International Internships -- Student to Student

Jobs in Geneva

From Short-Term Jobs to Professional Positions

By Kara C. McDonald

Despite reports you may have read on the difficulty of finding work with the U.N. and NGO's in Geneva, it is in fact possible to find a well-paying job or an interesting internship which may lead to a well-paying job. While no U.N. internships are paid, I've seen many six-week internships lead to one- or two-year job contracts. Besides internships, many "non-professional" jobs can also lead to professional positions.

Whether you are a graduate looking for one or two years of employment or an undergraduate who is only looking for a summer job, international organizations in Geneva have two types of paid work to offer: P-level (professional level) and G-level (secretariat). Despite what one might expect, higher G-level positions often pay better than the P-level.

P-level Positions

The P-level belongs to the many advisers who do the "nitty-gritty" at the organization. If you have only a B.A. in political science or economics and want to land an entry-level job in the P-sector, be prepared for disappointment. The U.N. and its sister organizations (ILO, GATT, etc.) typically do not hire without significant recommendations and publications. Their personnel departments can be downright rude to students just looking for advice, and they typically won't interview you (even informally) unless they have a position open for which they have advertised. However, if you can withstand some frustrating informal interviews, you may meet someone who can eventually help you with advice or a job somewhere else.

If professional experience is what you're after, I suggest starting with an internship and see where it leads. The only disadvantage is that you may have to pay your own way in expensive Geneva for up to four months. If you can afford it, it's worth it. I cannot stress enough the value of internships in the contacts one makes and the knowledge of the system one gains.

G-level Positions

If you are pressed for finding paid work, try the G-sector. Many first-degree graduates land short-term secretarial jobs. Three-month contracts are best because they allow you to jump from organization to organization and thus learn about what they do. (If you don't speak French, you'll have to stick to the many organizations that have strictly English-speaking departments.) The pay is at the salary of the person for whom you are working. (I doubt that anyone is paid under $25,000 a year.) Three-month contracts are relatively easy to find as many full-time workers need coverage for holiday time or a leave of absence.

Once you have landed a job, the contacts you make will usually allow you to find another placement within one month. (That, of course, depends on you; you must be persistent and patient.) The right contacts will help you find a way to do what you wanted to do in Geneva in the first place.

Getting your first position is the tricky part. First, you must be in Geneva, unless you know people there who can look for you. If you have any contacts, even a name, use them. Personnel departments typically will give you a typing exam, then file your application away with 3,000 others. So be more direct. Since all organizations have directories, simply go into their building, find a phone with a directory, and look up department heads and any other titles that look promising. Call them, or better yet, go by their main office and hand their secretary a resume and cover letter.

Departments looking for short-term help usually don't go through personnel because it means a lot of paperwork, time, and energy. By making yourself readily available, job opportunities often arise. If none do, ask if you can meet with someone for an informal information interview (where you get to ask the questions and get advice). Explain your situation to the secretaries; sometimes they know or have heard from other secretaries in other departments about who is going out of town and needs coverage.

Always ask whomever you are speaking with to circulate your resume for you. Whenever you make a contact, ask if he or she knows anyone else who can help you and if they will circulate your resume.

Miscellaneous Tips

If you look for a well-paying secretarial job in the hopes of making contacts to lead to more significant work, make certain that you have two resumes: one stressing your clerical experience and one stressing what you want to do. It also helps to have a resume in both French and English.

To eat cheaply go to the supermarkets just across the border in the French villages--you will save over 50 percent.

KARA C. McDONALD is a graduate of the Univ. of Michigan. She has worked at the International Labor Office in Geneva and in West Africa.