- Pass a technical written test.
- Answer competency-based questions using the STAR method.
- Negotiate and start your new job successfully.
1The written test
Many organisations set a test before the interview: drafting a note, analysing a data table, building a small budget or a logframe, answering a case study, sometimes within a time limit.
- Read all the questions before you start and allocate your time.
- Answer the question asked, in a structured way (headings, lists), in the language requested.
- Never copy text from the internet or from a tool without reworking it: plagiarism is checked and leads to elimination.
- Practise with the tools of the post (Excel for a MEAL or finance post, report writing for a programme post).
2The competency-based interview and the STAR method
NGOs and the UN mainly ask behavioural questions: “Tell me about a time when…”. They assume that your past behaviour predicts your future behaviour.
Answer using the STAR method:
- Situation: the context, in one or two sentences;
- Task: what was expected of you;
- Action: what you did (say “I”, not just “we”);
- Result: what changed, quantified if possible, and what you learned from it.
Prepare 6 to 8 real stories covering the usual competencies: teamwork, handling a conflict, pressure and deadlines, mistakes and learning, accountability, respect for diversity, leadership.
3During and after the interview
- Test your connection, sound and camera for an online interview; dress professionally; arrive five minutes early.
- Know the organisation, its work in the country and the current humanitarian context.
- Prepare two or three questions to ask (priorities of the post, the team, challenges in the first months).
- Stay honest: references are checked.
- After an offer: check the salary, duration, insurance, leave and any housing or security arrangements depending on the post. You can negotiate politely, especially the start date or the grade.
- Rejection is normal: ask for feedback when possible and keep applying.
The online interview
Video interview with a panel of three
You have been shortlisted for the post. The panel consists of the project manager, HR and the MEAL coordinator.
The written test went well. The interview lasts 45 minutes and focuses on competencies: teamwork, handling pressure, accountability.
Decision 1 of 3“Tell me about a time when you had to meet a very tight deadline.” How do you answer?
Decision 2 of 3You are asked about a weakness. Your answer?
Decision 3 of 3At the end, the panel asks whether you have any questions.
Key takeaways
A successful interview rests on real examples told with the STAR method, honesty and good questions.
Exercise: three STAR stories
Write three STAR stories of 6 to 8 lines each: one about teamwork under pressure, one about a mistake and what you learned from it, one about a conflict you resolved. Read each of them aloud in under two minutes.
Key points
- Written test: read everything, manage your time, structure your answers, never plagiarise.
- Behavioural questions: STAR method, with “I” and a quantified result.
- Prepare 6 to 8 real stories and questions to ask.
- Check the conditions before accepting, and negotiate politely.
Further reading: course references
- People In Aid / CHS Alliance (2003). Code of Good Practice in the Management and Support of Aid Personnel. www.chsalliance.org
- CHS Alliance, Groupe URD, Sphere (2024). Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS). www.corehumanitarianstandard.org
- Consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies (2011). Core Humanitarian Competencies Framework. www.chsalliance.org
- United Nations (careers.un.org) (2024). United Nations recruitment system and staff categories. careers.un.org
Daily quiz
3 questions to check what you have learned. Answer them all to complete the day.