un cover letter sample

8 Tips for Drafting Your UN Cover Letter

A cover letter is an important part of any job application, but it can especially help set your application apart when you apply to UN jobs. The UN looks for specific language, skills, experience, and attitude, and your cover letter is the place for you to show that you meet the qualifications they are looking for. The UN provides some guidance on what they look for in a cover letter, so we’ve taken some of their tips, expanded them, and added a few more to help you write your best cover letter for your UN application.

Keep it brief

The UN recommends a cover letter consisting of 3 to 4 paragraphs. Most career counselors and job development professionals recommending keeping your cover letter to a page. While you want to get information in your cover letter about your experience and skills, you want to make sure to keep it within a reasonable amount of space. Keep the paragraphs concise so that the person reading the letter can get the most information in the least amount of words.

Keep it relevant

When you’re writing your cover letter it can be ready to highlight your best experiences and skills, but your best skills and experiences may not always be the best for the job you are applying for. Make sure that your cover letter stays relevant to the job you are applying for, and highlight your best skills that match what the employer is looking for and that are relevant to the job requirements.

Find ways to make the most of your experience

Even if you are qualified for a job that you’re applying for, your experience may not be an exact match for the skills and description. If this is the case, use your cover letter as an opportunity to highlight transferrable skills and experiences that you can take with you into the job you’re hoping to obtain. Instead of talking about your passion or issues related to the job, focus on your achievements and things that you’ve accomplished. Be specific, and be honest (don’t exaggerate or lie) but take the liberty to frame your experience in a way that shows you have the qualifications and skills they are looking for in a future employer.

Distinguish yourself

Your cover letter provides a chance for you to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Use it to talk about unique skills and experiences that could lead you to be the best candidate for the job. Find an attention-grabbing opening and closing that will keep the employer engaged in your story from the beginning until the end. Make sure this doesn’t outshine your experience but use your cover letter as a way to distinguish what makes you a unique and qualified candidate for the job you’re applying for.

The UN career application tips specifically mention to use action verbs and avoid passive language and clichés. These tips are advisable for any cover letter, but because the UN specifically mentions that they want to see these grammar techniques, make sure to follow them closely. While you want to grab attention with your cover letter, make every word count and don’t include cheesy lines or cliché phrases that take away from your unique skills and experience.

Target your cover letter

We’ve already talked about how you want to keep the information in your cover letter relevant to the UN job you’re applying for. In addition to relevant experience, you want to make sure that the language you use matches the language the UN uses in their job descriptions. Target your cover letter to the job and to the audience, showing you understand the culture and purpose of the organization in addition to the actual job. If you decide to apply for multiple positions, tailor your cover letter for each position; don’t send one cover letter for multiple jobs. While all the jobs may be under the UN umbrella, each department, bureau, and team is looking for a specific skillset, qualification, attitude, and applicant.

Use “I” instead of “we”

Your cover letter is about you. So if you’re talking about work you did as part of a team or in a group or as part of an organization, make sure that you avoid “we” statements when talking about achievements and accomplishments. This doesn’t mean you should take credit for work you didn’t do alone, but make sure you spend most of your time highlighting the work you contributed to the team or project to show that you gained real, tangible experience, even as part of a group.

Demonstrate that you understand the job requirements/description

This might seem like the most obvious tip, but make sure that your cover letter shows that you understand the job requirements and description. How you talk about your experience and skills can make a difference if what you choose to highlight doesn’t match what the employer is looking for. If you’re applying for a position that you don’t fully understand, try to look at similar job postings or even search for articles on the internet that might help you better understand the exact nature of the position you are applying for. Job descriptions, especially for large organizations like the UN, usually don’t go into the day-to-day functions of the position, so make sure that you stay on topic and don’t try to guess what your responsibilities will be outside of what is listed in the posting.

UN Internship Cover Letter Guide With Examples

Attach your internship at UN application with a UN Internship Cover Letter to increase your chances of getting the role. Find key tips and suggestions.

Pansy Thakuria

Read more posts by this author.

Embarking on a journey with the United Nations is an opportunity to make a global impact. A UN internship can be the ideal launching pad for those aspiring to work in international relations, diplomacy, and public service. The competition, however, is intense. Crafting a well-articulated cover letter is vital to make a strong impression.

In this guide, we'll offer tailored templates, tips, and advice for drafting your UN Internship cover letter, irrespective of your experience level.

UN Internship Cover Letter Sample (With Experience)

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP Code] [Your Email Address] [Today's Date]

[Recipient's Name] [Title] [United Nations Department/Agency Name] [Address] [City, State ZIP Code]

Dear [Recipient's Name],

I am excited to apply for the [Specific Internship Position] at [Specific UN Department/Agency]. With my degree in [Relevant Major/Field of Study] and my experience at [Previous Relevant Experience/Institution], I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to the work of the United Nations.

While at [Previous Experience/Institution], I:

• Contributed to [specific project or task], directly impacting [specific outcome or achievement].
• Engaged in [activity], deepening my understanding of [specific global issue].
• Collaborated with diverse teams, honing my cross-cultural communication skills.

I have always been passionate about [specific global issue or UN Sustainable Development Goal]. I believe interning with [Specific UN Department/Agency] will enable me to make meaningful contributions while refining my skills and knowledge.

Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to discuss how my background aligns with your team's objectives.

Warm regards, [Your Name]

UN Internship Cover Letter Sample (Entry-Level)

I am genuinely interested in the [Specific Internship Position] at [Specific UN Department/Agency]. As a recent graduate from [University Name] with a degree in [Relevant Major/Field of Study], I am enthusiastic about applying my academic foundation to address global challenges.

Although my professional experience is nascent, my academic pursuits have equipped me with a robust understanding of [specific global issue or UN Sustainable Development Goal]. My involvement in [university club or project] enabled me to [specific achievement or skill acquired].

I am particularly impressed with [Specific UN Department/Agency]'s work in [specific initiative or project] and am eager to contribute my skills and passion to your esteemed team.

Thank you for reviewing my application. I look forward to discussing my potential contributions to your mission.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Crafting Your UN Internship Cover Letter: Key Tips

1. Be Specific: Highlight the specific UN department or agency you are applying to and align your skills and interests with their initiatives.

2. Have a Global Perspective: Emphasize any international experiences, language proficiencies, or cross-cultural encounters you've had.

3. Be Passionate for Global Issues: Relate your passion for certain global issues, especially those pertinent to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

4. Be Concise and Clear: The UN receives numerous applications; ensure your cover letter is concise and immediately emphasizes your suitability.

5. Have a Tailored Application: Avoid generic statements. Tailor your application to the unique attributes and functions of the specific UN department or agency.

What to Include in Your UN Internship Cover Letter?

• Understanding or experience with global issues or challenges.
• Relevant academic pursuits or research.
• Any international or cross-cultural experiences.
• Language skills or proficiencies.
• How your personal values align with the UN's mission.

Bottom Line

A UN internship is a chance to engage with global challenges on an unparalleled platform. Your cover letter should reflect your knowledge of the UN's work, your passion for international issues, and your readiness to contribute.

Personalize each application, ensuring alignment with the specific UN agency or department. Using this guide, aspiring UN interns can present themselves compellingly, aligning their skills and passion with the mission of the United Nations.

This article has been written by Pansy Thakuria . She works as a Content Marketing Specialist at Vantage Lens . Her areas of interest include marketing, mental well-being, travel, and digital tech. When she’s not writing, she’s usually planning trips to remote locations and stalking animals on social media.

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What should i include in my un jobs cover letter.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Do you know what a cover letter is? Have you ever had to make one but didn’t know how ? Well, usually, candidates are required to submit a cover letter as part of their application to jobs within the UN System.

The main goal of the UN Jobs cover letter is to give candidates a chance to introduce themselves and explain their motivation in applying to the desired job opportunity.

In this article, we will guide you through the process of writing and structuring a UN Jobs cover letter, as it is a very important part of your application. It’s just a small sample of all the information covered by our eBook “ Landing your dream job at the United Nations “. Get a copy today !

In pursuit of its mission, the OpenIGO network has  developed a comprehensive eBook, as well as support and guidance services, with the aim of highly increasing your chances of success in these competitive selection processes.  These services include revising your UN Jobs application documents (Curriculum vitae/Resume, Cover Letter) and a mock interview, as per the original UN Jobs model.

We have already helped dozens of candidates become UN Professionals and we can also assist you in passing this competitive selection process!

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UN System Jobs: Products & Services

What is a cover letter?

As the name suggests, a cover letter serves as a “cover” for the documents you submit for a job or internship application. It should provide a summary of a candidate’s skills, professional experience, and qualifications that meet the needs of a job opening, emphasizing why the candidate should be selected.

Cover letters function as a personal marketing tool!

Typically, they are meant to “sell” the candidate by showing recruiters the qualities and skills that s/he possesses that are in line with the prospective position. This way, evaluators are able to gain a better perspective on the candidate’s attributes and their main motivation for applying.

The text should represent the candidate positively and objectively. It should be short, yet contain enough information to keep the reader interested in reading the rest of the application.

When well written, such a document immediately demonstrates the participant’s abilities in written communication and the organization of ideas, as well as their argumentative capacity.

Crafting your UN Jobs Cover Letter

In selection processes for jobs with the United Nations, the cover letter should contextualize your resume or CV and all its information in an objective fashion, highlighting the elements that are in line with your area of interest .

Its main objective is to reinforce the candidate’s positive qualities in order to arouse the evaluator’s interest and desire to know more about the individual.

Generally, in the first phase of the UN Jobs selection processes, you must fill out an online application form and upload documents (Curriculum Vitae/Resume, Cover Letter, etc.). However, some opportunities may require that candidates submit these documents by e-mail. In both cases, these documents are decisive for your success in these competitive selection processes. Therefore, it is of fundamental importance that your documents are carefully reviewed! This is exactly what our award-winning team will do for you.

At OpenIGO, we have analyzed documents from dozens of UN candidates.  This service is confidential and your files will be deleted from our systems when the service has been completed.

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UN Jobs Application Review

So, in order to write a strong UN Jobs cover letter, it is important to know what the recruiters will be looking for. Here are some of the aspects the recruiting team seeks to evaluate:

• Competencies: Competencies may be understood as the candidate’s set of knowledge, abilities, attitudes and values. It is important for the candidate to show that they have the main competencies the organization is seeking, such as Professionalism, Teamwork, and Planning & Organizing. Since the United Nations is indisputably a value-driven organization, your personal values and the manner in which they are linked to the organization’s should also be highlighted.
• Knowledge about the organization: It is expected that the candidate demonstrates knowledge about the UN fund, program or agency s/he is applying for, such as its mission, its operational approach, activities, and main objectives (knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals, for example).
• Cultural fit: Showing sound knowledge of the organization is not enough. The candidate should highlight that there is compatibility between their values, principles, objectives, and understanding of reality with those of the organization.
• Communicative capacity: The cover letter enables the recruiter to evaluate the candidate’s writing skills and their ability to structure ideas and coherently defend arguments.

When writing your cover letter, take all of the aforementioned aspects into consideration and make them evident throughout the document when expressing three main things:

• your interest in working for the organization;
• the reason you are interested in the vacancy (or in a specific field area);
• and why you are a strong candidate for the position.

Summarizing what a good UN Jobs Cover Letter is

To summarize our tips, here’s the overall content that a good UN Jobs cover letter should have:

• Introduce the candidate;
• Talk about the candidate’s motivation for applying;
• Contextualize the candidate’s Resume/CV (linking the information provided and prior experience with the working area of interest);
• Demonstrate the applicant’s knowledge of the United Nations, – mainly of the UN agency, fund or program s/he is applying to – its values, and the competencies required for the specific vacancy;
• Show the candidate’s enthusiasm, but in a professional manner;
• “Sell” the candidate;
• Be written in a formal style with no grammar mistakes.

By having access to this information and much more from our eBook, you will certainly have a head start over other candidates!

With that in mind, check out our eBook, “ Landing your dream job at the United Nations ”, which will help you land your dream job at the United Nations System. It will introduce you to the complex world of the United Nations and it will guide you through all the stages of the selection process. Access:

eBook – Landing your dream job at the United Nations

10 Steps to Navigating the United Nations Recruitment Process

Unlocking the World: A Journey to a UN Career

Mastering the Global Stage: Your Comprehensive Guide to International Careers

Elevate Your Career: The Insider's Guide to Thriving in International Organizations

Unlocking the Door to International Careers: Your Path to Success in International Organizations

Nourishing Change: Embarking on a Career with FAO

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