Our colleague Sekou Traore shares how he embraces mobility.
I joined the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in 2013, working mostly in Africa, mainly in French-speaking countries, and always in information management.
From 2019 to 2024, I served as Head of the Information Management Unit in the Central African Republic (CAR).
While I am truly passionate about information management, career advancement in this field is limited with very few Head of Information Management Unit positions available.
If I aspired for more, changing career paths was the way to go.
The first mobility exercise, therefore, was the perfect opportunity. It offered both geographical and functional mobility, allowing you to transition into different job families.
I decided to apply for both Information Management and Humanitarian Affairs Officer positions. And this wasn’t just because of career growth. I needed a change in scenario. I wanted to work in a different region and be exposed to a different context.
Another big consideration was the desire to move to a family duty station. I have four children, so geographical mobility meant the possibility to apply to duty stations where I could finally bring my family with me.
I applied to five positions in four different countries.
After months of waiting, I was selected for a position in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
When I heard that I was selected to move to the DRC, although it was not my first choice, I was genuinely happy. Even though I am still working in information management, the transition from CAR to DRC is a significant change for me and a valuable learning opportunity.
I encourage my colleagues to participate in the mobility exercise. Let’s not forget that the more people apply, the more positions become available, the more opportunities for growth for all of us.
Applying is simple – you answer screening questions, update your PHP, and done!
So indeed, go into this understanding that there is a waiting time, that you might not get your first choice, but do it to challenge yourself, learn new skills, and ultimately, grow.
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