Join Your Model UN Team This Fall

When researching the Model United Nations Institute, you are able to find a wide range of testimonies from students and parents at MUNI. But have you ever wondered what the experience is like through a staffer’s point of view? Here is an inside look on what it was like to be a Residential Counselor for the MUNI Summer Institute 2019.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities
My main responsibility as a Residential Counselor is to ensure the safety and well-being of all MUNI students. From assisting students with their nightly homework, to enforcing curfew and ensuring all students get where they need to be, Residential Counselors work every day to make sure each student at MUNI is safe, happy and learning. Additionally, Residential Counselors are tasked with designing and leading fun and engaging activities for all residential students. Game night, sport competitions, scavenger hunts are just a few examples of activities we would engage in. My favorite residential activity is City Night, when students and staff take a trip into the city one night in the week to grab a to-go meal and take our food to eat together, hang out and explore a scenic location. MUNI summer programs are offered at a variety of exciting locations, and city night is a great opportunity for students and staff to learn about and experience a new place.

A snapshot of the neighborhood that surrounds our Harvard location!

The Students
As much as I love planning and organizing activities, my favorite part of the job was definitely engaging with the students. Being exposed to so many distinct personalities, aspirations and backgrounds was refreshing and intriguing. Although most residential students only stay for about a week, they undergo so much change and growth in that time. Their friendships, confidence and views blossom into full force, granting me the honor to see their full potential. One of my favorite moments of MUNI was at UC Berkeley where everyone comforted one student who was feeling homesick even though they had only known each other for a couple of days. The community that is built during MUNI is resilient and strong among the students.

MUNI allows students to make life-long friends and to be exposed to those of different backgrounds!

Staff Culture
Being a Residential Counselor had its own unique challenges, and felt overwhelming at some points. However, I was always able to get through anything with the help of my coworkers. Even though the majority of staff were not residential counselors, they always offered a lending hand in supervising, handling time-sensitive situations and providing their own perspective on dilemmas that arose. I made long lasting relationships with my coworkers, and have the honor to call some of them my closest friends. The community based environment I had the pleasure to work in is something I still look for when interviewing for jobs.

Overall Experience
I honestly did not expect that being a Residential Counselor could be so rewarding and impactful on my life. It allowed me to grow tremendously in how to delegate tasks, mediate conflicts and work in a team. It allowed me to realize my love for kids, to form meaningful friendships and to travel the country while working. I definitely recommend every MUN college student to staff a MUNI camp at least once, as it is an experience that will greatly shape you. And for parents, your students are in excellent care! For those still in middle and highschool, registration for the MUNI Summer Institute 2020 is now live, and I recommend you check it out!

{ 0 comments }

An Interview With a MUNI Alumni

The Model UN Institute is a program that provides students the opportunity to become the best MUN delegates they can be. By providing a one-of-a-kind experience to many students of varying levels of expertise, the MUN Institute has fostered the development of many leaders and Best Delegates. This year, the MUNI Media Team interviewed Rauda Al-Tenaiji, a MUNI alumni who started a Model UN Club at the Liwa International School in UAE, about her experience at the MUN Institute!

How did you become interested in Model UN?

My dream job is to be an ambassador, but in order for me to be good at my future job, I needed to gain many skills like diplomacy, public speaking and leadership skills. Model UN truly helped me gain those skills by providing many activities that are related to each skill. For instance, MUN helped me enhance my public speaking skills by using the speech structure called “ Hook Point Action”, and using this speech structure to talk in front of an audience.

What is the biggest lesson you took away from the MUN Institute?

Choose your words wisely! There is always proper way to discuss matters with others, especially in critical issues. 

What was your favorite part of the MUN Institute?

My favorite part of MUN institute was making friends from all around the world! We had the chance to share our experiences together, talk about our favorite music and food, and we educated each other about our cultures.

What are some of your personal, academic, and professional goals that MUN can help with?

MUN helped me tremendously in all aspects. I’ve always wanted to discuss issues by stating facts from trusted sources, and MUN taught me techniques that help me conduct proper research on issues. Moreover, Model UN helped me find my voice, which led me to be recognized by the school’s administration, and I took the chance to discuss starting my MUN club.  It should be noted that Model UN paved the way for me to reach my professional goal, to be an ambassador, by teaching me all the basic skills needed to be a good ambassador.  

How did you start your own Model UN club? What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

To be honest, I struggled when starting my own Model UN club in school for many reasons. It was a struggle to conduct a meeting with the administration about MUN because they didn’t view MUN as “crucial enough”  to conduct a meeting until the day I went to a different school to be a guest speaker and talked about my experience with MUNI. After being a guest speaker, my school received an email about me being a guest speaker, which led them to finally conduct a meeting about starting my MUN club. Another challenge I faced was when recruiting members, not many students knew about MUN, so I had to constantly talk to students briefly about MUN during lunchtime and free periods; however, I quickly overcame this obstacle and recruited a good amount of students that are interested in joining my MUN club.

Did you use any lessons from the MUN Institute to help start your club?

Yes! I am using the negotiation skills with my MUN team members during meetings to solve any issues that occur within the club like time-management, and the COVID-19 outbreak that is temporarily suspending the club from conducting any meeting or conference.


To take part in this transformative experience, sign up for one of many Model United Nations Institute programs taking place around the country this summer! Also be sure to check out our new program: MUN Online Debates, for an opportunity to develop your leadership and debating skills while interacting with delegates from all around the world! Click here to learn more about the online debate program.

{ 0 comments }

It is not a secret that crisis and specialized committees tend to be male dominated. Throughout my years participating in Model UN, I’ve noticed that the vast majority of character based committees rarely have female delegates among their participants, let alone female characters or officials in the dossiers. 

The gender imbalance across delegates and characters is directly correlated to historical and enduring gender inequality in leadership areas. However, it also illuminates the societal tendency to relegate women-centered stories to side narratives. As this article shows, there are plenty of opportunities for female centric committees that just aren’t being run!

As a young woman in Model UN, having the opportunity to represent other women is a rarity! When it occurs, I cannot help but feel immensely empowered and inspired, as well as saddened that so many other women in Model UN never get this chance: one that I believe all delegates should have regardless of their gender. 

Expanding equality-related topics and female representation beyond solely General Assemblies can also lead to more gender parity across committee types, by motivating women to participate in crisis and specialized committees. Ultimately, equality is a conversation that all genders should partake in, and the issue itself can be applicable to exciting committees of all kinds! 

To celebrate International Women’s Day this week, here are six crisis and specialized committee suggestions centered on the theme of women’s empowerment — from organizations that fight for girls’ education and governments that exhibit gender parity, to unique historical and fictional storylines in which women play significant roles.

Cabinet of Finland, 2019 – Crisis

The Finnish government made history in December 2019, electing its youngest ever prime minister, Social Democrat Sanna Marin. She leads a coalition government whose four other parties are all led by women. The Marin Cabinet consists of 19 ministers from the Social Democratic Party, the Centre Party, the Green League, the Left Alliance, and the Swedish People’s Party. 

Aside from setting the agenda for the next few years of Finnish governance, the Cabinet will have to take on their nation’s European Union Presidency, manage the labor strikes that led to the resignation of the former Prime Minister, handle the controversial repatriation of Syrian Al-Hawl refugees, and effectively address the #1 concern of Finnish voters: climate change. 

Aside from creating an opportunity to discuss relevant topics, a committee on the Marin Cabinet would be a major step forward for gender equality. This government is revolutionarily led by a majority of female officials across the political spectrum.

Committee on the Organization of the #MeToo Movement (2017) – Specialized

Initiated by Tarana Burke, #MeToo exploded in 2017, becoming an international movement for raising awareness about sexual harassment and assault and generating conversations and policies. This committee, centered on strategizing the #MeToo movement, can involve characters ranging from activists and celebrities to journalists and policymakers from around the world. 

Now that the hashtag has become viral, committee members will have to determine what priorities and policies they want to champion and decide how to expand the movement in nations with internet censorship, or where sexual assault is a taboo topic. Potential committee objectives could be writing a #MeToo manifesto and dealing with interactive media elements, such as press conferences and Twitter updates. 

Including this specialized committee on the Model UN circuit can contribute to awareness and problem solving around the issue of sexual assault, as well as take a topic often incorporated into General Assemblies to another, more dynamic level. Ultimately, this can inspire more female delegates to participate in specialized committees and increase open-mindedness for all participants. 

Night Witches: 588th Night Bomber Regiment – Crisis

The “Night Witches” was a nickname German World War II soldiers used for the notorious all female military aviators of the Soviet Air Force’s 588th Night Bomber Regiment. The regiment flew precision bombing missions against the German military from 1942 until the end of the war, and was the first and most highly decorated female unit in the Soviet Air Force. The Nazis feared and hated them, automatically granting any German airman who downed a member of their regiment the prestigious Iron Cross medal. 

Beginning with negotiations for the inclusion of women in the Air Force, this committee can span World War II and involve military strategy, historic battles, and incredible women often excluded from history books. 

On multiple occasions, I’ve found myself in a committee with an all male cast of characters. Delving into the story of the Night Witches is not only fascinating, but it turns the tables with an all female group of historical figures — a rare occurrence in Model UN. This committee also dispels the common idea that women are disinterested in military topics.   

The Republic of Gilead – Crisis

The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It is set in future New England, after a theonomic and totalitarian movement overthrows the United States government and establishes the Republic of Gilead. The story explores repression in a patriarchal society, and includes complex female characters who resist the regime and aim to gain independence. 

The Handmaid’s Tale could be adapted into an advanced crisis committee, with delegates representing Handmaids and strategizing how to gain freedom and upend the social order. Alternatively, it can be structured as a committee meeting of the ‘Mayday’ resistance, an underground network working to overthrow the Republic of Gilead. 

Either direction taken can lead to a captivating committee that explores gender inequality, totalitarian regimes, and rebellion in times of repression. 

Malala Fund – Specialized

The Malala Fund was funded in 2013 by Malala Yousafzai and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai. Through its Gulmakai Network, the organization supports the work of education champions in developing countries and works to promote girls’ education and empowerment. Several past initiatives of the Malala Fund include building an all-girls school in Kenya, creating an education program for Pakistani children fleeing conflict and natural disasters, and building classrooms for over 1,000 girls in Sierra Leone. 

The committee can consist of Malala Fund staff, board members, leadership council members, and partner representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Apple, Starbucks, etc. Simulated as a specialized committee, the Malala Fund can be a dynamic experience that generates productive dialogue and innovative solutions for gender inequality in education.

MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) – Crisis

J.K. Rowling’s new screenplays, now the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films, are amazing stories that not only take the magic of the wizarding world beyond Hogwarts but include gender parity among its complex characters. Simulating an assembly of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), led by President Seraphina Picquery, would make for an exciting fantasy crisis committee. 

Occurring in the 1920s, this committee can involve characters from MACUSA itself, as well as other witches and wizards from the Fantastic Beasts storyline. Committee objectives would include responding to the crisis of “magizoologist” Newt Scamander’s creatures breaking loose throughout New York City, addressing the resurgent desire of non-magical people to expose and persecute witches and wizards, and collaborating with the non-magical U.S. Congress to ensure national security in response to the threats of dark magic.

By including more diverse committees with well-rounded casts of characters — of all genders — Model UN can not only be a vehicle for discussing gender equality, but also for normalizing it and achieving it across the board! 


To learn more about organizing conferences, orchestrating committees like these, and taking on club officer roles in Model UN, the Student Leadership program at the Model UN Institute is an amazing and impactful summer experience. 

Through this program, students who will become the next generation of conference organizers and who are looking to become more empowered and aware as leaders will have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge on how to lead their MUN organizations to success and make a difference through leadership and diplomacy.

{ 0 comments }

Letters of recommendation are one of the most underrated and important components of a successful college application because it helps differentiate students from everyone else who has good grades, good test scores, and ample participation in Model UN. Top students know they need solid letters of recommendation from their teachers in order to get into top colleges.

Here’s the problem: teachers do not have enough observation opportunities during Model UN conferences to be able to write richly detailed letters of recommendation. Usually they only catch snippets of students lobbying or negotiating in a crowd when they walk into the committee room, and if they are lucky they get to see their student make one speech all weekend.

Here’s the opportunity: Be a Model UN Club Officer. Teachers respect club officers. Why? Because club officers are the best educators — they demonstrate leadership and bring out the best in the rest of the club’s students. And club officers provide the most valuable thing possible for a teacher — they save them time by doing all the things needed to run a club that the teacher doesn’t have time to do! Lastly, they actually get to observe club officers in action because their efforts take place in their classroom after school!

Here are some opportunities to demonstrate leadership depending on where you are in your Model UN journey:

You’re an incoming Model UN Student Officer already

Great! What type of legacy are you going to leave? In other words, what difference will you have made so that next year’s student officers are set up with an even better club? This could be increasing club membership and culture through better recruitment and retention strategies. This could be selecting more challenging conferences to attend and implementing a training plan to prepare for them. Or this could be starting your own mock conference for novice delegates at your school or middle school students in your district.

Make some goals that you and your fellow club officers want to achieve this year, set up a plan of action items to do, and then execute through regular meetings. Learn some of the best practices and case studies for student officers at the Model UN Institute Student Leadership program.

You want to become a Model UN Student Officer

What are the most important things that the club needs to improve on? You have to identify those areas of weaknesses in your club and come up with ways to improve them. This could be helping your team prepare for MUN conferences by running practice simulations, doing trainings on public speaking, or giving feedback to each other’s position papers. This could be mentoring newer delegates. Demonstrating proactive leadership is what makes the advisors and fellow members more confident that you are ready to become a club officer next year.

Share the experiences you have gained as a delegate or resources and research you have compiled over time. Learn from the Model UN Institute’s Ambassador program (advanced delegate skills) or Crisis program (crisis simulation skills) so that you can go back and teach those to your delegates.

You want to start a Model UN Club at Your School

This is perhaps the most difficult but most rewarding opportunity available! Starting a Model UN club is a lot of work but presents a lot of sustained opportunities for leadership — moments that will make great stories for letters of recommendation and the personal essay.

There are a lot of basic things to figure out at this stage, and trial and error is normal. The most important is just making sure that students “get” Model UN and love doing it so that the new club is sustainable. Pick a novice conference to go to, get everyone to sign up for it, and then focus all your training preparing for it. That will get all the new members on the same journey and rowing the same boat.

The fundamentals of Model UN can be learned at the Model UN Institute’s Diplomat program (for high school) or Junior Diplomat program (for middle school).

Check out the MUN Institute this summer! Click here to view all programs & locations.

Ready to Get Started?

New call-to-action
{ 0 comments }

The 6 Levels of Model UN Experiences Explained to Parents

So, your child is doing Model United Nations! But what exactly are they doing when they dress up in Western Business Attire and head off to a Model UN conference for a weekend? And how does it change as they go from being a novice to a more experienced MUNer?

Although there’s no formal levels in Model UN, the Model UN circuit could be informally divided into six levels of experiences. These levels are actually what are reflected in the programs of the Model United Nations Institute. Here are the 6 Levels of Model UN explained to parents:

Level 1: Middle School

Yes, Model UN is available at the middle school level! In fact, it’s actually available at the upper elementary school level, though it’s far less common. Nowadays there are an increasing number of middle school Model UN conferences worldwide. Middle school students are introduced to global issues for the first time and typically debate topics where research is easier to find — but not necessarily easier to solve — such as Child Soldiers and Equal Representation of Women. They tend to be high energy and actively build alliances to solve these issues. At the MUN Institute, middle school students can start at the Junior Diplomat program, and advanced middle school students can learn at the Junior Ambassador program.

Level 2: High School Novice

The vast majority of Model UN students start as high school freshmen and ideally attend novice conferences. These are usually 1-day local conferences where students are expected to be on country policy — whether they’re assigned Canada, China, or Cameroon — and use formal Rules of Procedure when debating about global topics such as Climate Change and Nuclear Non-Proliferation. High school novices are challenged to make both prepared speeches and impromptu speeches to persuade the room to vote for their solutions. High school novices can learn how to do Model UN by reading the Diplomat Guide or attending the Diplomat program.

Click here to download our guide for MUN beginners!

 

Level 3: High School Advanced

Once students understand the basics of Model UN, they go on to participate in Advanced Model UN conferences. These are usually 2-4 day conferences, and many of the largest and most prestigious conferences host over 3,000 delegates at once! At this level, Model UN can become a competition as students are judged for awards as they debate specialized topics such as economic development in Africa or global hot spots such as Syria. Social dynamics — ability to persuasively build allies and diplomatically negotiate with adversaries — become much more important (as it is in real life diplomacy). Advanced high school students can take their skills to the next level by reading the Ambassador Guide or polishing their skills at the Ambassador program.

Level 4: High School Crisis

Crisis simulations are common at the college level, and now it is becoming increasingly available and popular at the high school level. Crisis simulations are when students represent Cabinet members and have to respond to crises that are thrown at them! For example, students could be simulating the US Cabinet and a terrorist attack goes off in Washington DC! What should they do next? That depends on the role they are assigned to play — the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense would react differently! Crisis committees are more complex than Advanced committees because they heavily emphasize impromptu speaking, rapid decision-making, and creative problem-solving instead of prepared speeches and research. Students can experience this at the Crisis program or pick up the Crisis guide to get started.

Click here to download our Parent Guide!

 

Level 5: High School Student Officers

By the time a high school Model UN student is an upperclassman, he or she may have stepped into a student officer role in the Model UN club. This could include serving as President running the club, as the Head Delegate (team captain) training the team, as Secretary-General running the club’s own conference or mock session, or in other impactful leadership roles. They’re often busy after-school helping take their club to the next level. Students officers work closely with the Faculty Advisor and stand out — this is how advisors can write richer details into the students’ college letters of recommendations. Leaders ready to become student officers can learn the best practices at the Student Leadership program.

Level 6: College

Model UN continues in college! College students compete in a tight-knit national (or even international) circuit of Model UN conferences featuring some of the brightest future lawyers, diplomats, politicians, government officials, businesspeople, teachers, academics, and change-makers in the world. They build a strong professional network and strong professional skill set by going to all these conferences. Many college Model UN students also give back by serving as Chairpersons (judges) for high school conferences. And some even go on to teach Model UN professionally, including serving as Diplomacy Fellows at the Model UN Institute or becoming teachers and Faculty Advisors for Model UN clubs!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MUN INSTITUTE? CHECK OUT OUR HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!

Ready to Get Started?

New call-to-action

{ 0 comments }

Once students attend a few Model United Nations conferences, they start to feel more comfortable with the activity. They are able to easily research topics, and feel confident when giving Model UN speeches. So what’s next for these students who want to move past the fundamentals and dive deeper into MUN?

Well, they should check out the Ambassador Guide for Advanced Model UN Delegates! This guide is modeled after the MUN Institute Ambassador program curriculum, which informs students on topics such as:

  • Multiple advanced Model UN strategies
  • How to win awards in any MUN committee
  • How to utilize United Nations sources for research
  • How to write high-quality resolutions that will pass
  • And much more!

Whether you’re a Model UN beginner or veteran, this guide is great for developing your advanced delegate strategies to excel at your next conferenceClick here to download the guide, or click the image below!

Ready to Get Started?

New call-to-action

{ 0 comments }

Strategy. Structure. Style. These high-level elements of Model United Nations were a defining feature of my summer at the Model United Nations Institute in 2017, when I participated in the Ambassador program. Whether you’re devising strategies to achieve your committee goals or improving the structure of your speeches and resolutions, being aware of delegate styles can be incredibly valuable and was one of my biggest takeaways from a week packed with practical tips and tricks for success.

As a Model UN delegate, you likely have developed your own style of debate and leadership. However, you’ll encounter a variety of different personalities in any committee. It’s beneficial to learn about the styles mentioned below, not only to determine and refine your own, but to figure out other delegates’ as you navigate sessions of debate and negotiation. 

Let’s meet the five main delegates that you are sure to encounter in a Model UN committee:

  1. Competitive Delegates 
    These delegates are likely to assert their policies and solutions in committee, crafting detailed and strong resolutions. Their main goal is getting what they want, even if they end up excluding other delegates as a result. Excellent negotiators and strong leaders, these delegates are often at the helm of what is viewed as the “dominating” caucusing bloc.

  1. Collaborative Delegates
    These delegates are equally likely to strongly assert their policies and solutions through resolutions and speeches. However, they are more willing to cooperate with other delegates and include their ideas. Although this strategy may lead to strong, multifaceted resolutions, it can also cause a longer writing process due to the time spent coordinating others. These delegates are often perceived as diplomatic leaders.

  1. Compromising Delegates
    Although they are also likely to assert their policies and solutions, these delegates tend to be willing to support working papers or initiatives even that include all of their ideas. They want the committee to operate productively, so their primary aim is writing and passing resolutions regardless of whether they agree with them completely or they are in the strongest possible form. 

  1. Accommodating Delegates
    These delegates do not have strong positions on their policies, and are willing to join any caucusing bloc in order to write and pass resolutions. As we learned at the Model UN Institute, they tend to either be “dominated” by competitive delegates or “influenced” by collaborative delegates. 

  1. Avoiding Delegates
    These delegates can express avoidance in a variety of ways: they may not want any resolutions to pass at all, or they might sponsor a resolution by themselves instead of aligning with a caucus bloc. They may even choose not to participate in debate and caucusing at all!

After reading these descriptions, you may find that you tend towards a certain style (I personally find that being a collaborative delegate comes naturally to me). However, it’s important to recognize early in committee that your chair might favor a particular style, as well. You can try adopting a style that suits your committee dynamic and helps you achieve your goals. In the past, I’ve adapted to be a competitive type to stand out in committees full of power delegates. I’ve also been more compromising in unproductive committees where I wanted to make sure resolutions got written and passed before the end. As you can see, being aware of different Model UN styles can help you head into conferences prepared for any scenario! 

Another excellent application for these styles is in character based committees, where you are representing a real-life figure who has their own complex personality that you have to portray. If you are assigned Malala Yousafzai in a committee on gender equality, adapting a collaborative style can help you represent her accurately and skillfully. However, if you are representing Vladimir Putin, a competitive delegate strategy may be more appropriate. 

Whether you already know your style, have identified a particular one that you want to strive for, or want to strategically embrace a style that will best fit your committee or character, utilizing this can help you achieve your Model UN goals, establish yourself as a leader, and succeed in any committee. 

Our final simulation at the 2017 Ambassador program – the UN Security Council

For more advanced delegate tips and strategies like this one, including more information on the intricacies of delegate styles, I highly recommend the Ambassador program at the Model UN Institute. Learning to take my skills to the next level and develop my research, writing, public speaking, and leadership abilities during my summer as an Ambassador has proven invaluable on the high school Model UN circuit I have competed in ever since. Registration for the Ambassador program, as well as other Model UN Institute trainings, is live now at https://mun.bestdelegate.com/programs-at-a-glance/.

Click here to download our guide for advanced MUN Students!

{ 0 comments }

One of the most popular articles ever published on the Best Delegate blog was 15 Things Every MUN Delegate Needs in Their Research Binder. We know that Model United Nations delegates are on the go and need information in quick formats, so we created a downloadable guide that distills everything from that great article into a simple format.

 This free guide is chock full of great tips and strategies on how to prepare for, and excel in, any topic at any MUN conference! Perfect for MUN delegates of all experience levels, this guide has awesome tips on what type on info to bring in your research binder, including:

  • Conference information (awards policy, etc.)
  • Committee information (UN Charter, etc.)
  • Country profiles (CIA World Factbook, etc.)
  • Topics & Sub-topics (Past international action, etc.)
  • And so much more!

Whether you’re a Model UN beginner or veteran, this guide is great for perfecting your research strategies to make sure that you have all the necessary information for your next Model UN conference. Click here to download the guide, or click the image below!

Click here to learn more about the MUN Institute!

Ready to Get Started?

New call-to-action

{ 0 comments }

How Model UN Prepares You for Your Next Job Interview

Whether you are in a Crisis committee simulating a Roman war or in a General Assembly committee addressing the Rohingya crisis, you are gaining valuable skills for your next job interview.

When you reflect back on a Model UN competition, usually memories of team bonding, meeting new people and committee dynamics come to mind- but one thing you’re probably not thinking of is how the competition has prepared you for your next job interview. This article will help you reflect back on your MUN experiences through that lens.

Here are 5 examples of how MUN can prepare you for your next interview:

1. Leadership

Almost every job interview I have had has always asked me some version of the question, “can you describe to me a time where you have led a group?” I quickly realized after a few interviews that my experience in MUN was probably the most valuable. Afterall, MUN is where you are placed in a room filled with strangers, and you are expected to lead and form a block almost immediately. I typically explain this dynamic to the interviewer and then proceed to explain how I was able to take on a leadership role in my bloc.

Tip: While being a power delegate is sometimes rewarded at competitions, it can be seen as a negative trait to interviewers. Explaining how you lead through a collaborative effort shows job interviewers that you can be a leader without it coming at the expense of others.

2. Group Interviews

Unmoderated caucuses are the perfect way to practice for group interviews because they test how you interact with people from different backgrounds, how you delegate tasks and how you take the lead while working in a group. Just last week, I had a group interview where we were tasked to create an app for university students in just 15 minutes. While my peers were confused and hesitant on how to navigate the task, I realized how comfortable I was because of my vast experience in unmoderated caucuses. I was able to facilitate the conversations of my peers and lead the presentation of the app!

3. Research

Believe it or not, my jobs and internships have mostly tasked me with conducting research. Whether I had to research legislation for clientele investment opportunities or NGOs that focused on a particular issue, I felt well prepared by my experience in MUN. When preparing for MUN conferences, I spend hours researching current events, country policy and any other relevant information I may need. The intense research required to succeed in MUN allows you to become an expert on how to best search for a topic, read quickly and extract the main arguments of articles. Most office jobs will require these skill sets and it is a great skill to mention to interviewers.

4. Interpersonal Skills

First impressions are everything. Interviewers are partly trying to determine if your persona would be a good fit in their work environment. Because MUN requires you to work well with people you’ve just met, you are constantly improving upon your interpersonal skills. Interviewers want someone who is genuine, friendly and confident. That is why the art of forming relationships in MUN trains you on how to make the best first impression.

5. Quick Thinking

Competing in MUN requires you to think on the spot. Moderated caucuses often require you to speak without any time to prepare a speech, helping you practice your extemporaneous speaking skills. These same skills prepare you to succeed in a job interview, where you are expected to answer unexpected questions on the spot. For example, once I was in an interview I was asked, “how many toothbrushes are in the city of Los Angeles?” The answer was not important, but rather the way I approached it. Thanks to the critical thinking MUN has required of me, I was able to use logic and fast thinking to form an answer (unsurprisingly, I was far off in my answer but I still got the position).

At the end of the day, MUN may seem like just a simulation of current or historical events; but the skills you gain after every competition are instrumental, not only in job interviews, but in life. The perfect opportunity to get a taste of the skills MUN can offer you is through the MUNI Summer Institute. Here, you will receive one-on-one feedback to help you grow, be introduced to MUN strategies and meet students from across the globe. Registration for the MUNI Summer Institute 2020 is live now and I encourage you to check it out!

Click here to learn more about the MUN Institute!

{ 0 comments }

How to Write a Crisis Model UN Directive

Crisis committees are a great way for adventurous Model UN students to break out of their comfort zone and take on dynamic challenges related to important global topics. Crisis Model UN is becoming even more popular every year, with thousands of imaginative delegates working together to solve dynamic crises.

Are you new to Crisis MUN committees, and you’re not sure what directives are or how to write them? In this video, we go into detail on how to succeed at writing Crisis directives, and how you can be sure to improve your Crisis MUN skills. Check it out!

 

Click here to learn more about the MUN Institute!

Ready to Get Started?

New call-to-action

{ 0 comments }
Share with your friends










Submit
Menu