How to take part in UN humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, with subsequent employment at the UN? Step-by-step instructions on how to get a job at the UN How much money does the UN receive per year.

In the past academic year a pilot group was created at MSLU from the most strong students 5th year students of the Faculty of Translation, who, under the guidance of the head of the Department of English I.M. Shokina underwent a preparation program for passing exams at the UN in simultaneous translation. A graduate of the translation department of MSLU Oleg Lovkov spoke about his internship at the United Nations, the role of the Russian language as the official language of the UN and employment prospects for graduates of our university.

- Oleg, tell us what requirements are put forward for candidates who want to get an internship at the UN?

Firstly, knowledge of at least two foreign languages, which are official languages United Nations. I speak English and French. Secondly, openness and communication skills are important selection criteria.

- In which department did you train?

I interned at a verbatim reporting service. Transcripts are taken of all meetings, they are transmitted to the English service and translated into English language, and then they are sent to other languages. My responsibilities included translating transcripts from English into Russian.

- Were men or women predominant in your service?

The UN tries to maintain gender balance in all services, since this organization gives equal rights to both women and men.

- Did you have to acquire additional knowledge and skills that you did not receive at university?

During the internship, I learned the specifics of translating transcripts. I'm not sure that this is specifically taught somewhere. The speakers' speeches are quite complex both in terms of terminology and sentence construction. Sentences can be very long, but they cannot be broken up: the same structure must be maintained during translation. Sometimes I struggled for thirty minutes on one sentence, but there is a lot of text, and I need to have time to translate everything. In addition, the honor of the university must be defended! I felt this responsibility. The first text I translated was literally full of corrections. Then we analyzed it with the head of the Russian section, after which I, taking into account previous mistakes, translated the remaining texts much better. But the first damn thing is lumpy, I think it’s like that for everyone. It must be taken into account that when translating excerpts from the UN Charter or Resolution, you cannot change a single word: everything is very strict. The rest of the knowledge and skills acquired at our university were quite enough for me.

- Describe the everyday life of an intern.

The working day lasts eight hours with a lunch break. The schedule is flexible: you can come at nine o’clock or at eleven, the main thing is to fulfill the quota. At first, I was advised to pay attention to quality, not quantity. In addition, trainees do not have a strict standard, but it is advisable to do as much as possible, work quickly and efficiently, since this is a real chance to prove themselves. The norm for employees is five texts in two days. By the end of the internship, I reached this standard.

All trainees have a supervisor who notified us by email about activities and events. In the first few weeks we were shown how different services work. We went to meetings General Assembly Security Council, visited the simultaneous translation service, the UN library, and watched how it works. The library has its own terminology database, which has been compiled for several years. Now everything is digitized and entered into the UN database. And in the evenings there were jazz evenings: ordinary employees gathered music group and invited trainees to performances too.

Of course, there were weekends and free time after work. I visited America for the first time, and it was a culture shock for me. There is certainly a lot to see in New York. The city is very unusual, life in it is in full swing all day long. I think this is my vibe.

One of the main goals of the United Nations is to develop friendly relations between countries and peoples...

The UN has a very friendly team. No matter who I meet, everyone is ready to help and answer questions. In fact, this is clear example intercultural communication, which is taught at MSLU. I saw different nations at the UN. There were also indigenous peoples who wore loincloths. Employees are, of course, advised to adhere to the dress code. But a strict dress code is adhered to in the UN Secretariat building and in the General Assembly. And where the translation service is located, there are no strict rules.

A translator is a specialist not only in the field of linguistics, but also an expert different cultures, a person who is well versed in political and economic spheres. In a word, he is an erudite person...

Yes, definitely. The specifics of working at the UN imply knowledge of the geopolitical situation in the world, professional orientation in all important topics. If you need to clarify the characteristics of a country, for example, Cuba, then you should go to the Spanish section and get an answer to your question from the Cubans working there. You can contact any UN employee for help. I never felt that I was inferior in rank: I was treated as an equal member of the team.

- How would you characterize the profession of a translator? Who is the translator?

A translator is a person who is able to skillfully connect two cultures so that the fact of translation is invisible.

If we talk about the Russian language, which is the official language of the UN, what does this status of a native language mean for our country and for you personally?

The Russian language is in great demand and is on an equal footing with other official languages ​​of the UN. There is a lot of work in Russian because meetings are held mainly in English, French and Spanish, and everything must be translated. But that’s a good thing, because sitting idly by is boring.

- Have you ever felt a specific attitude towards Russia or towards Russians?

No, people do not judge Russia because of what they say in the news. Everyone has already understood that you need to get to know a person personally and have your own own opinion about everything. There was no prejudice.

Yes, being where all world events are unfolding, attending meetings and translating serious texts of the Security Council, of course, you feel involved. Working at the UN and seeing firsthand what I previously only saw on TV is very cool.

- This big step For future career. What range of opportunities opens up after an internship at the UN?

I would like to try my hand at simultaneous translation. Perhaps I will teach at our university. But now I have been offered another internship at UN television. They have excellent large studios, but there are no Russian specialists at all yet. I have already filled out and submitted the form. If everything goes well, I will go on an internship at the UN again this year.

- What would you wish to our students and graduates? How to achieve the same results that you achieved?

At the UN, first of all, good knowledge of the native language is valued. You must be fluent in your language, be able to speak beautifully, read books, and, of course, learn foreign languages. Everything that our university gives us must be absorbed, since in the end everything will come in handy at the most unexpected moment. During the two months of my internship, I took advantage of a lot of the knowledge that MSLU gave me.

Interview prepared by Natalya Bukina

You can go abroad and become a member of a prestigious organization even without work experience and without money. Right now the United Nations (UN) is looking for volunteers for great projects in Cambodia, Thailand and even Fiji. The author of the Brain Drain telegram channel Tatyana Shcherbakova has collected current internships and projects for SM for the third time.

Mentioning the UN on a resume drives employers crazy. This year has been great exceptional case: Russia sponsored almost two dozen vacancies for the first time. All of them are available only to candidates with Russian citizenship. Most positions do not require work experience and are designed for young people (from 18 to 29 years old).

Volunteers will be provided with flights, visas, insurance and a one-time payment for moving. There is also a salary, and a rather large one - from 1280 to 1600 dollars per month. This money is paid to cover the costs of housing, food and transportation. Those lucky ones who pass the selection will fly to their projects around the beginning of October and stay there for a whole year.

The deadline is just around the corner: the application must be submitted before July 25. Hurry! If you need to improve your English for this - . If you don’t understand how to apply for a volunteer program, follow the link to any of them: there are detailed instructions everywhere.

Fiji: Fighting Hurricanes and Driving Innovation

The UN Development Program solves problems of global and national development - fights poverty, hunger, gender inequality and so on. Its offices are open in 166 countries. The first volunteer of the office in Fiji will develop innovations and partnerships with other countries, run social media programs, organize a variety of events, and communicate with the press. The ideal candidate has a university degree in media and communications, international relations or business administration.

The second volunteer has a more technical role - disaster risk reduction. He will receive programs not only from Fiji, but also from other islands Pacific Ocean. Candidates should have a strong background in engineering, information management, data management, or other related fields. Work experience is not required, but fluent English is essential.

Jordan: curbing global warming

Two more positions are open in Amman. The first volunteer will fight global warming and climate change in general. In general, work for the good Paris Agreement(the purpose of this document is to reduce the concentration carbon dioxide in the atmosphere). Anyone who speaks English and has a degree in Ecology can apply. During the interview, show that you are interested in the topic. Even if you just switched from a car to a bicycle, it already means a lot.

Read also:

The second volunteer will work on projects in the field of energy efficiency, renewable energy, access to this energy for the poor and refugees. The volunteer will be responsible for all programs Arab countries in the field of green energy and for the series information materials on the topic. To get into the project, you need to be over 25 years old, have a higher education in something related to energy, and three years of work experience in your specialty.

Uganda: fight pollution

Again the UN Development Program and again ecology. Volunteer in Uganda will explore the gas, oil and coal industries. Together with other team members, he will have to think about how to provide the country with the most environmentally friendly economic growth. The candidate will need a university degree in development natural resources. Experience in program management and research is preferred but not required.

Myanmar: Empowering local women

Fast forward to southeast Asia- to the UN Women's Office in Yangon. A volunteer is needed there who will promote gender equality. Communicate with local government, organize events, spread awareness special services(for example about hotline for victims of domestic violence).

Read also:

A strong interest in the topic is required, as well as fluent English. Ideally, if you have a higher education in the field of social sciences, international relations, or human rights.

Zimbabwe: delivering green urban growth

The capital of Zimbabwe, Harare, needs a volunteer with an environmental background to develop urban resilience and green growth programs. He will have to work closely with the spheres social protection, private enterprise and market economy. Another volunteer will help locals improve their living and working conditions. This position will be filled by a specialist or master's degree in economics, ecology, social sciences or business administration. Work experience for a project in Zimbabwe is needed, but just a year is enough.

Cambodia: ensuring social cohesion

A volunteer with a higher education in political science will go to a small southeastern country. He will analyze the state of civil society, look for opportunities for cooperation with new and old partners, and bring local initiatives to the level of state programs. Two to three years of work in the field social development and age from 25 years is a prerequisite. It is also important to understand human rights, gender issues and events.

Thailand: Connecting the region

The volunteer will have to develop communications between the Asian country and neighboring territories of the Pacific Ocean. Coordinate projects, organize events, troubleshoot problems, conduct research. The new employee must understand information and communication technologies. Therefore, he needs a diploma in economics, business or ICT, and another two years of work experience in his specialty. The organizers will consider candidates over 25 years of age.

Moldova: Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The only vacancy from our selection is open in Europe - at the office of the UN Development Program in Chisinau. The volunteer will work with the Sustainable Development Program until 2030 and involve other volunteers in it. Higher education must be in the field of economics, public administration or social sciences. In addition, four years of relevant experience is required (ideally in one of the UN structures or in the field of volunteering and promoting causes sustainable development). And, again, age over 25 years.

A Russian-speaking diplomat spoke incognito about her experience of moving to the United States. Photo depositphotos.com

A Russian-speaking diplomat told ForumDaily incognito about her experience of moving to the United States and how the diplomatic statute interferes with renting housing.

Living in the USA became more a consequence for me than a reason or even the purpose of life. And if it all started as a temporary phenomenon, now, after about nine years, I remember the saying:

“nothing is more permanent than temporary.”

Since 2007, I have lived in New York, where I arrived on a United Nations (UN) work visa. The UN diplomatic visa was issued on the basis that I had been selected to serve as an assistant in one of the departments of the Secretariat. I remember how I received email from New York from an HR representative on August 29: “Congratulations on receiving your position...look forward to seeing you at work October 1st.” I immediately answered in the affirmative and began collecting documentation and medical certificates to obtain a visa.

No more than two weeks passed from receiving the signed contract to the interview at the Embassy. The interview was short and went without much delay, since I had all the necessary documents in my hands, and the UN itself sent a special letter directly to the Embassy, ​​confirming my status and the duration of the contract - 3 months with the possibility of extension subject to satisfactory work and availability of funds from the recipient me department.

With a three-month visa in hand, a return flight ticket and three suitcases of autumn and winter clothes, I flew to a country that was very distant and foreign to me. Far away - both in distance and culturally. But since it was the headquarters of my dream organization, I knew that I would not miss this chance, and the fear of the unknown would not become an obstacle. After all, you don’t want to regret it for the rest of your life, do you? And I will always have time to return home.

To this day, many years later, I am very grateful to local friends - married couple from Puerto Rico, who met me at the airport and gave me shelter for the first time until I found an apartment.

Since my work contract began on October 1, I did not have enough time and knowledge to quickly figure out where and how to look for housing, what it costs, what the number is social insurance, why do you need to open a credit card and have some kind of permanent or temporary residential address in the USA. At work, new employees were not provided with any assistance in moving to New York. It was assumed that these were personal problems that you solve yourself and do not cause headaches for your superiors. All they helped me with on the spot was documentation for opening an account at the UN Credit Union bank, to which my salary was transferred.

The salary, after subtracting the required amount for food, travel, telephone and other ongoing minimum expenses, made it possible to rent either a small apartment outside the island of Manhattan, or a room somewhere in the city, in the student area of ​​​​Columbia University (Harlem). Based on these considerations, I turned to the Internet and began to methodically write letters in response to advertisements for apartments for rent, using the craigslist page. It is noteworthy that today, with the availability of much more advanced housing search resources, this service is still very popular among users, as it collects data on the supply and demand of a wide variety of goods and services in all cities and states of the United States.

The first weeks of attempts to look at apartments were unsuccessful. All brokers, namely they, as a rule, offered apartments for sale or rent, responded with refusal and threw up their hands in helplessness. “You only have a contract for 3 months (apartments are usually rented for a year)? No Social Security number (meaning a foreign tourist with no long-term prospect of staying in the US)? What is your credit history? Like “no credit history”!? Without it, we cannot register you, because we do not know about your solvency! What kind of visa are you on here anyway—diplomatic? So you won't be held accountable? Do you have a local trustee who will vouch for you in case of early departure from the apartment (after three months, based on the logic of the contract) and who will pay your annual rent?

By the way, the status of a “UN diplomat” and a diplomatic visa to the United States not only were not useful to me, but only aggravated my problems. difficult situation with the search for housing.

Americans, for various reasons, believe that the UN is a structure of dependents and parasites who need to be disbanded, since the organization is ineffective and only wastes their money from taxes paid to the state. In addition, in their opinion, the status of a diplomat implies only privileges and immunity, and no obligations to the authorities and US law. In the event of any offense, you will not hold them accountable, and they will calmly “fly away” home without paying utility bills or rent, leaving the apartment owner with nothing. When I, naively, said where I worked, a couple of brokers simply interrupted the conversation mid-sentence. Over time, I no longer unnecessarily mentioned the word “diplomatic visa”.

I remember another funny incident of calling brokers in the Brighton Beach area of ​​Brooklyn, where Russian-speaking immigrants live who left the post-Soviet republics or Israel in 1970-90. The broker's first words were in polite English, the conversation began with standard questions about the contract and status in America. Realizing that I also spoke Russian, the interlocutor switched to Russian, changing his businesslike tone to: “in short, give me $2000, and we will try to persuade the community at home so that your documents are not examined so carefully.” I didn’t want to give away my savings in vain, without a guarantee of a positive response, so I ended the conversation on this “corrupt” note.

After six weeks of continuous search for housing (on weekends and late evenings), working days (ten hours at work and three hours traveling from home to the office and back), I despaired of finding anything. But I didn’t want to sit on my friends’ necks, although they supported me morally and never hinted that it was time to move out.

As a result, I settled on the option of living in the suburbs of Manhattan, in a four-room apartment, the furnished rooms of which were rented out on a monthly basis. The cost - as I already understand it now - was very inflated ($700 per month). I had to share a kitchen and bathroom with three other residents. Was I delighted with the “obshchak” living in a small room without windows, where it was cold all the time (without central heating), but only with a portable electric heater? Of course not, but in the absence of alternatives, I was grateful to fate for this option.

Just a year and a half later, when market conditions changed due to the financial crisis of 2008-09, I got a temporary social security number and a couple of credit cards (and thanks to them, my credit history at least somehow began to appear), I began to look more solvent in the eyes of brokers and still found a studio in Manhattan. By that time, I already knew how to bargain and bring down the price, and also spoke more advanced English.

My first experience in the country was unforgettable and very rewarding.

I think it was very good test for survival - in a country where you are a stranger, the language accent of which you don’t always understand and you feel like just an unwanted immigrant.

This country and its harsh conditions temper you, making you stronger and more experienced. I don’t know how long my short-term contracts with the UN will be extended, and, accordingly, how long my notorious “diplomatic visa” will be. But I know one thing: after America, I’m no longer afraid to end up in any corner of the world.

A UN employee anonymously spoke about professional pride, friendship between peoples and monetary compensation in the event of death.

For many, the UN is a Kafkaesque castle. Alluring, mysterious and inaccessible. Everyone wants to get there, and someone seems to get there, but no one knows exactly how to do it. Everyone has heard about the very labor-intensive application process, going through some interviews and exams, and waiting for a long time for an answer - several months or even years.

This is all partly true. Although there are situations when an applicant gets a job quite quickly and without superhuman effort. How lucky. Whether you will be accepted or not depends on many factors. Both your work experience and, for example, the status of your state can play a role here. For example, if your country is “underrepresented” at the UN, your chance of getting a job there increases dramatically.

About the risks associated with working at the UN

The mission of the UN is to unite peoples, help those suffering and fight for world peace.

Of course, when getting ready for work every morning, UN employees do not mutter to themselves: “Here, I’m going to save the world again.” But in general, this feeling depends on specific responsibilities. I think if a person with a humanitarian convoy goes to the besieged Syrian city of Homs and distributes food and clothing to those in need, he feels that he is doing something very important. Well, or, for example, an employee of the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition chemical weapons), involved in the removal of chemical weapons from Syria, probably feels that he is making the world a better place. Not to mention those who sit at Security Council meetings and decide “the fate of the world.”

Willingness to work in remote and not the most comfortable places at the UN is always welcome. As it turns out, there are not so few exotic lovers and altruists who want to help starving children in Africa. But not everyone clearly imagines the realities everyday life and work in, say, the Central African Republic, South Sudan or other hot spots.

Working in UN missions in troubled countries and war zones can be extremely dangerous. UN employees are intimidated, shot at, kidnapped, killed. However, everyone knows about this from news reports.

By the way, if an employee dies while on duty, his family and friends are paid generous monetary compensation.

About UN Headquarters in New York

I personally work at the UN headquarters in New York, in the General Secretariat. Everyone, of course, remembers the emerald skyscraper with the flags of all the member countries of the organization lined up along it. It is beautiful, comfortable and absolutely safe here.

All secretariat employees are proud of their work, although they try not to show it and in conversations over lunch in the canteen they like to discuss the bureaucracy prevailing in the UN and the inefficiency of the organization. In fact, everyone here feels like they are part of some kind of elite club. The bus that goes along 42nd Street in Manhattan (its last stop is called “United Nations”), every morning becomes a platform for a vanity flash mob. At the entrance to the UN, many passengers begin to take UN passes out of their bags and pockets and at the same time secretly look around: who else is taking out the same blue ID? And the one who gets it last does it with special relish: yes, yes, don’t think, I’m “yours” too.

On the other hand, this is done primarily for convenience, so as not to dig through your bag later at the entrance to the territory of a huge complex under gusts of strong wind from the East River (the UN building is located right next to the river).

About salary, schedule and working conditions

One of the reasons why many people strive to work at the UN is, of course, high salaries (8-10 thousand dollars per month on average) and social guarantees. Good health insurance, pension benefits, a flexible tax system (the UN pays most of the taxes for its employees), allowances that compensate for the cost of living in the city where you work, subsidies for rent (if you have to move to another region for work). And that's not all that the world's most powerful non-profit organization will offer you.

If you have been admitted to the UN for permanent job, then this is, in fact, a guarantee of employment for life. As some people joke, people only leave the UN feet first.

About UN Radio

I work for UN Radio (the radio service is part of the Department of Public Information of the UN Secretariat). Many people, when they hear this phrase, are surprised: does the UN have a radio? In fact, it has been around since 1946. By the way, the founding day of UN Radio is considered World Day radio - February 13. We talk mainly about the activities of various UN structures and bodies (there are countless of them: the Security Council, the General Assembly, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, Red Cross, World organization health, World Meteorological Organization, UN peacekeeping missions in countries affected by conflicts). Reports, interviews, and daily news programs from UN Radio can be found (including in text form) on the official website. As a rule, all these materials are regularly used by our partners. In the case of a Russian-language service, this is, for example, “Echo of Moscow” in some CIS countries. UN Radio broadcasts in eight languages ​​- English, French, Russian, Swahili, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabic. All employees are located on the same floor, and real internationalism and friendship of peoples reign here.

Once, walking along the corridor, I saw through the door in one of the offices of the Arabic Service of UN Radio a woman in very beautiful clothes - dark blue, embroidered with silver threads. She prayed to Allah. I walked by delicately, although I was very attracted to her bright attire. The next time, passing by the same office, I expected to see her again. But a completely different lady was sitting there - in boring office trousers and a sweater, with her hair down. I involuntarily caught myself thinking: where did that Muslim woman in beautiful religious clothes go? Of course, it was the same woman, she just changed her clothes specially for prayer.

In general, there are not so many people in national costumes walking along the corridors of the UN headquarters. Of course, you can occasionally see Sikhs wearing turbans or women wearing hijabs. But most of the employees dress in a fairly standard office style.

The situation changes when some conference, say, dedicated to African women, is held at headquarters. Then permanent employees are guaranteed a multi-day exotic show. Everything is filled with the rustling of lush multi-colored dresses and headdresses a meter high. Sometimes it can even be difficult to walk down the corridor. And when they leave at the end of the conference, it becomes empty and gray.

The biggest beauty of working for UN Radio is this: firstly, the authority of the organization allows you to get almost any interview, and secondly, you don’t have to look far. The building is literally teeming with politicians, celebrities and laureates Nobel Prize from all over the world.

About the Northern Salon of Delegates

Of all the endless halls and rooms of the UN headquarters, the most attractive is the Northern Delegates Lounge, or, as it is also called, the Delegates Lounge. Here you can have an excellent lunch or dinner while admiring the view of the East River - albeit through the “Knots and Beads” curtain, consisting of 30 thousand porcelain balls. This is the decision of the Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, who took part in the large-scale restoration of the bar.

The result, by the way, irritated many. They say they turned it into a luxurious and mysterious place, shrouded in twilight in the style of James Bond films. nightclub diplomats to an environmentally friendly school canteen.

The delegates' lounge is almost always full. The most interesting things happen here, and happened, of course, in the evenings. Many in the UN generally believe that all major decisions are made here, and not at all at meetings of the General Assembly or the Security Council. Tipsy (and sometimes downright drunk) and relaxed diplomats allegedly quickly find common language and in a matter of minutes they agree on issues that had previously been fruitlessly discussed for hours in a bureaucratic environment.

UN old-timers say that the atmosphere in the Delegates' Lounge was once even more relaxed. During times cold war Diplomats here were allegedly even visited by girls of easy virtue.

I don’t know how much you can believe everything they say about the Northern Salon, but mission employees clearly perceive it as their personal territory, where they can throw away etiquette, forget about protocol and loosen the knot on their tie. One day, my colleague and I showed up there with a camera and tried to photograph the legendary Lounge. A couple of minutes later, a representative of the Chilean mission was running towards us across the entire hall, waving his arms. He demanded that we not “point the camera at him,” even though we weren’t filming him at all. The man, very emotionally and in a raised voice, stated that it was impossible to film here and threatened to call security.

Vladislav Dovolny, former trainee of the department of political issues along the central and Central Asia American UN office in New York, told how you can get an internship without knowing the language, meet the minister during lunch and why it is impossible to get a job at the UN.

Why the UN?

There was no desire to get into the UN specifically; there was just an interest in going for an internship abroad. At that time, it was a huge gamble, since I had never studied English in depth and, accordingly, knew the language very poorly (approx. Vlad’s specialized language is German). When I arrived in the USA, I had with me several pages of text written by my girlfriend:
what I had to say at customs in order to be allowed into the country.

What was the procedure for applying for an internship?

We had to fill out a form, write a motivation letter and provide confirmation from the university department that our teaching load included English. I filled out the application somewhere in September and already before the new year I received a confirmation letter that I had been accepted for the internship, a list was also attached to the letter necessary documents to apply for a visa.

How did you manage to overcome the language barrier?

I was lucky, the head of the department, as well as my supervisor Brian, knew Russian. I can’t imagine how I would have completed my internship if there weren’t people there who didn’t understand Russian or couldn’t say anything in it. Otherwise, all my communication with them would be reduced to communication via email.

What were your responsibilities?

My job was quite simple. I needed to track events taking place in central and central Asia via the Internet. For this work, we were specifically looking for an intern from Russia, since in Central and Central Asia you can find Russian language more information than in English.

Describe the everyday life of a UN intern.

My working day formally began at 9 am, but here’s the story: everyone was usually 20-30 minutes late, that is, if you come at 9:30, then no one says anything to you, if you come at 10 am, they can make you remark, but coming later is no longer comme il faut. I arrived at 9:30, in fact, like most of the department’s employees. I had general work, website monitoring, work to collect information on various policies, on the water situation in a given region, that is, local questions for a specific place: what is happening in this region, who controls what, what are the moods, etc. Some kind of information gathering. In addition, there were some issues related to private assignments. For example, one day an online meeting was organized between representatives of the central, Geneva and Kyrgyz offices, I needed to make a report of this meeting. This was one of the most difficult tasks for me, because when 5-6 people speak a lot and very quickly, it is difficult to understand and take notes at the same time. I asked the curator if I could use a voice recorder and they told me that I couldn’t, since it was classified information. However, I understood that without a voice recorder I would fail the task, so I hid the voice recorder in my shirt pocket and at home transcribed the recording, which I deleted immediately after writing the report and still haven’t told anyone what we talked about then.
I wasn't particularly busy for two reasons. The first is my low level of language, and the second is my high level of secrecy. The information that I collected is not secret, but a further report to management with certain conclusions drawn on the basis of the information I collected was marked “secret”.
Once a week on Thursdays we had a “week meeting”, an analogue of the Russian “fly-outs”. We talked about what the department was doing, what data was needed, what had been done in a week. Thursday is a very convenient day, because if something needs to be completed this week, then there is still Friday.

What interesting things happened during non-working hours?

At lunchtime you can go to a “brown rally”. The idea of ​​a “brown meeting” is simple: employees gather for lunch in one of the conference rooms of the UN building, and at the same time listen to speakers, ask questions, discuss, i.e. combine business with pleasure. In essence, this is just another “work meeting”, only you can also eat at it. Moreover, at these meetings people speak high level For example, once I listened to a speech by a deputy minister, and another time by an ambassador. What was strange to me was how a person could simultaneously eat his burger and ask the minister a question about the report. It’s hard to imagine how I would eat during the dean’s speech at my faculty, or how the chairman of the city government committee would tell something to the chewing people at a meeting in Smolny.

Were there any special events for the interns?

I was the only intern in my department. As a rule, each department had one intern, but if the department was large, then two interns worked. During my internship, there were 300 interns working at the UN headquarters in New York. We were given orientation lectures in the first days, where we were told about safety and other aspects of the trainees’ work.
Interns were given special cards to enter the UN building. The same cards provided the right to free admission to various cultural institutions, such as museums.

How realistic is it to get a job at the UN after an internship?

There is practically no chance. In order to officially get a job at the UN, you must work “in the fields.” These are UN missions in developing countries, lasting 2-3 years, which are also very difficult to get into without practical skills. After that you get in line for vacant position. Besides this, great value has the number of languages ​​you know - the more, the better. If you do get hired, then first you go through a long probationary period, after which probationary period They sign a contract with you for one, then two years, and so on. To rise to the rank of department head, you must work in the organization for at least 15 years, excluding field work.
The second option is when you have worked somewhere else, you are a valuable specialist and you are invited to the UN. Thus, some former diplomats post-Soviet space ended up working in this organization.
Third option. I still think there are other workarounds. We had one of the orientation lectures, led by a 24-year-old young man. He held a position that, due to his age and formal requirements, he could not hold, but nevertheless, he worked at the UN.

Did the internship help you find a job in Russia?

Employers are usually interested in practical work experience. I was almost never asked about an internship when applying for a job. In general, an internship abroad usually tells an employer that the applicant has mastered foreign language at a level sufficient for communication. Although in my case, at that moment, this statement was controversial.