Compass for careers with United Nations

Six students from EMMIO Cohort V and VI of the Executive Master in Management of International Organizations (EMMIO) led a clinic entitled "Career Compass for the United Nations – Navigating Talent Acquisition¨, where  they presented a guide to attract, involve, and retain outstanding global talents and creative minds aligned with the new world of work.

The clinic provided the opportunity for unique brainstorming and a collection of diverse testimonials on the topic.

CDR Participants

Many professionals of international organizations - particularly the United Nations, the European Union, and the International Financial Institutions - and the public, private, and university sectors, participated in the clinic with a balanced mix of contributions among these entities. There was added enthusiasm from this community of HR representatives to adopt new practices identified in the clinic and the guide. Specifically, HR participants discussed the intake assessment process and how to demonstrate working with international teams in a remote or non-international job assignment.

What is the guide about?

Starting from an integrated vision of needs, objectives, and values of both – the talent and the United Nations System - the guide provides clear, accurate, and innovative guidance to young talents, and mid-career professionals looking for an opportunity or for a professional change, to enter United Nations and build the basis for a blossoming career.

This guide takes into consideration the current situation we are experiencing, in which remote work becomes more and more present throughout institutions, and networking remains  essential, as we realize that we have to change our approach to work, both on the part of the talent and from the point of view of the organization, if we want to achieve the common desired results.

Benefits of this guide for professionals: the readers can find tools, techniques and other resources to identify their vocation and work preferences. The guide aims to give talents different perspectives on the United Nations’work world, which can allow them to make conscious choices.

Benefits of this guide for Institutions: there is also an opportunity for HR professionals to identify and align their human resources management practices to attract and retain talent fit for purpose.

The guide is meant to enhance talents and organizations’ self-awareness, making them responsible for thriving together at the workplace and adapting to the new future of work.

Research & Coordination

EMMIO cohorts**, led and oriented by Manuela Morelli, Head of Human Resources Planning and Development at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Alexander Hiedemann, Lecturer and Program Coordinator at SDA Bocconi School of Management, dedicated six months to research and analyzed the post-COVID world of work, resulting into a ¨vademecum¨ that reflects their variety of professional expertise and insights.



** Tasos Katsapis, Gisella Geminiani, Francesca Mariotti, Caterina Violante, Maria-Grazia Di Marco, Elena Therekova, Tanya Cole



SDA Bocconi School of Management