- Choose a balanced mix: Include a former UN supervisor, a colleague from another team, and an outside partner or donor.
- Brief them before the call: Send each person the job description, your CV and your exit story.
- Plan for supervisors who moved on: Collect personal contact details and your appraisals before you leave, and use partners or colleagues if a supervisor can't be reached.
An excellent reference can tip a hiring decision. Here's how to choose the right mix, brief your references on your story, and find good alternatives when your supervisors have moved on.
Build a Strong Reference Panel
Hiring managers outside the UN check references carefully, so choose a panel of 3 or 4 people who each show something different:
- A recent direct UN supervisor who can speak about your performance and how you work.
- An outside partner, donor or NGO leader who can confirm how well you collaborate and deliver.
- A colleague from another team, or a member of your team, who can speak about your leadership.
How to Brief Your References
Never list someone as a reference without asking them first and briefing them. When an employer asks for references, send each person a short email with the job description, the strengths you'd like them to mention, and your story about why you left. Then nobody is surprised on the call.
When Your UN Supervisors Have Moved On
Because UN staff move between duty stations so often, finding a supervisor from three years ago can be hard. Supervisors retire, go back home or take field assignments in far-away places. A little record-keeping now saves you a lot of searching later.
- 1. Download your performance files: Export all your completed e-PAS / PAS evaluations and letters of praise before you lose portal access.
- 2. Keep a personal contact list: Save personal email addresses and LinkedIn connections for every manager you have had.
- 3. Request an open letter of recommendation: Before supervisors move on, ask for a signed general letter on official letterhead.
- 4. Ask colleagues and partners: If a direct supervisor can't be found, ask a senior donor representative, a leader of an implementing partner or a senior colleague who saw your work closely.
Choose three ideal references today. Send each one a friendly message and confirm their current personal contact details. If you're still at the UN, also download your e-PAS / PAS appraisals to a personal drive.