I recently tried to monitor the hits on this blog. Not surprisingly, there are those, like me who have sat the United Nations NCRE exams out there who scour the web looking for any clues, any information they can find on that may enlighten them on the latest happening.
I have come to learn that patience is the name of the game. People say its bureaucracy, others may mistakenly believe that the United Nations may have forgotten all about them. But lets face it; they may be slow in responding but they are well aware of everything. As the 2009 NCRE exams have concluded, I thought I might share more of my tips for those candidates still waiting on word from the United Nations.
After your exams, wait patiently
After your exams go get a nice cup of coffee, relax and refocus all your energy on whatever it is that you are currently doing. Be sure to regularly check the examination page on http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/examin/ncrepage.htm to monitor the progress of the exams. The UN will almost always try to meet the deadlines it posts on this site and if it is not able to meet it, it will post an updated date. I do not know what factors force them to change dates, but changes are expected and your patience is important.
When convoked, be prepared
The successful candidates after the written exams are listed on the NCRE website and contacted at least a week later by email. In this email, the UN will send information you would need such as the date, time and venue of your interview. Included will be a file on UN Competencies, a very important document.
When convoked, do not attempt to will the UN into action by trying to contact them. It is always often met with silence. They will contact you and if you are like me, you will be assigned a very helpful contact who will assist you all the way until you arrive for your interview either in New York, Geneva or any location that they will interview you in. Sometimes, the interview may be conducted via video conference or phone; I am of the opinion that this option is often available to candidates with close proximity to a UN office and where the technology is available. I was initially convoked to Geneva but visa delays forced me to New York instead. Because my assigned contact was based in New York, I was glad to meet her in person, thank her for her hard work and she took me to the interview room.
The wait between when you are advised and when you leave can be long. I was advised of my convocation early in November of 2008 and was interviewed in January of 2009. Liaise closely with your UN contact on all issues regarding your travel. My authorization for travel and e-tickets were provided 3 days before I left for New York.
During the interview
As I have mentioned, be prepared to talk a lot about yourself. For me it was a bit of an unnerving experience because I personally find it very difficult to talk about myself. But study the UN competencies really well and try to think of real examples of where you may have applied some or all of the competencies. Stay positive, avoid flattery and be honest. Practical examples are important. At the end of my interview, we spent 15 minutes on questions about the United Nations. 4 open ended questions will be asked you may pass on only one without being penalized. I missed 2 of those 4 questions. I passed on the first, did not know the answer to the second but answered the last two questions really well.
Join the NCREFORUM
This is a yahoo group on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ncreforum, was formed in 2005 by candidates who were on the roster. The stories you read here will surely give hope; most of us are not alone. Aside from that those on this forum are quick to let others know when opportunities arise or take time to explain in great detail issues that affect candidates who have made it on the roster and are waiting for placement from the United Nations. I surely found some very inspiring stories on this forum. It’s membership is, however, only open to those who are currently on the roster. You will gain valuable insight interacting with its members who have been in this situation before.
But basically my message is, the wait can be long; quite long at times. So patience is the name of the game.
Y,
My sentiments exactly. Did you also sit for legal affairs then?
J,
Yes I have ‘heard’ it too you could say–not from official (ie UN) sources, but if you view, for instance, the foreign affairs sites for s.Korea and Switzerland, they make reference to a YPP program superseding the current NCRE. Apparently the new NCRE is going to be called a YPP (although there is already another program withthat name) but will follow the same general structure o the NCRE, albeIt with the age limit lowered to 26 I believe.
I think it would be a mistake to lower the age limit for perspective exam candidates since it would prejudice the US and possibly other countries where it takes three or more years to obtain a law degree. If one graduates law school at 25 or 26, then they only have one or, at most, two opportunities to apply to sit for the exam if the age is lowered to 26. If the exam is postponed for a year as was the case in 2009, then these candidates will have no opportunity at all. I don’t want to understand why they would want to make it more difficult than it already is to obtain a job with the UN. I think they should leave the age limit alone.
J – you are right..the NCRE will now be known as the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) for 2011 onwards. UN SG announced this in his new year address. While the proposal included reduction of age limit etc, the recent GA rejected some proposals made, one of which is the age limit. The details will become clearer later but there are some changes that will be incorporated. What the YPP would like to achieve on a whole is a faster recruitment process and take a more wholistic approach to nuturing and developing high quality career UN staff which is the whole point of the NCRE/YPP when it was concieved.
As I’m sure you will have seen, the results are now up for Economics too – all at Noumenon’s link below. Good luck to all who are receiving results.
I’ve read elsewhere that 2010 was the last time the UN were running the NCRE process in its current form, and that next year it will be replaced with a different recruitment structure. I have heard that will have a lower age limit, with the idea being to reduce the length of time on the roster, and to encourage the recruitment of people for (junior) roles that tend to be available. Anyone else heard of this?
Indeed, the difference at that time was that we selected an occupational group then sat the exam. In 2010, the process changed slightly and the general implied conclusion is that you are applying for an open vacancy. However, in my understanding the end result is still the same. All candidates are still placed on the roster and are invited to an interview as and when a vacancy in their occupational group becomes available. Having said that, times have changed and I stand to be corrected.
That’s the direct link to the page where they list convoked applicant numbers.
http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/examin/10ncreprogress.htm
I’m wondering, Lynnold, when you applied to sit for the NCRE, did you apply through a vacancy listing? Or was it some kind of general application to take the exam? From what I’ve gleaned on the web, the outcome of the whole NCRE process is being placed on a roster. But, to apply for the 2010 NCRE, I actually applied to an entry-level vacancy which seems would bypass a roster system entirely?
J. Thanks for the update. Been keen to know the progress this year but information has not been many.
That sounds right. Statistics always has small numbers in interviews…if it follows through IT & Finance should be next.
All the best everyone, Lynnold
Some results have started appearing for the 2011 NCRE – Demography (13 interviews), Statistics (only 5 interviews)…
It’s a long wait!
I got this e-mail:
Dear Candidate,
We would like to update you on the progress of the marking of the written examinations for the 2010 National Competitive Recruitment Examinations that you took on 1 December 2010.
The marking is currently well underway and results of the written examinations are expected by the end of April 2011.
We will keep you posted on the progress.
Thank you.
I sat for Administration and found the exam easy, the only problem was time, I couldn’t manage to finish it!
There was 3 essay and 8 question
Hi Marcus. Certainly interesting that you have done some work on the Solomons. As for the story, Solomon Star has done a feature already and I think that is enough for me. Cheers, LMW
I took the Human Rights exam.
The questions seemed too specific and each question (essay) required more time than provided.
I would like ask “Lynnold” how the evaluation could be made?
From the exam answer sheets, it is obvious that there will be 2 person to make the evaluation but I would like to learn whether there will be a minimum level (100/70) to be met by the candidates in order them to be invited to the interviews?
I wonder this because many people believe that the exam in each group was too difficult to pass since there were too many questions to answer properly.
Any comments?
Hey guys
so how did everyone find the exam? I sat the economics one and found it quite difficult actually!
H
Thanks for the advice regarding reading materials and the solidarity regarding travel plans (!) As H explained, snow is to England what kryptonite is to Superman. Fatal.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Hi joy
How you getting there? I’m hoping to leave tomorrow morning and take the car but worried I won’t make it because of the weather.
H
H
I’m also travelling from the Midlands.
Anyone sitting for Admin…any last min tips wld be appreciated
joynyc11@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/schools/conference/map.pdf
May be helpful for finding the centre Saz.
Is anyone else sitting economic affairs in Oxford?
Hi all, I am a bit late in joining the site, but I am taking the exam in HR in NY. Thanks for that link on thematic areas Lynnold. If anyone wants to reach out and swap ideas on specific topics my email is smid30@yahoo.com