It is now official and I am happy to announce that I will leave the Solomon Islands to work for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. I have been recruited to work in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as Associate Programmer – Analyst. That will mark a new chapter in my life far from the comforts of home.
The month of June has been hectic and I have literally worked very hard at preparing all my paperwork and getting ready to make the move. I leave the Solomon Islands on the 16th of July and begin work in Geneva on the 21st of July 2010.
I first head about the UN NCRE in 2003 when a friend first informed me that they were sitting the exam in Honiara. However, I had to wait until October 2007 before getting a chance to sit for the exam. I applied for a place in the UN NCRE from a tiny little room at the Ronald MacDonald House in Brisbane, Australia. I was there with my wife for the birth of our first child. I vividly recall that that evening was uneventful and I had finally completed my share of work for the day. My wife had already gone to sleep and so to pass the time I headed downstairs to check on the latest NBA results and my emails. After answering a few emails from work, I worked on my application.
My wife and I had often talked about it and I had always seriously considered participating. But 2007 was no ordinary year; my career was moving in all the right directions, we were organizing the PacINET Conference for Honiara and our first child was on its way. When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials promoted the exams in the Solomon Islands, I was also overseas attending an ICANN meeting in Puerto Rico. So applying for the UN NCRE was always left for some later time. I suppose my time in Brisbane allowed me to finally find the time to collect my thoughts and prepare the application for submission.
I received official notice that I had been selected to sit the UN NCRE in November. I am a great believer in understanding concepts so my preparation consisted more of role playing. Imagining different situations and how I can respond. I also studied the sample paper from the NCRE website and downloaded materials from the Internet which covered the kind of areas specified on the UN NCRE website.
I suppose the most unsettling period of my life was after my placement on the UN roster in February 2009. I remember seeing what I believed was my examination number on the list. But I was not too sure it was my number because I had quoted different numbers in my email correspondences with the UN. It was already 11:30pm in the night but I had to be absolutely certain so I drove all the way to my office to retrieve the official letter the UN had sent to me. The numbers matched and in my excitement I rushed to my parents house to tell them the news.
But between February 2009 and early 2010, the frustration finally set in and the beginning of 2010, candidates who sat the exam in 2009 were getting recruited in droves in Information Technology. I must admit there were times I felt like giving up. I began to think that it was perhaps better to focus on my current career or instead seek out opportunities to go back to school. But I held out, patiently waiting and then in May this year, I got my phone call. “Good evening Mr Wini, this is Mr David Suarez from the UN office in Geneva…” the voice at the other end said. Much to my dismay, the mobile phone was abruptly cut off and I had to wait anxiously hoping that the gentlemen would call again. The phone rang for the second time and after speaking for a few seconds, the call dropped again. The third time Mr Suarez called he managed to confirm my email address and then sent me the invitation for an interview.
I took the same approach in preparing for the interview. I read the competencies through until I was absolutely sure I understood what the job required. Then I picked real life examples of what I had done that fulfilled the competencies. Another important thing that I did was to read about how to approach job interviews. This was useful because I began to understand the bigger picture and what impact you can make by saying the right things in the right way.
My interview was not flawless but I was happy that I was honest.
The next time my mobile phone rang with the same number showing up again, I knew it was good news. For all the preparations I had made, one thing I failed to do was to prepare for the good news. I stuttered and stammered my way through the conversation but I made amends by sending an email later to confirm what I had intended to say which was to simply say that I had accepted the offer. When I drove home that day I could not resist the urge to shout and relieve myself off the pressure. The anxiety, the pressure had finally lifted and I felt free. I felt I could now focus on the challenge ahead.
Two days later, my formal offer arrived and I proceeded with fulfilling the formalities such as the medical clearance.
It has taken me over a month to finalize the formalities and serve notice to my employer, Solomon Telekom Company Limited. The tickets to travel are here and our Swiss visas have been sent. My family and I will literally start a new life in Geneva. Except for a few photos, we are traveling to Geneva without much else.
My dad often quotes from a favorite family movie we watched back in the 1990’s – A Hobo’s Christmas “Son, there are not many more christmas’s left”. The sad reality is that sometimes life is too short and as we grow older, we begin to appreciate the true value of time and treasure each moment. Distance can make it difficult to enjoy every single moment of life with those that you love so dearly. While it is a great new opportunity for me, it represents moving on in life and it makes it hard to leave behind those that are most precious to you.
Hi Lynnold,
Great and inspiring story. I will be sitting the 2010 exam in San Francisco and must admit I am quite nervous and don’t really know what to expect, despite having read a million times through all available resources. I’ve even thought about foregoing this exam and trying out for it again next year as I’ve just been so preoccupied with work and so many other things, thus not having sufficient time to prepare. Anyway, your words have inspired me to give it a go anyway this year so I should use the remainder of this time to study all that I can before next Wednesday!
Congratulations and hope you and your family are doing great in Geneva.
Hi Leyla,
Unfortunately I do not have access to past papers. Even when we sat the exam the organizers did collect them immediately after the exams so if there are samples on the UN NCRE website, it may be the only ones publicly available and within easy reach. However, congratulations on being invited for the NCRE. I cannot offer the best advise but I can possibly point you to the OHCHR website. http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/Pages/HumanRightsintheWorld.aspx has a collection of publications. If you can access and read the Strategic Management Plan 2010-2011, you will be able to see the thematic areas OHCHR has identified to focus on. This may probably help you to narrow down the focus of your studies to prioritize learning information within these thematic areas. You can also google and find other sources on the OHCHR thematic areas but the point I wish to make is that the Human Rights work at the UN is very focused on these areas. Congratulations again and I wish you all the success for the exams.
Marcus, as I explained to Leyla – lets hope others reading these posts can share, it would be very nice. All the best for the exams.
Hello Lynnold, congratulations on your recruitment. I am very glad for you and your family. I will take the NCRE 2010 in the category human rights. Since you are working at the OHCHR, although in another field, do you have any advices what they could focus on? Is it possible to get the exam from 2008? I have only the sample exam, but I think it has not been changed over year…Thanks a lot for any help!
Best, Leyla
Hello Lynnold, thanks for your story. I’m even more motivated now! I’m sitting the NCRE for Admin in Brussels on 1st December. I’m having troubles getting samples of previous years’ exams. I was wondering if you or your fellow peers would happen to have the samples of your, or other years’ exams. That’d be super useful. Thanks a million and congratulations 🙂
PS: my email address is markus_sanch@yahoo.es
Just the practice exam that I got off of the UN site. It looks pretty general. You have to think that there will be many people sitting for the exam from many different backgrounds live ASP developers, Java Developers, PHP Developers, so I don’t think any of the questions will be tied to a specific language. Probably more just basic principle type stuff. to tell you the truth I am more worried about the general essay then the developer portion.
Cof2214
i am sitting Web Developer exam too. How are you preparing for exam?
Do you have any knowledge about specific documents or test subjects?
I am sitting for the Web Developer exam on December 1st in New York. I really enjoyed reading your story Lynnold. What do you think of Geneva? Is it anything like you expected? How would you describe the culture at the UN office there?
Hi.I am lookin forward to going there, just wish I could have got an extra day or so after the paper, no flights.
Anyways, yea I was looking on google map of the location. There is also Honiara Hotel near the uni, near (or in) Chinatown. THat is actually within my buget so checking it out. Will checkout Quality Motel too, thanks. Only 14 of us will be taking the exam there (I guess almost all would be locals). Would be nice to meet them :).
Hi Haroon. I am still excited about the fact that you will be taking the exams in Honiara. Anyway, I also got confirmation last night that the exams will be organized at this location. This is a very easy building to spot. Going eastward towards the town centre, its a green building beside the bridge. You cannot miss it. With regards to hotel, a budget backpackers would be Quality Motel or nearby rest houses. But if you want to go to hotels, Mendana Hotel, Pacific Casino, Heritage Park and King Solomon are some of the hotels in the centre of town.
Hi. The ncre site was update, they have now posted the exam centres
University of South Pacific, Solomon Campus
Mokolo Building
Chinatown
Honiara
Solomon Islands
Im assuming its close by to the center of Honiara? thanks
Hi Lynnold.
Thank you for a quick reply. Yes in the letter i got it did say that the venue would be annouced in the coming days. I was just eager to get to know as finding flights was hard, I only could get 30th Nov to 2nd Dec, so was kinda lucky. Im just looking to book a hotel now or something, but as you said I could jsut get something in center of Honiara. I havnt started preparing yet as trying to get all my travel arrangements sorted out, but for sure im going to go at it hard. Thanks again.
Hi Haroon. This is an especially interesting development. I have been informed that the exam in Honiara will be coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So it might be a good idea to immediately go to the Ministry when you arrive on the 30th to find out or confirm because sometimes in Honiara, things can be changed at the very last moment. In any case, I believe the UN will publish exam centres on the website and on the email it will send to you. This was the practise in the past and I assume it will do it again this time. However, FYI the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is at Rove. If you are in a hotel in the centre of Honiara, a taxi ride to the office should cost you $20 – $30 SI Dollars (approx. USD5)..just hop on a taxi and tell the driver to take you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Rove…. I am also trying to confirm the exam venue through some officials I know from the ministry. Will post it here. All the best to you Haroon and all who have been selected. Prepare well
Hi. Firstly your story has been great and thanks for sharing it with all of us. Wish you the best of luck in Switzerland.
I have been invited to sit in the NCRE 2010 for Administration. Currently in Australia, I selected Honiara as the centre, exam on the 1st of December. As you are from there, just wanted to ask if you might know where the exam could be held (as they have not annouced yet)?
The only flight I was able to get was arriving on the 30th of November, so I want to get a closer place to the exam centre to same time. Any help would be great, thanks
Lynnold
I am in the Finance occupational group.How are you finding Geneva
You are my hero man. I don’t even know if I will be able to take the 2010 test in Madrid (I’m from Spain). Overall, the NCRE as a recruitment system is very opaque and that’s why personal sites like yours are seek avidly by possible candidates. You will love Switzerland.
Jack, yes i had a phone interview. Accept my belated congratulations. Just out of interest, what occupational group are you in and from which country if you do not mind. All the best for the future and I hope UN comes calling soon; another tip you might like to consider is to study any online job description that closely fits where you may be working in the UN and tailor your CV to reflect the competencies and skills that the job requires. There may be a higher chance of HR and recruiting managers spotting CV’s that have the right keywords. I think it helped in my case. I reviewed and resent my CV to OHRM a few times.
You are spot on. Am on the Roster since December 2009 based on the 2009 NCRE. As you advised, I will keep the spirit and wait on the D day. Was the interview that followed placement on the Roster done over the phone?
Hi Jack, would I be correct in assuming that you are also on the UN roster? Thank you for your comments. To answer your original question, most people that I know from this blog have been posted. About 3 to Geneva so I will get to meet them in person. Others to NY and at least 1 to Santiago. If you are on the UN roster too, do not worry; you might get the call at the time when you least expect it! For me it was when my career was slowing going upwards again after a quiet lull and I had temporarily forgotten about the UN. All the best.
Lynnold
I cannot stop reading your story Man. Congratulations to you and your family. Honestly one gets impatient following placement onthe rooster. Thank God you have made it.
Hope we can join you in the UN family.
Cheers to you.
Wow, incredible story. Thank you for sharing your experience and insight, I hope I can be as prepared for the a UN job as you. Best regards