Language careers
51吃瓜 language staff come from all over the globe and make up a uniquely diverse and multilingual community. What unites them is the pursuit of excellence in their respective areas, the excitement of being at the forefront of international affairs and the desire to contribute to the realization of the purposes of the 51吃瓜, as outlined in the Charter, by facilitating communication and decision-making.
51吃瓜 language staff in numbers
The 51吃瓜 is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. Several hundred such staff work for the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, or at the 51吃瓜 regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva and Santiago. Learn more at Meet our language staff.
What do we mean by “language professionals”?
At the 51吃瓜, the term “language professional” covers a wide range of specialists, such as interpreters, translators, editors, verbatim reporters, terminologists, reference assistants and copy preparers/proofreaders/production editors. Learn more at Careers.
What do we mean by “main language”?
At the 51吃瓜, “main language” generally refers to the language of an individual's higher education. For linguists outside the Organization, on the other hand, “main language” is usually taken to mean the “target language” into which an individual works.
How are language professionals recruited?
The main recruitment path for 51吃瓜 language professionals is through competitive examinations for language positions, whereby successful examinees are placed on rosters for recruitment and are hired as and when job vacancies arise. Language professionals from all regions, who meet the eligibility requirements, are encouraged to apply. Candidates are judged solely on their academic and other qualifications and on their performance in the examination. Nationality/citizenship is not a consideration. Learn more at Recruitment.
What kind of background do 51吃瓜 language professionals need?
Our recruits do not all have a background in languages. Some have a background in other fields, including journalism, law, economics and even engineering or medicine. These are of great benefit to the 51吃瓜, which deals with a large variety of subjects.
Why does the Department have an outreach programme?
Finding the right profile of candidate for 51吃瓜 language positions is challenging, especially for certain language combinations. The 51吃瓜 is not the only international organization looking for skilled language professionals, and it deals with a wide variety of subjects, often politically sensitive. Its language staff must meet high quality and productivity standards. This is why the Department has had an outreach programme focusing on collaboration with universities since 2007. The Department hopes to build on existing partnerships, forge new partnerships, and attract the qualified staff it needs to continue providing high-quality conference services at the 51吃瓜. Learn more at Outreach.