LIFE AS A DIPLOMAT

Depending on what they have studied, knowledge required for such work is not necessarily a problem. But before setting out to grab a position with the UN, it is interesting to learn what it is like to work for such a big organisation.

Srisuman Sartsara is a national consultant for the HIV/Aids and School Health Programme at Unesco Bangkok. She has worked in this specialised agency of the UN system for five years, and has plenty of advice for people interested in joining a UN agency.

"If you want to join the staff of the UN, the first thing to do before submitting your application is to study and learn as much as possible about the role of every organisation under the UN system that you'd like to work for - Unesco, UNDP, UNEP and so on," Srisuman says.

"There are more than 30 organisations and specialised agencies under the UN. You need to understand first about what each organisation does and what kind of work you are looking for."

What you should understand next is that working for the UN is not as secure as many other career positions. The organisation hires staff on temporary contracts only. In most cases, these are renewed on a yearly basis.

"The salary is quite good, but you have to live with the status of a temporary officer as long as you work for the UN," she says. "But, if you enjoy the work, there is no need to worry about the status. Just do it."

Working in an international organisation also means that you cannot avoid interaction with people from different places and cultures around the world. They will be your team-mates.

"Sometimes difficulties occur because of different working styles. Some people like to work step-by-step, or to get approval from the whole team before moving on. Others enjoy working individually, non-stop, from start to finish," Srisuman says. "The only way to solve this is to talk to each other. This not only reduces the chances of problems occurring but also leads to an increase in the efficiency of the organisation."

By Watchara Saengsrisin