Finding an international job in Brussels: UN jobs

The UN has quite a range of unique career positions available in its regional offices in Brussels. Some of these are in agencies that handle the big humanitarian issues, like UNHCR, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS and many others.

There are actually 20 separate UN organizations represented in Brussels.

All of these organizations have direct links to UN training and internships, as well as a number of staff positions.

As a general example, let's check out the World Health Organization, (WHO), its office in Brussels, and its role in the UN.

The WHO is the world's primary operational health body, dealing with global issues. The WHO is the workhorse for all global health issues, including: Establishing international health policy frameworks and practices Monitoring global health issues Providing technical support, advice and assistance Setting international standards Epidemiology research and contingency planning Relief efforts in crisis zones Logistics inputs in to global health issues

You can assume that if you're working for the WHO, things won't get dull. Like many UN agencies, if there's a health problem, it's the WHO's problem. The agency's role is to deal with all aspects of the problem, including threat assessments, formulating a policy to deal with the issues, etc. The recent Avian Flu contingency plan was the first real global anti-pandemic policy in history.

Working for the United Nations: General information

The UN is an extremely large organization. It is a conventional employer, in Western terms. The WHO is a pretty good example of the huge diversity of jobs available in UN agencies.

As you can see, there are jobs available around the world. As an organization, the UN is self regulating, and has its own employment rules and regulations for staff.

Types of employment contract

There are two basic forms of employment contract: Fixed term appointments, and temporary appointments.

• Fixed term appointments are for 12 months, renewable to no more than 5 years.
• Temporary appointments are for up to 2 years. This means that the total uninterrupted period of employment can be no more than two years.
• A second type of temporary appointment permits employment for no more than 60 days.

Career applications of UN jobs: An illustration

If your career is in health or medicine, the WHO jobs are a true passport to the international stage. These jobs are truly unique. The WHO is undeniably the agency which has the widest scope of operations in public health on Earth. The agency is at the forefront of both issues and practices.

As part of a professional international career CV, the WHO job is proof of working in the global major league. In many health organizations, public and private, understanding of how the UN, EU, US, and other major health sector players operate is an absolute essential to career progression. There are political, social, and economic factors which affect the global marketplace, in every profession. For people working in the international market, career goals can be aimed high. WHO Internships The WHO also operates 6 month internships twice a year, at its headquarters in Geneva. There are ten current internship subjects.

The internships are unpaid, but their career value is incalculable.

(Please note: you can only apply for one of these internships.)

These internships relate to some of the biggest health issues affecting the human race. The WHO is the agency which has to deal with these problems. Nowhere else can you get this sort of experience, or the fully international perspective of the WHO.

To think globally, in your career, you have to act globally. The UN is definitely the right employer for a truly international career.