working at United Nations full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      it is a decent job but the organization is just so bureaucratic that it is a struggle to keep positive. The atmosphere in the NYC HQ's is just dismal.

      Cons

      It is not a merit-based system for staff members. In fact, it seems like ideas are shot down if not thought-up by the bosses. They come up with some brainless ideas and that is beyond frustrating.

      Advice to Management

      Nothing can be done to improve the UN. JFK said that if the UN didn't exist they would have to invent one. Well, they need to design a new and decent organization and the only way to do that is to start totally anew.

    7. "Project Manager"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Project Manager in New York, NY
      Former Employee - Project Manager in New York, NY
      Recommends
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at United Nations full-time (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Wonderful working environment with tremendous opportunities for growth

      Cons

      A bit protocol heavy, and process heavy

    8. Helpful (1)

      "Internship UN Secretariat"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Graduate Associate in New York, NY
      Former Employee - Graduate Associate in New York, NY
      Recommends
      Positive Outlook
      Approves of CEO

      I worked at United Nations (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Great learning opportunities, good way to gain insight and future careers options (consultancies etc), extremely intercepting and unique organisation, internationally staff

      Cons

      Slow processes, unpaid internships, difficult to get entry level jobs,

    9. "Meetings Services Assistant"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee
      Former Employee - Anonymous Employee

      I worked at United Nations (Less than a year)

      Pros

      Long lunch breaks, friendly co-workers.

      Cons

      Very bureaucratic, slow to make changes. Difficult to move to Professional level from general services.

    10. Helpful (4)

      "It's a joke"

      StarStarStarStarStar
      • Work/Life Balance
      • Culture & Values
      • Career Opportunities
      • Comp & Benefits
      • Senior Management
      Current Employee - Political Affairs Officer
      Current Employee - Political Affairs Officer
      Doesn't Recommend
      Negative Outlook
      Disapproves of CEO

      I have been working at United Nations full-time (More than 10 years)

      Pros

      The Salary is fair, if not bloated and the entitlements are decent, if not slightly unfair considering that most staff is really incompetent.

      Cons

      Basically we are tricking the world into thinking that things can and will change, while robbing most countries blind, to pay very lazy, entitled and often psychopathic individuals who would never be able to make it in the real world.

      Advice to Management

      Create a system where people who consistently obstruct and underperform can be fired and replaced. You may find that by getting rid of the dead weight you will be able to actually do something with less, but more competent staff.

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