How do you relate to the values of UNICEF professionally?
UNICEF lists its core values as "care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability." The organization breaks these down further into its Competency Framework, referenced in other questions in this set. It is important to show your connection to these values by choosing one or two to explore in greater detail.
"Although I strongly believe in the importance of all of UNICEF's values of care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability, 'respect' is one value I hold especially dear. As a nonprofit professional for over a decade, I have come to realize the necessity of treating all clients with respect. This goes deeper than simple kindness; instead, this means a real commitment to honoring one's humanity in every interaction. For example, our food and shelter programs typically provided whatever food we could afford within our given budget. However, we failed to assess our clients' satisfaction with the food. I coordinated an effort to meet each client face-to-face and ask them how they would change the program. As a result, I learned the nutritional value of the food we provided was not meeting their needs, so I was able to hire a contract dietician to advise us on changes to the menu that would fulfill most of our clients' suggestions. When we approach those we serve with true respect, we can become better service providers and make changes that are needed."
"I believe every individual working towards the betterment of children's lives should hold fast to the values of care, respect, integrity, trust, and accountability. As a financial management professional, 'accountability' is an extremely important value. For fifteen years, I have helped businesses ensure their accounts are accurate and balanced. In that time, I have learned that businesses can make or break their reputations based on their financial situations; for nonprofits, this reputation is closely tied to transparency and appropriate stewardship of donated funds. I am eager to use my commitment to financial accountability to advance the cause of improving the lives of children around the world."
Impress the interviewer by naming all of the values espoused by UNICEF. However, you should only dig deeper into a few in your answer. Talk about how you have shown care, respect, integrity, trust, or accountability in specific situations in the workplace.
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