How to Craft a UN-Worthy CV: Your Passport to Global Opportunities 🌍

At Inspiring Hub, we believe every young person deserves access to global opportunities and the tools to pursue them. And when it comes to working on the world’s biggest challenges, few places stand out more than the United Nations.

So, how do you create a CV that opens the door to one of the most competitive organizations in the world?

Here’s your guide to crafting a CV that reflects your potential to serve the world.

1. Start with the Essentials: Personal Information

Include the following, formatted professionally:

• Full name (as it appears on official documents)

• Professional email and phone number

• City and country of residence

• LinkedIn profile (make sure it’s updated)

• UN Personal History Profile (PHP) number if applying through the UN portal

Tip: If your email still says something like “cutie123@...”, now is the time to switch to firstname.lastname@gmail.com.

2. Professional Summary: Tell Your Story in 3 Lines

Your summary is your first impression—make it count.

Use 3–4 sentences to describe who you are, your core expertise, and your commitment to global impact.

Example:

International development specialist with 5+ years of experience in humanitarian aid and refugee policy. Skilled in cross-cultural collaboration and committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

3. Experience That Reflects Global Impact

List your experience in reverse chronological order. For each role, include:

• Job title

• Organization name

• Location (City, Country)

• Dates of employment

• Key responsibilities and achievements

  
  

Focus on measurable results and international or cross-cultural work.

Example:

Project Manager

International Development Org — New York, USA

June 2020 – Present

• Managed resettlement projects across three countries in collaboration with UNHCR and local NGOs.

• Developed monitoring frameworks that improved project efficiency by 30%.

• Led a team of 10 staff across remote and in-person offices.

  
  

4. Education: Show Your Foundations

Include the following for each degree:

• Degree name

• Institution

• Location

• Dates attended

• Relevant achievements, thesis, or coursework

Example:

Master’s in International Relations

Harvard University — Cambridge, USA

2018 – 2020

• Thesis on the impact of climate change on displaced populations

• Coursework in global health, international law, and diplomacy

  
  

5. Key Skills: Make Them Count

Highlight technical, interpersonal, and language skills—especially the ones that align with the role and the UN’s values.

Suggested skills to include:

• Multilingualism (e.g., Fluent in English, French, and Arabic)

• Data analysis (e.g., Excel, Power BI, STATA)

• Policy writing and research

• Project management (e.g., Agile, Results-Based Management)

• Cross-cultural communication and teamwork

  
  

Final Thoughts: A CV That Reflects Purpose

Your CV should do more than list credentials—it should reflect a clear story: that you’re ready to lead, contribute, and grow in service to others.

At Inspiring Hub, we don’t just help people prepare for global opportunities, we help them step into their purpose.

Coming Soon: Free UN CV template, downloadable checklist, and a full workshop on writing international applications. Sign up to be notified.