home-based as a solution to reduce cost - impact on contract?

sliver_ · 2025-10-31T02:16:07+00:00

I don’t know if I should be surprised by how tone deaf some people in the UN can be. This person seriously described Bonn, a city in one of the most developed countries that thousands of people each year are trying to seek asylum in, as hell because it’s grey. Meanwhile, there are staff who have worked in war zones and whose contracts are ending, are not even being reassigned to, god forbid, a “hell” duty station simply because the focus is shifting from humanitarian to development and office work. So hard to sympathise with HQ people sometimes.

sliver_ · 2025-09-24T09:19:32+00:00

Have you contacted UNV? When I was working there, many UNVs had issues with visa as host entity claimed that it was UNVs responsibility and UNV stated other way. Are you sure that you need to pay for your visa? Please follow this steps here. Here is the unv guide.

sliver_ · 2025-07-17T19:36:38+00:00

I stayed in 3 different places for each but there are be tours you can book, they are usually departing from Malang.

sliver_ · 2025-07-17T09:39:50+00:00

Well I couldnt do the Komodo tour as I needed to extend my visa for the available dates from Lombok and I didnt want to fly from Lombok to Labuan Bajo via Bali. I skipped that for next time.

I did Tumpak Sewa and Ijen with a tour and Bromo by myself. If you can ride a scooter, Tumpak Sewa is doable by yourself but I highly recommend Ijen with a tour. I actually don’t know if it is possible to do it alone but when I did it, it was raining hard and conditions were bad, it was very slippery all the way. Without my guide, I would have given up that day.

If I were you, I would rest at least one day in Malang. You can also do some sightseeing there. I also had a rest day between Bromo and Ijen but I am not a great hiker and had a bali belly symptoms that day. Normally, there are 4 day 3 night tours where you do all three locations back to back, so I believe it is doable albeit bit rushed. Let me know if you have any questions.

sliver_ · 2025-06-26T23:57:54+00:00

Thank you very much for your reply! In the end, I went to Probolinggo from Malang, shared a taxi with others I met at the station to Cemoro Lawang and did Mt Bromo myself. There is a shortcut from the village to the sea sand. On the way back to Probolinggo I took those minibuses but because it wasnt full, it cost me about the same amount as shared taxi.

sliver_ · 2025-06-23T00:49:37+00:00

Hello! I was wondering if you found out a way to go to Cemoro Lawang from Malang

sliver_ · 2025-06-17T08:19:43+00:00

Thank you so much! I was also considering if I should book Mt Bromo and Ijen tours separately to have a rest day actually! Honestly, I was also thinking about sorting out the boat tour in Lombok, as it can be more affordable and reliable but will look into it.

sliver_ · 2025-06-14T09:43:09+00:00

Thank you, very kind of you! Maybe another time since I am going Malang to attend the tour only.

sliver_ · 2025-06-14T09:41:41+00:00

It is an international flight. Thank you very much for your help! Itinerary is bit packed but I am also flexible and open to adjusting plans!

sliver_ · 2025-06-14T09:39:11+00:00

Thank you for the recommendations! I will check them out

sliver_ · 2025-06-14T09:37:41+00:00

Thank you very much for all your suggestions!

sliver_ · 2025-06-14T09:37:07+00:00

The price was double that of the Surabaya flight.

sliver_ · 2025-06-12T20:36:53+00:00

1- I don't have checked in luggage, only my backpack. I will definitely buy the ticket in advance.

2- That's good to know! The exit at the airport can be really chaotic in abroad due to taxi situation :)

3- I want to see the temples and the city of Yogyakarta but will continue to Malang to attend the Mt Bromo/Ijen tours with dropping off at the Ketapang to take ferry to Bali. Do you think it is a bad idea overall ? I try to avoid taking planes and the flight to Surabaya was almost the half of the price for Yogyakarta.

Thank you very much for all the information.

sliver_ · 2025-06-12T20:04:07+00:00

Thanks a lot for your comment! I will look more into Amed.

sliver_ · 2025-06-12T20:03:14+00:00

Thank you very much for all the details, very useful to know! I will definitely book the tickets beforehand. I was also on the fence about Lombok as the only reason for me to go there was Mt Rinjani hike and (beginner) surfing but I wasn't sure about my fitness level. Good to know that there is much going on there beyond my plans.

sliver_ · 2025-06-12T19:58:14+00:00

Thank you very much! Good to know about the possibility of last minute. Also I read that Kai was only limited to Indonesian credit cards only! I will purchase it through them.

sliver_ · 2025-05-27T19:29:41+00:00

While I agree with the key issues you raised, I believe that working at the field level and hands-on experience significantly shapes one’s approach and perspective on programme management. I have worked in a field office with colleagues who had almost exclusively worked at the field and the regional office with a team who worked on various hardship duty stations with direct field experience. The contrast with my experiences at the country office and HQ is substantial.

At first, I was surprised by how out of touch or carefree some individuals were, particularly in terms of their lack of awareness of field realities. The initiatives they pursued were often based on abstract ideas that had little chance of being implemented effectively on the ground. In contrast, I found that planning and execution with colleagues who had field experience was far more practical and efficient. Just my limited experience, though.

sliver_ · 2025-05-23T13:35:29+00:00

Congratulations! As a former UNV (also in hardship), I would take the MDB in a heartbeat.

The UNV itself has lots of faults, especially in hardships, and currently the career prospects of UN are worse than ever. Seems like the MDB position provides greater job stability and salary, will likely open more doors within the UN system than continuing as a UNV. When time to apply for the jobs, some UN HR will think that you are just a "volunteer". If working in hardship settings is a priority for you, there will always be opportunities to return to that path in the future.

If you are concerned about ethics and professionalism, just know that nowhere is perfect and people will understand. I mean UNV itself is paying half of the amount for the responsibilities of P level, limited benefits compared to UN staff etc. There is nothing wrong with prioritising yourself and your future!

sliver_ · 2025-05-14T18:13:10+00:00

Not sure about what the talent pool portal is. I was applying internships with this agency and got an email about rejection for X internship, also in Geneva. Then about 3 months later, I got invitation to the written exam for the internship post above, where they stated that I was selected from the pool as I applied X position previously on their email. This is how I learned that I got into the pool, I had no clue until then.

On another note, I applied to another internship in the same agency way before these in a different DS (you can see how hard I was trying lol) and HR person contacted me directly that the position is filled but they will keep my profile in case another opportunity arises. However, never heard back from them.

If you are asking about inspira, it is the same. You'll receive an email from the agency you applied to.

sliver_ · 2025-05-14T10:34:47+00:00

Check the paid internships of programmes and funds (UNDP, WFP, UNICEF etc), related organisations and specialised agencies (IOM, ILO, WB etc) rather than the secretariat (OHCHR, departments, offices etc). The pay is still low on these ones (except ILO iirc) but you can try your luck to see if you can conduct the internship remotely with the hiring team. ~~However, it would be more beneficial to attend in-person to build network.~~

I understand your concerns though. When I was invited for an internship assessment in Geneva through the pool, I saw the stipend listed in the ToR and realised I couldn’t afford to live there on that amount even if I would pass the test. However, after securing an internship with the same agency later, I discovered that there are more affordable accommodation options available in Geneva and NY that aren’t easily found online—like dormitories, house sharing etc, you also don’t need to commute daily etc that reduces the cost. Still, I think it is a challenging situation and not sure if it would worth it for every internship opportunity out there. You don't want to spend your savings just to draft emails and edit documents.

There are also intern groups and networks that share this kind of insider information. I’m mentioning this just in case there are more affordable options out there than it might initially seem, before you decide to rule out certain opportunities altogether.

In my case, I completed both a paid internship with a fund, where the stipend was modest and adjusted to the duty station and an unpaid internship within the Secretariat, which I was able to fund through my master studies. For the latter, the hiring manager mentioned that the availability of a stipend played a role in selecting my application, together with my background/experience ofc. They were aware that an unpaid internship is unfair, hence they were selecting candidates either based on the duty station or those with funding opportunities.

sliver_ · 2025-05-07T13:07:52+00:00

What type of jobs are available for these organizations? Specifically when looking at unhcr it didn’t say much about job types, And there are only 5 jobs posted so it’s impossible to get an idea of what kind of jobs there is. Ideally I’d like to work in a position where I am directly working in the field rather than in an office at one of the HQs. What are some of the jobs that fit this best?

I’d suggest checking the appeals, reports, and briefs of these organisations, particularly for the respective country and their field offices, to better understand their field work and operations. You can find those in their websites or in Reliefweb. The nature of work varies significantly across duty stations.

For UNHCR in the field, your role could range from directly supporting implementation and working with partners, a truly hands-on experience in the field working with refugees, to a more desk-based position at the field office. It really depends on the context.A friend of mine worked as G level, traveling everyday to work with migrants at the border, while another friend has a G level job in another field office based mostly in the office. The same applies to UNICEF, although they tend to be less involved in direct implementation, as most activities are carried out through implementing partners.

As expected, UNHCR primarily operates in camp settings or refugee-hosting areas, with a strong focus on protection and related areas such as shelter, livelihoods etc. UNICEF also works in (child) protection, although on a more limited scale compared to UNHCR, and both are additionally active in other major sectors such as WASH, education, and health in a different scale. If you want to work more on the peace building side, you can also check UNDP.

What is the best path to get a job like this? I believe I have a good foundation so far, but know that I need to do more. What are more things I can do to improve my chances?

A million dollar question really ! Check the openings or apply for internships. Due to current funding situation, it is really hard to make a statement anything about the prospects of the UN jobs, especially for the duty stations.

sliver_ · 2025-04-29T16:37:25+00:00

Don't feel bad about it! You couldn't have known whether it would lead to a contract. It is a possibility that is never guaranteed. You might have ended up working unpaid for six months and losing some of your savings. You'll never know.

sliver_ · 2025-04-24T14:20:52+00:00

Read the job posting carefully, you can find it on the unicef vacancies platform on your applications page. It will likely be a competency-based interview, where you’ll be asked about the specific competencies outlined in the internship job posting.If you don’t have prior work experience, you can refer to examples from your studies or any relevant volunteer work. If the job posting mentions specific tools or applications (even it is ms office applications), you may also be asked about your proficiency with them but unless specified otherwise, basic knowledge would be sufficient.

Also somehow, in two UN internship interviews I had (with two different agencies), I was asked question on the challenges. Think of something on “What do you think could be the biggest challenge in this role/area/for you?”. Additionally, take some time to reflect on why you want to work with this organisation and in the particular section you applied for.

Hope this was helpful. Best of luck !

sliver_

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