{"id":52117,"date":"2026-01-15T09:54:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T14:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/?p=52117"},"modified":"2026-03-02T04:26:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T09:26:15","slug":"top-skills-you-need-to-work-with-the-united-nations-becoming-career-ready","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/top-skills-you-need-to-work-with-the-united-nations-becoming-career-ready\/","title":{"rendered":"What it really takes to work at the United Nations: Top skills to become career ready"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-0BC65B15-2D70-40D1-B810-A5DE895B27C2-1-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"IENYC students at the United Nations\n\" class=\"wp-image-52136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-0BC65B15-2D70-40D1-B810-A5DE895B27C2-1-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-0BC65B15-2D70-40D1-B810-A5DE895B27C2-1-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-0BC65B15-2D70-40D1-B810-A5DE895B27C2-1-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-0BC65B15-2D70-40D1-B810-A5DE895B27C2-1-1536x1153.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-0BC65B15-2D70-40D1-B810-A5DE895B27C2-1-2048x1537.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Working at the United Nations means operating inside a system where global politics, data, human behavior, and urgency all collide. It&#8217;s not enough to be intelligent or motivated. You need just the <strong>right skills <\/strong>to move through uncertainty, work across cultures, and <strong>turn complexity into action<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is exactly what a team of IENYC students experienced during their capstone project with the United Nations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/about-us\/secretariat\">Secretariat<\/a>. Max Jacob Montfrooij, Sophie Angel Blum, Ana Huerta Pastrana, all studying the <a href=\"https:\/\/landing.ienyc.edu\/master-of-science-in-business-for-social-impact-and-sustainability-landing\/?campaignid=21860397307&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21860399920&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD3o9wF9fegdSV_LFVOQM63EKLdlp&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAvaLLBhBFEiwAYCNTf1OZIaaGXcJYrXZO0WoOi0i16WyrISwoxuqGy_Dt7O5zzsuBcMfo6hoCOj4QAvD_BwE\"><strong>Master in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/academics\/master-of-science-in-global-business-sustainability\/\">Global Business and Sustainability<\/a><\/strong><\/a>, analyzed how the UN supports learning, skills development, and professional growth across more than 30,000 staff members worldwide as part of the organization\u2019s <strong>UN 2.0 transformation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team had the <strong>unique opportunity<\/strong> to contribute to a live strategic review of how the United Nations learns and adapts. As Sophie said, \u201cWe weren\u2019t just analyzing theory. We were contributing to something that could actually affect how an organization like the United Nations learns and operates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What they gained from this experience<strong> <\/strong>reflects the exact skills the UN looks for in the people who aspire to work there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>So, what are the 21st century skills the United Nations looks for?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The skills below &#8211; we could even call them operating system of modern global leadership &#8211; are drawn from the UN and SAP 21st Century Skills framework. It defines the capabilities needed to work in <strong>complex global organizations. <\/strong>The framework emphasizes that institutions like the United Nations depend on people who can think critically, collaborate across difference, and use data, technology, and human insight to create real-world impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Critical thinking and problem solving<\/strong>: The ability to analyze complex situations, question assumptions, and design solutions when there is no single right answer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collaboration across cultures<\/strong>: Working effectively across languages, time zones, backgrounds, and communication styles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Communication and persuasion<\/strong>: Expressing ideas clearly, listening well, and influencing decisions in high-stakes environments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital and data literacy<\/strong>: Using digital platforms, understanding data, and working with systems that shape how organizations function.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adaptability and learning agility<\/strong>: Adjusting quickly when conditions change and staying effective under uncertainty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ethical judgment and social responsibility<\/strong>: Making decisions that balance impact, fairness, and long-term consequences for people and society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-CFC29DCC-31A7-4209-8D59-B5BCF61FED4A-1-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52132 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-CFC29DCC-31A7-4209-8D59-B5BCF61FED4A-1-768x1023.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-CFC29DCC-31A7-4209-8D59-B5BCF61FED4A-1-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-CFC29DCC-31A7-4209-8D59-B5BCF61FED4A-1-1153x1536.jpeg 1153w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-CFC29DCC-31A7-4209-8D59-B5BCF61FED4A-1-1537x2048.jpeg 1537w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/processed-CFC29DCC-31A7-4209-8D59-B5BCF61FED4A-1.jpeg 1816w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the same skills Ana, Max and Sophie had the opportunity to practice and implement each day inside their capstone project collaborating with the UN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Critical thinking inside one of the world\u2019s most complex systems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The capstone project focused on the UN Secretariat\u2019s Learning Strategy. The students were asked to <strong>understand how learning actually works<\/strong> across the organization and where it breaks down. They examined aspects such as governance structures, digital platforms, participation data, and how learning impact is measured. They also identified barriers such as time, fragmented systems, and implementation styles across departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Max described the experience as learning how <strong>theory meets reality<\/strong>: \u201cIt helped us connect academic frameworks with real human systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of tidy case studies, they were dealing with the complexity of a 30,000-person organization trying to evolve. That kind of critical thinking is exactly what United Nations professionals rely on when navigating global systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Collaboration across cultures in real time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Working with the United Nations meant working in a <strong>global rhythm<\/strong>. Different departments, regions, and professional cultures shaped how communication and decision-making happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2529791729.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52123 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2529791729.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2529791729-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2529791729-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>The students had to learn how to align expectations, clarify meaning, and listen carefully in a space where misinterpretation has the potential to slow things down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Max put it, \u201cWe had to learn how to communicate in a global context, where every word carries different meaning depending on where you\u2019re from.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the saying goes,<strong> teamwork is dreamwork.<\/strong> In this case, however, it went far beyond just teamwork. It was the same cross-cultural collaboration that defines daily life inside the United Nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Communication that leads to action<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The team did not simply submit a report. They presented their <strong>insights and recommendations<\/strong> to professionals responsible for shaping how learning works across the United Nations. That meant structuring arguments, backing them with evidence, and translating complexity into clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sophie said the experience gave their work weight: \u201cIt gave us <strong>a sense of purpose.<\/strong> We were doing work that could help improve how the UN develops its people. That\u2019s not just business, that\u2019s impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is exactly how communication functions inside global organizations. Because ideas only matter when they can be understood and acted on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Digital and data literacy under UN 2.0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2618324093.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52045 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2618324093.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2618324093-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/shutterstock_2618324093-768x430.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>The UN 2.0 vision centers on data, digital tools, innovation, foresight, and behavioral science. Through their capstone project, the Ana, Max and Sophie <strong>experienced firsthand <\/strong>how learning platforms, tracking systems, and data shape who gets access to development and how success is measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They discovered that while participation is tracked, outcomes are not always measured consistently, and learning platforms are spread across multiple systems.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This showed them that digital infrastructure is not neutral. It determines what people can access and how growth is understood. For the UN, that makes digital and data fluency a <strong>core leadership skill.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Adaptability when there is no playbook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The project did not follow a script. Priorities shifted, information was incomplete, and expectations evolved as the team learned more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sophie called it the most real project she had ever done because nothing was neatly packaged &#8211; just like the <strong>real world.<\/strong> The team had to keep adjusting and refining their work as new insights emerged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That ability to adapt is a skill professionals at the United Nations use every day when responding to political change, humanitarian crises, and evolving global needs. Because in real life, there are no playbooks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leadership, ethics, and the human side of change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"531\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2480862361-1-1024x531.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-51630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2480862361-1-1024x531.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2480862361-1-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2480862361-1-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2480862361-1-1536x796.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2480862361-1-2048x1061.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ana reflected one one of the <strong>biggest lessons <\/strong>about learning. \u201cLearning isn\u2019t just about knowledge. It\u2019s about empowerment. When organizations invest in learning, they invest in people\u2019s ability to drive change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=AO-PROS-SEM-BRA-HQ-REGLR-TIER1-ESP-WFORM-LEAD-PW-MAS-IENYC-BMNG-ALLP&amp;utm_id=21645871592&amp;ad_group_id=170352631607&amp;ad_id=711573750904&amp;placement_id=&amp;network=g&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21645871592&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD3o9wENo2Pr2eoYDEY2oDLcn7NwB&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAvaLLBhBFEiwAYCNTf8wJba0nhA-A3yKfl3_YFpLlvv8dJTKHyApdDjk8I_6X_FG757E_SRoClL4QAvD_BwE\">IENYC<\/a> students saw that even the strongest strategy fails if people do not feel supported, trusted, and capable. That understanding sits at the heart of ethical leadership in global institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What it really takes to work at the United Nations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:25% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"405\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/01-Instagram-story-405x720-19a3a782-a451-4f4b-8406-649ddba1db28.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52087 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/01-Instagram-story-405x720-19a3a782-a451-4f4b-8406-649ddba1db28.jpg 405w, https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/01-Instagram-story-405x720-19a3a782-a451-4f4b-8406-649ddba1db28-169x300.jpg 169w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 405px) 100vw, 405px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>By the end of the capstone project, thanks to their role collaborating to boost the <strong>UN\u2019s Learning Strategy<\/strong>, Ana, Max and Sophie came to know firsthand exactly what it means to operate inside a global organization in order to develop the grit, know-how, and resilience to further their career goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, they learned how to think critically, collaborate across cultures, communicate with impact, work with data, adapt under pressure, and lead with purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ana summed it up best when she said, \u201cIt felt like we were doing real consulting work, not just a simulation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is what being ready for the United Nations actually looks like. Those are the skills you need to bring to the table. And it is exactly what this capstone project at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=AO-PROS-SEM-BRA-HQ-REGLR-TIER1-ESP-WFORM-LEAD-PW-MAS-IENYC-BMNG-ALLP&amp;utm_id=21645871592&amp;ad_group_id=170352631607&amp;ad_id=711573750904&amp;placement_id=&amp;network=g&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21645871592&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD3o9wENo2Pr2eoYDEY2oDLcn7NwB&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAvaLLBhBFEiwAYCNTf8wJba0nhA-A3yKfl3_YFpLlvv8dJTKHyApdDjk8I_6X_FG757E_SRoClL4QAvD_BwE\">IENYC<\/a> gave them.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interested in living an experience like this one? Learn more about IE New York College <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=AO-PROS-SEM-BRA-HQ-REGLR-TIER1-ESP-WFORM-LEAD-PW-MAS-IENYC-BMNG-ALLP&amp;utm_id=21645871592&amp;ad_group_id=170352631607&amp;ad_id=711664801194&amp;placement_id=&amp;network=g&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21645871592&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD3o9wENo2Pr2eoYDEY2oDLcn7NwB&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAvaLLBhBFEiwAYCNTf0jLk714z-80Il3FjN6DqHQNIj0y-m6PjKYVibdgkFKuGxyCikFZ8BoCbLoQAvD_BwE\">here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What it really takes to work at the UN goes beyond just knowledge. It takes right set of skills to thrive inside one of the world\u2019s most complex organizations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":52137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[1752],"class_list":["post-52117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-insights","tag-ms-in-business-for-sustainability-and-social-impact"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What it really takes to work at the United Nations: Top skills to become career ready - IENYC \u2013 The Blueprint<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn the 21st-century skills needed to work at the United Nations and see how IENYC students developed them through their capstone project with the UN Secretariat.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ienyc.edu\/the-blueprint\/top-skills-you-need-to-work-with-the-united-nations-becoming-career-ready\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What it really takes to work at the United Nations: Top skills to become career ready - 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