United NationsCore Competency
Communication — UN competency
Speaking and writing clearly and effectively, listening to others, and tailoring language and message to the audience.
What this competency means
Communication in the UN framework is two-directional: it includes the discipline of listening, interpreting correctly and responding appropriately, as well as clarity in speech and writing. Openness in sharing information and keeping people informed is treated as part of the competency.
Based on the UN Competency Framework
Behavioural indicators
- Speaks and writes clearly and effectively
- Listens to others, correctly interprets messages and responds appropriately
- Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication
- Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience
- Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed
Our interpretation for interview preparation
Behaviours that weaken an answer
- Uses jargon or detail that the audience cannot use
- Talks over others or fails to check understanding
- Withholds information that colleagues need to act
PanelPrep interview guidance
What a strong example might demonstrate
Candidates preparing for competency-based interviews can use this competency to think about a time when the message was harder than the content. A strong behavioural example would demonstrate how you read the audience, what you changed in tone or format, and how you verified the message landed.
PanelPrep interview guidance
How to prepare for questions on this competency
Communication examples usually involve explaining something complex to a non-expert audience, handling a difficult conversation, or drafting for senior decision-makers.
STAR preparation
- Situation — set the context in two sentences: where, when, who was involved.
- Task — state precisely what you were responsible for, not what the team was responsible for.
- Action — spend most of the answer here, in the first person, showing the indicators above in practice.
- Result — quantify the outcome and add what you learned or changed afterwards.
PanelPrep interview guidance
Common interview question patterns
Illustrative patterns written by PanelPrep to help you practise. They are not published or endorsed by UN.
- Describe a time you had to explain complex information to a non-specialist audience.
- Tell us about a difficult conversation you had to manage.
- Give an example of a document you drafted that changed a decision.
PanelPrep interview guidance
Common mistakes
- Describing what you said without describing the effect
- Ignoring the listening half of the competency
- Choosing an example with no audience challenge
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The competency name, category and behavioural concepts on this page are based on United Nations, "UN Competency Development – A Practical Guide". Summaries, interview guidance, question patterns and preparation advice are original PanelPrep content.
Framework version: UN Competency Development – A Practical Guide. Source date: 2010-01-01. Last verified: 2026-08-09.
PanelPrep is an independent interview-preparation service. It is not an official website of UN and is not endorsed by or affiliated with UN.