In line with the recent inquiry I received about relocating to Geneva, Switzerland and what professional employment possibilities would be available there, I also receive requests for information from much younger individuals, usually about the availability of internships with international organizations. Usually, these individuals are on the threshold of entering the workforce and thus do not yet have much of a professional track record or experience. Still, I can provide some general information about finding internships in international fields relevant to one's academic background, life experience, interests and aptitudes.
I immediately caveat any advice by saying that my suggestions are only a point of departure. In many ways, they also are primarily common sense. As a general rule, one must research all possibilities available, including those that may be available through the academic institutions with which the prospective intern is or has been associated, in order to find what opportunities are available, where those opportunities exist, what the desired qualifications for those positions are, what the application deadlines are and even, if it is still possible, how best to prepare oneself academically to ensure consideration. One should also explore all available networks - formal and informal - to which one already has access. One's chances of success improve exponentially the sooner one sets any international area as a career goal and actively begins working towards a specific area of needed expertise in that area. After that, it is all a matter of opportunity, timing and sheer luck.
Another caveat: while internships provide individuals with excellent opportunities to experience different types of employment before settling with a specific employer, not all internships are equal. Occasionally, an internship - regardless of how glamorous the institution itself may sound - can consist, at least at first, of nothing more than administrative office tasks, some of which may be quite menial, such as filing or photocopying or performing basic data entry, among others. This tends to discourage some who are accustomed, often deservedly so, to receiving more significant responsibility and attention from the outset. I maintain, however, that even if one's internship begins in what appears to be a discouraging manner, it is more a matter of how one conducts oneself and attempts to make even such a seemingly menial experience meaningful that can, and often does, lead to more demanding or interesting tasks. Even the most menial administrative tasks need to be accomplished, after all, and they are a starting point for understanding the more meaningful tasks, especially in specialized areas. But it is true that internships should not consist completely of menial tasks; they are also intended to stimulate and encourage the intern's interest in the work done by the organization. That is indeed their main function. More efforts have been undertaken within individual organizations recently to ensure that this will be the case.
A third caveat: often internships in international organizations pay only a minimum stipend that will barely allow an intern to scrape by or they pay nothing at all. An intern who wishes to come to Geneva, for example, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, will be very hard pressed to find basic housing at all and should be prepared to supplement any stipend in order to cover living expenses. Finding basic housing that would not exhaust the stipend in and of itself is almost impossible. If a prospective intern is still associated with an institution of higher learning, that institution may have a program that coordinates with the needs of the UN and IOs in such a way that it may provide a higher stipend than the intern would receive from the UN/IO in question alone, or would at least help to cover some of the living expenses.
As a final general item, a prospective intern should also explore internship opportunities available with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as those with IOs. These also provide excellent learning opportunities and can also lead to international employment later.
Geneva is literally a mother lode area for international relations and commerce. International organizations (IOs) are listed here. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are listed here. National missions or other authorities are listed here. Opportunities in the private sector are listed here. One could literally spend weeks or months researching opportunities with the entities listed on these pages. Because my experience is primarily with the international organization sector, this post will concentrate on a few selected organizations in order to provide an idea of what internship opportunities are available with them.
The largest IO employing entity in Geneva, of course, is the United Nations Organization (UNOG). In order to be considered for an internship at UNOG, one must either be enrolled in a program leading to a graduate degree or already have completed at least four-years of full-time study towards the completion of a degree at a university or equivalent institution. One must also be 30 years of age or younger and have an excellent command of English or French. UNOG generally does not pay interns but they may be sponsored by universities or foundations to help defray part of their costs. General conditions, forms and instructions on how to apply for internships with UNOG are described here. Geneva, of course, is only one of four UN headquarter cities. The main office is in New York City. Two other major UN sites are Vienna and Nairobi. Individuals interested in obtaining internships with the United Nations in New York should consult this site. The United Nations in Vienna (UNOV) provides information about internships here. The United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON) provides information about internships here.
Another major IO with headquarters in Geneva is the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO is among those IOs that pay a stipend to Geneva-based interns who are not sponsored by a university or other institution. This stipend is currently CHF 1,500. Interns who are selected to work in one of the ILO's field locations will receive a stipend in an amount established in line with other similar organisations engaging interns at local level and taking account of local circumstances. The ILO will consider students who are enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses of study or work in fields related to the ILO's mandate and activities. Individuals should have a working knowledge (both oral and written) of one of the ILO's official languages: English, French or Spanish. Information about internship opportunities with the ILO can be found here.
For those individuals who are interested in a career in public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) also provides significant internship opportunities, as described here. In order to be considered for an internship with WHO, one must be enrolled in a degree program in a graduate school, both at the time of application and during the internship or have completed at least three years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a degree in a public health, medical or social field related to the technical work of WHO. Applicants must be 20 years of age, at a minimum and also be fluent in the working language of the office of their assignment. Both Summer and Winter internships are available.
One Geneva-based IO that generally requires a legal background or a law degree in order to be considered for an internship is the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). WIPO is a specialized agency of the UN that "is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest." The IP system includes patent, trademark and copyright law, among others. Currently, WIPO has no internships available, but an application form can be found here.
For those who are interested in the law and relationships governing global trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO) provides a variety of training programs and internship possibilities, but information about regular internships can be found here. The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. It enforces the various WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The WTO's goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business in a global marketplace. Applicants for regular internships should have completed their undergraduate studies in a relevant discipline (e.g., economics, law, political science, or international relations) and also have completed at least one year of their graduate studies. Interns must be at least 21 but no older than 30. The WTO pays interns a daily allowance of CHF 60 (including week-ends and official holidays falling within the selected period). All internships take place in Geneva, Switzerland only. As is typical, an intern's travel expenses to and from Geneva will not be paid by the WTO, and such travel is not covered by the WTO's insurance. Interns, as is also typical, are also responsible for their own insurance coverage for illness and accidents while they are working at the WTO. The WTO may also employ unpaid interns who are funded from external sources.
For those who are interested in working on refugee issues, there are two Geneva-based organizations that work specifically in these areas. One, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), is part of the UN system and also has an major office presence in Budapest. Some UNHCR duty stations located elsewhere also accept interns. The internship duration generally lasts from two to six months. The kind of work interns are offered depends on UNHCR requirements as well as the qualifications and interests of the applicant. Most interns work on a project which will benefit both them and UNHCR, in fields such as refugee protection (legal), international relations, administration and public affairs. UNHCR provides no financial support for its interns. Information about such internships can be found here.
The other organization working with refugee and immigration issues is the International Organization for Migration (IOM). IOM is not part of the UN system, but coordinates its activities closely with the UN and with other IOs and NGOs. Interns tend to be students approaching the end of their study programme or graduates between 19 and 32 years of age (the average age for IOM interns is 26). Interns are given assignments and responsibility commensurate with their education and experience and they are referred to a supervisor/tutor, who is responsible for mentoring and coaching. They can be given short assignments either designed within on-going programmes or on an ad-hoc basis. Interns are not considered to be staff members but Terms of Reference, tasks, duration of assignment and supervisors are clearly determined. During their assignment, interns attend monthly briefings on the different services of IOM and visit other Geneva-based IOs. More information can be found here.
To give students who are interested in international careers an idea of what skills, background and experience are desirable, one can get a general overview of what the UN and the various IOs do and what job opportunities are available within those systems by consulting the UNJobs website. Information about jobs related to international relations and development generally, including opportunities with NGOs, can be found here.
This information is only a tiny tip of the iceberg of information available. If one is serious about a professional career in international relations, sincere dedication and effort will reap rewards in the long run.
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