A large number of applications are submitted every year and are subject to thorough evaluation and a rigorous selection process.

In order to guarantee that recruitment is fully transparent, applications are examined by selection committees which make recommendations based on the post requirements.

Recruitment process for General Service posts:

1. Vacancy notice
You normally have two to four weeks to apply for a post open to recruitment from the time the vacancy is posted in its duty station, either at Headquarters or in a field office.
Vacancies are not posted online on the UNESCO website. Sometimes, for posts with a particular profile, they are published in the local press and/or in other United Nations agencies.

2. Registration of applications
Your application will be registered in our database and you will receive an acknowledgement.

3. Evaluation of applicants
After the closing date for the submission of applications, an evaluation committee will meet to assess the applications.
The evaluation will be conducted on the basis of your qualifications, your experience and the language skills and individual abilities required for the vacant post.
If you have applied for a secretarial post, you will have to take additional mandatory tests.
Other criteria, such as the ability to adapt to an international environment and your individual profile, will be taken into consideration.
UNESCO aims to form a General Service team that is as multicultural as possible.

4. Appointment decision
The recruitment process ends with the selection of an applicant to fill the vacant post. This is how UNESCO will inform you of the outcome of your application:
- If your application is successful, UNESCO will send you a letter of appointment as rapidly as possible.
- If your application is not successful, UNESCO will inform you by post.