UN interview questions: a practical preparation guide

1. Turn the vacancy into a preparation plan

Read the responsibilities, competencies and selection criteria. Match each requirement to evidence from your work, studies or volunteering. The UN Careers interview guidance describes competency-based interviews as a way to assess past behaviour relevant to the role.

• Build an evidence sheet: requirement → example → your actions → result → lesson.
• Include examples of collaboration, deadlines, disagreement and a setback; choose them according to the vacancy, not a universal list.
• Read about the organisation’s mandate and the team’s work. Prepare a specific reason for wanting this position.
• Follow the invitation’s instructions for language, format, timing and any assessment. Ask the recruitment contact if something is unclear.

2. UN interview questions to practise

These original prompts are inspired by competency-based preparation. A panel may ask different questions or probe the same example from several angles.

• Teamwork: Tell us about a time you worked with people who had different priorities. How did you reach a shared outcome?
• Planning: Describe a time several urgent tasks competed for your attention. How did you prioritise?
• Communication: Give an example of explaining a complex issue to a non-specialist audience.
• Judgement: Describe a decision you made with incomplete information. What risks did you consider?
• Integrity: Tell us about a time you raised a concern or challenged an inappropriate approach.
• Learning: Describe a mistake or unsuccessful project. What did you change afterwards?
• Motivation: Why this organisation and this role? Which parts of your experience are most relevant?

3. Build an answer with STAR

STAR means Situation, Task, Action and Result. Keep the context brief, explain your responsibility, spend most of the answer on what you actually did, then state the outcome and what you learned. Distinguish your contribution from the team’s achievements.

• Use only your real experience; never adopt the fictional example as your own.
• Quantify outcomes only when you can support the numbers. Qualitative outcomes are also useful.
• Do not share confidential beneficiary, colleague or employer information.
• Prepare for probes: What did you personally do? Why that approach? What would you do differently?

4. Rehearse without sounding scripted

Practise aloud with someone who can ask follow-up questions. Check whether they can identify your responsibility, actions and result without extra explanation. Use short notes rather than a script.

• If a question is unclear, ask for clarification before choosing your example.
• If you lack an exact example, say so and offer the closest relevant experience; do not invent one.
• For an online interview, test audio, camera and connection, and keep the invitation and a backup contact accessible.
• Prepare thoughtful questions about the role’s priorities and working relationships.

5. Final preparation checklist

• I can link my examples to the criteria in this vacancy.
• My answers make my own contribution and outcomes clear.
• I can discuss a setback honestly and explain what I learned.
• I have checked the interview instructions and practical arrangements.
• I understand that good preparation does not guarantee selection.