Top Intergovernmental Organizations Hosted by Talent and Careers at 4th Edition of IGOs Day

IE Talent and Careers hosted 17 of the most important Intergovernmental Organizations on a global scale, including UNICEF, NATO, and UNHCR, at the IE Tower for the fourth edition of the Intergovernmental Organizations’ Day, which featured record-breaking attendance from 367 students, a 30% increase from the previous edition.

Bachelor and master students had direct access to 37 representatives from the firms, including HR specialists, at a 3-hour networking fair designed to connect students and recruiters, some of which were IE Alumni who provided insights on their recruitment journey.

This year’s edition also incorporated four new firms into the ever-growing network of participating entities that network with IE students at IE Talent and Careers events every year.

“The main goal of the IGOs Day is to bring organizations in person and interact directly with the students,” said Stefano Ugarelli, Associate Director for IE Talent and Careers, “having the possibility to interact directly with the students demystifies the recruitment process and helps put a face to a name, maximizing their employability prospects in such global and competitive hiring journey.”

Ugarelli further highlighted the event’s key role in motivating social-impact-driven students, encouraging the belief that their professional journey can contribute not just to the success of an organization, but ultimately to the betterment of the world.

An opening panel on recruitment trends in the IGOs sector titled “Global Careers for a Changing World - Building Skills for the Next 50 Years” inaugurated the event, discussing key recruitment trends and growing demand for digital transformation, AI, cybersecurity, climate resilience, and global health skills.

Another hot topic addressed was the increased demand for soft skills, including intercultural communication, adaptability, and teamwork, and candidates from multidisciplinary backgrounds who can work in multicultural, complex environments.

The panel featured four key speakers: Daniel Pecina-Lopez, External Relations and Communications Specialist at ADB, Thibault Jacobs, officer of Talent Development at the Executive Management Division at NATO HQ, Fawzieh Abu Hadba, HR Manager at the Information and Communication Technology Division of UNICEF, and Veronique Benoit-Gex, Head of Recruitment & Partnerships at ITU.

The following networking fair unfolded over three hours where students had direct access to recruiters and alumni such as Andrés Esono Alogo, ESOC IT Ops Deployment Manager at the NATO Communications and Information Agency, and alumni of the Global Online MBA and Master in Cybersecurity programs, who shared his career journey with students.

“I went through the International Cyber Security Summer School, and the NCIA was a sponsor of it,” he said “That’s how I got to know about the organization, and a couple of years later, I became an employee.”

He spotlighted the diversity of opportunities offered at the NCIA, including full-time and part-time jobs that cultivate learning opportunities and the potential to meet future colleagues and employers.

Theodora Filip, Communication Officer at SatCen and alumn of the Master in Management at IE University also shared her advice for current IE students looking to break into the IGOs sector.

“A lot of times, you might think you don’t have the background to enter an international organization, but you’d be surprised that the skills you do have can be a good match,” she said, “even if you lack the core technical, business knowledge, there are still plenty of opportunities in supporting teams like communication and finance, so don’t get discouraged, just go for it!”

Her advice echoed that of Stefano Ugarelli, who urged students to stay persistent throughout a process that can be long and tedious but lead to a fulfilling career path. He underscored the importance of becoming familiar with the recruitment process and leveraging the full potential of your extracurricular activities.

Hundreds of excited students benefitted from the networking fair, including Seraphine Lesay, a fourth-year Bachelor in International Relations student.

“I came here to explore my career path and what I want to do in the future,” she said, “it has been nice to see people who work in these organizations because it's usually hard to get access to them otherwise, and they gave me tips on what to do next, in terms of getting an internship and a potential future career path.”

IE Talent and Careers continues its dedication to connecting students with the best professionals in their fields of interest, enhancing their career opportunities, and boosting their employability potential.

Here is a complete list of the 17 firms present at the event: European Central Bank, United Nations System Staff College, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UN World Tourism Organization, International Organization for Migration, International Telecommunications Union, UNICEF, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, European Union Intellectual Property Office, NATO HQ, Asian Development Bank, United Nations University, NATO Communications and Information Agency, Inter-American Development Bank, European Union Satellite Centre, United Nations International Computing Centre and Organization of Ibero-American States.