UN Women Consultant Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online for this position with UN Women Mexico. I had a Zoom interview with a panel of 5 women. I felt like I did very well in the interview and they told me they would contact me in 3 to 5 business days. A week passed and I sent an email, they didn't answer me. The following week I sent another email and they didn't answer me either. I think it's terrible that an organization that tries to empower and give a voice to women doesn't even have the courtesy to follow up on the promised communication. I was left with a very bitter taste in my mouth.

I applied and was sent a written test. After submitting, I got an email saying I passed and could schedule an online interview. The interview went fine, and I was told I'd hear back by the end of the week. I didn't get an update. A few days after I was supposed to hear back, I contacted the person who scheduled the interview to ask if another candidate was selected or if the process was still ongoing. I mentioned I had project offers from other clients and didn't want to accept them without knowing my status with the UN. She didn't reply. Two weeks later, I called and left a message, asking for a call or email to know how to proceed with my career. No response. I also emailed the project manager who interviewed me with the same question and got no reply. This ghosting was very discouraging. I put in hours on the project because it was the UN. I was very excited about the opportunity and wanted to do my best, clearing my weekend and doing practice interviews. To get this far and hear nothing back feels unprofessional and disrespectful, especially since I was clear about holding off on other work. I just needed to know! UN Women is supposed to empower women, but this felt disempowering and devaluing.

I applied for the opening through the UNDP portal, that's where I found it. I had to fill out the P11 (it's the most tedious part) and send them some written samples related to my previous experience with the consultancy I was applying to. The terms of reference very clearly explained what they wanted in the application and how the selection process would be. Two weeks later, they contacted me by email to invite me to an interview. It was via Zoom, with a panel of 5 people. Each one asked me a question; it lasted at most 30 minutes. Ten days after that, they sent me another email to let me know I had been selected.