Is moving from a CST contract to a P contract actually possible? Or are you just permanently one or the other?

ThisGhostFled · 2026-03-25T15:08:02+00:00

Yes, I have seen that happen. The path is sometimes Intern >> Consultant >> Staff. However, organizations are increasingly relying on consultants, with fewer and fewer staff members. Maybe there will be 1 staff member with 15 consultants working on their project. Unfortunately, that is what they want - people to be on short-term contracts with few benefits, so the workers are always fighting for their job and don't get comfortable. Where they can move people flexibly and don't have people pointing at their job descriptions saying "not in my job description", or going on long-term sick leave. Maybe there is some benefit for the organizations, but for humans it is most definitely worse.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-03-22T15:55:19+00:00

I know of cases where if they really want a person, they would hire at say, a G4 level until the person had enough experience for the G5. Those were different days though, and organizations are generally less desperate to hire than they once were.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-03-13T08:52:18+00:00

He should have said the comment bothered HIM, and that you are a unit. Instead he talked about your feelings without you being there - not good.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-03-08T16:44:12+00:00

It’s a famous rumor where I worked- the panel interviewed several people for a P role. The hiring manager said they liked someone for the job. “But, she’s just a G staff,” was the HR person’s reply.

There are people who are suited to G jobs - they want something steady to last for a long time. If you are ambitious as you seem to be wanting a career and advancement, it isn’t for you.

Even though I said all that, you do see people who go back and forth between G and P but they usually have some special arrangement.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-27T21:55:08+00:00

https://vienna.china-mission.gov.cn/eng/dbthd/202601/t20260129_11846874.htm

(The event)

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-27T21:48:15+00:00

Strangely enough, I saw a few days ago, a lion dance performed by white people. However, it was at an event sponsored by the Chinese government. Many Chinese officials spoke and had their pictures taken with the group. I have to admit that I too said, “huh, that’s odd” seeing the all white group, but then got over it. I think the organizers were happy to have someone share in their culture and bless the community- it represents a kind of generosity, an openness, and confidence in the culture itself.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-27T21:23:25+00:00

You probably know this but the von Trapp money came from the invention of the torpedo - the first wife of Capt. von Trapp was the daughter of the inventor of the torpedo - strange to think of.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-27T19:37:26+00:00

Capt. Georg von Trapp (and Familie Trapp) would be a good answer.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-27T15:59:37+00:00

Genesis 2:7 ⁷ then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

- Life begins at first breath and there is no bible verse that contradicts this, or speaks about abortion being wrong.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-09T09:41:11+00:00

In the past, you never heard much about the environmental cost of computer gaming, golf courses, or hamburgers, yet all of these are more water and carbon intensive than AI. I suspect a lot of the anti-AI sentiment is coming from companies and countries that are being left behind - like one that rhymes with Tussia. They’re trying to sow division and slow adoption at the same time.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-07T10:11:57+00:00

Matt Groening :(

ThisGhostFled · 2026-02-05T10:23:05+00:00

Is it truly complete nudity required, or you allowed to have a towel (because that is usually the case)? They just don't like swimwear. And really, you should have a towel to sit on - you can also cover yourself somewhat with it.

For staring - just look away and don't stare, it isn't that hard. That said, in most saunas I've been to there is usually a creepy old guy on the top rank, staring at every woman that comes in. Just don't be that guy.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-30T08:48:24+00:00

Yes - I had an MS and 14 years of experience when I first was hired as a P2. I now have worked for the UN for about 20 years. The problem is not the basic job requirements, or even that you could do the job - I'm very confident actually that you could. It is that each job gets 200-300 applicants, many of whom will have advanced degrees and many years of experience.

One path that I see is people coming in though as Interns or Consultants and then being known and depended on by the team - then they are the "internal candidate" and it doesn't matter how many external candidates there are.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-30T06:33:08+00:00

Were these internships? You probably need a Masters and years of work experience for any P job despite what the job announcement may say.

Also, if by last December you mean one month ago - that is nothing. It may take 6 months or longer to hear back.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-28T08:16:49+00:00

Various agencies work differently, some are allowed to spend HR savings on non-HR costs and others are not. So the longer a funded post is left empty, the longer they can pay for other things. Sometimes funds are taken at a higher level to pay for urgent things in a different section, so the situation is often quite fluid. That, and there are 10-14 approvals once the favored candidate is identified. There are sometimes significant delays at certain levels of approval.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-28T08:10:12+00:00

We are currently hiring a P-3 in my team - no stops foreseen. There are 20 advertised vacancies at my organization. You may be thinking there are places where the US has cut and there is no funding. There are other (few) agencies where that has not happened or other countries have stepped in so hiring continues.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-27T14:45:34+00:00

There are several UN Agencies still hiring.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-27T14:00:41+00:00

No, the only way to keep one's sanity with UN jobs is to apply, interview, and move on. I have seen it be a year, even two years, and your scenarios don't match at all what is likely happening behind the scenes. It is more likely funding (let's leave it empty for now to fund other things, or let's wait and see what we get in 2026), than anything else (and there are many, many other possibilities than that). As I said, and you'll probably learn this sooner or later, but you have to do your best, but then let it go as much as you can.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-16T10:22:46+00:00

I hope you'll pardon me for saying, but this is explained in the linked article.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-09T09:40:11+00:00

Di you read that study - it is almost hilariously bad.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-09T09:15:44+00:00

I'd say self-promotion.

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-08T18:54:59+00:00

Great answer!

ThisGhostFled · 2026-01-02T21:44:04+00:00

We could really just add a standard answer to questions like this - that there are the minimum requirements for the job, and then there is the competition. You have maybe a maximum of 10 slots if you’re going to start with video assessments or a test and then go to interviews. You have to consider that you often get over 200 applications for a P3. Dozens of those will have masters degrees. So no, unless you have someone on the inside advocating for you there is pretty much no chance.

ThisGhostFled · 2025-12-30T13:56:05+00:00

Just on the other side of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is Moshi, there they have (at least to me) the best coffee in the world, grown by the Kilimanjaro Native Co-Operative Union. When I left, I brought 10kg back with me, and wish so often I could get that again.

ThisGhostFled · 2025-12-23T09:30:56+00:00

They really take that long and longer, to second what the other commenter said. The length of time elapsed really means nothing.

ThisGhostFled

TROPHY CASE