International Organisations are characterised by their own system of grades into which career progression is divided. Three levels can be distinguished:
- clerical staff normally recruited in the country where the institution is located (in the UN system these are referred to as General Staff, G);
- staff holding posts for which a university degree is required (in the UN system these are referred to as Professionals, P, ranging from P1 to P5);
- senior management (in the UN system they are called Directors, level D1 and D2).
The P1 position is the entry level for university graduates and does not, as a rule, require any particular work experience. For a P2 position, up to 3 years of experience may be required, for a P3 position 4 to 6 years, for a P4 position 7 to 10 years, for a P5 position 10 to 15 years. These are indicative references, as requirements vary from one organisation to another.