You’ve decided you’d like to work for an IO – fantastic! But how do you get started and where should you apply? This is quite a nuanced question which most applicants don’t really spend time exploring this space at the beginning of their job search. The result is wasted effort, unsuccessful applications, and unmet expectations when a candidate lands their ‘dream’ job.
This article is part 2 of a series called “Careers in International Organizations (IOs) – an insider’s guide” – click this LINK to access an overview of the series.
Over the years I have developed some fundamental questions which help guide my thinking, and which others have found useful. The point of these questions is to explore a potential fit with IOs and also think through which ones are most appropriate for you.
It’s a very easy question, but often very difficult to answer. As I mentioned in Article 1, the IO space is a subset of a much larger global employment space. So why are you specifically interested in IOs and could other domains (such as NGOs) be a better fit?
The top three answers I get are the desire to change the world, to be at the cutting edge of global affairs, or to have an international career. Those who want to change the world will find much more satisfaction working for an NGO, while most global affairs innovation happens in the National Foreign Ministries, and so here IOs may not be the best fit for you. Similarly, while IOs are international – that may refer more to the nature of their membership than their sphere of activity. That means that you’ll move abroad, but likely to another city where you’ll stay full time.
Those who achieve the greatest success go to IOs because they want to work in a deeply multilateral environment which promotes dialogue and decision making among member states. They recognize that IOs are, in essence, fora for member states to come together, make decisions as a community, implement policy, and oversee the funding/delivery of programmes.
When all the pomp is stripped away IOs can be regarded as a type of conference centre where decisions are made, and joint programmes are sometimes implemented.
This is something I didn’t think about when I joined my first IO. Arriving bright eyed in Brussels I was very quickly hit with the notion of a ‘career’ – the idea of progressing in one organization for my entire career. That didn’t sit very well with me and so I decided to move on but the notion of careers frames much of the thinking in IOs.
When you join an IO it will either be a career or non-career organization.
Career organizations include most (but not all of the UN), the OECD, Council of Europe and most IFIs. In a career organization you will be appointed to a post for a fixt period of time and then, following a few years will either be extended (indefinitely) or ‘converted’ into an indefinite duration contract.
When you join a non-career organization, such as the OSCE or the IAEA, you can expect a contract with a fixed duration which may have a few renewals and will then end. Some organizations also place an absolute limit on the number of years you can work for them in any post. At the OSCE, a an international staff member may work for a total of 10 years, after which they are ineligible for future contracts with the organization.
Please note that the same rules don’t always apply to all posts. In the IAEA, for example, technical staff are sometimes converted to indefinite appointments whereas administrative staff are almost never converted. In other organizations the seniority of the position plays a factor with locally recruited posts (think G-level in the UN system) being renewed indefinitely whereas internationally recruited posts (P-level in the UN system) may have limited appointments.
The overarching question is what do you want to do? Some join for a few years to pick up international experience while others are looking for job security and stability.
IOs can generally offer three broad buckets of reward: compensation, advancement opportunities and other perks.
Compensation is simple to understand, and you can expect a generous tax-free package which will provide you with a good (but not great) quality of life. IOs also provide a myriad of benefits which often include pension funds (or payments in lieu), additional entitlements for family members, health plans, tuition and education fee reimbursement, and tax-free vehicles and fuel. Each one has a slightly different mix so check the fine print of what you’ll get. International Sports Federations don’t enjoy tax-free status and operate much more like private companies – but you do get backstage passes to sporting events.
Advancement opportunities can be tricky in IOs since the idea of promoting you doesn’t really exist. Most IOs require that each vacant post be advertised – most often globally. This means that internal candidates must compete with external applicants. There are some tricks which sidestep this process but generally, if you want to make a move, you’ll need to go through a full-blown application process – much like the one which got you your first role. This can be daunting, and the external applicants will always be of a very high caliber so it’s often difficult to shine. I’ll go into more detail on this in Article 8.
IOs will offer you many other perks. International Sporting Federations may have exclusive deals with sponsors – giving you access to discounted (and often free) merchandise. As an expat in the diplomatic community, you’ll also start building a social network which will include embassy events and other exclusive events. Depending on the nature of your organization you’ll also find yourself VIP adjacent. All of this can be very exhilarating and interesting.
This question breaks down into two parts for me: interesting places – and the costs of living there.
Joining an IO is, in essence, the decision to choose to live in a particular city. Here you must consider your individual interests and circumstances. If you have a school-aged family and the country speaks a different language, then you’ll want to go to a place where there are good international schools, like Vienna. If you have elderly parents or people, you regularly care for, then you’ll want to be in a city with direct flights – Brussels being a great example. If you prefer living in a house vs an apartment and still be at work on time, then you’ll want to avoid Paris. There are tons of articles on this subject, so I won’t belabor this point.
The second consideration is the cost of living. New York is not Paris or Lisbon. Most IOs know this and have salary adjustment mechanisms which factor in the cost of living. They do this very poorly. Not by design but rather because their Member States are hawkish with implementing adjustments. One example is the UN which has a global standard salary scale (linked to the US civil service) and then adds something called a Post Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to account for differences in the cost of living. In practice, a P5 (Head of Department or Deputy Director) in the UN system can handily afford a house in Rome. That same post can barely eke out a studio rental in Manhattan. A great resource I always use is the Expatistan cost of living data. I look at my current salary, and my future salary, and then compare what the cost of living will be between the two locations. This has saved me a few times.
This is an easy one. Many people don’t realize that almost every IO exclusively hires from among the nationals of its Member States. Often the application process will only check this at the very end – once you’ve filled in your entire work history. Before applying to any IO check whether you’re eligible!
When you target an IO ask yourself what makes you stand out. If you’re a nuclear safeguards engineer then the IAEA would love to talk to you. If you know about the protection of art and architecture, then perhaps UNESCO might be a logical fit. If you’ve developed ballistic missile defense strategies or are an expert on warfare planning, then look no further than NATO. If you’re in administration, HR, Finance or IT then, congratulations, you’re in demand everywhere. Always remember that you’ll be one of hundreds (possibly thousands) of applicants and so, when you apply, you should apply in areas where you are an ideal candidate – but more on that in the next article.
When you’ve considered these questions, you’ll know where to look. Once you do, you’ll come across concrete job vacancy notices and will need to apply. This is the subject of Article 3.
As part of our practice OrdoStrategica offers help and coaching for those interested in pursuing careers in IOs. If you would like to learn more about our help and coaching options please contact us. If you're specifically interested in coaching from Andrzej you can schedule a session on his Intro page.