The Vacancy Announcement

Vacancy announcements normally include information about the duties of the job, results to be achieved as well as required competencies and qualifications. You should read the vacancy announcement carefully, to determine your comparative advantages in relation to the requirements of the position to which you are applying.

Identify key words from the vacancy announcement related to knowledge, qualifications and competencies, which you can use in your application (CV and cover letter) to present your knowledge and achievements. Align your application to the vacancy announcement and specific requirements for the position.

In most cases, employers and Personnel Officers spend only a few minutes (or less) reviewing an application. They search for keywords and phrases, which demonstrate the required competencies in the respective field. Furthermore, many employers, including the UN are increasingly using on-line recruitment systems, which will automatically search for key-words when screening the applications.