Understanding the GloJobs Formality Indicator
A 0–5 red-flag score on every vacancy that helps you judge how open a competition really is.
TL;DR
The Formality Indicator analyses the text of each vacancy for five patterns linked to postings that may have a pre-decided candidate. A score of 0 means no flags detected — an open competition. A score of 5 means all five flags are present and the competition is likely heavily weighted toward an internal candidate. The score does not mean the job is fake or that you should not apply; it is a tool to help you prioritise your effort.
Why does this exist?
The UN system has a well-documented phenomenon informally called the "pre-decided vacancy": a position is advertised externally (as required by regulations) but the hiring manager already has a specific candidate in mind — usually an internal staff member, a consultant who has been filling the role informally, or a seconded national. The job posting is technically open, but the terms of reference are written so narrowly — or the deadline is so short — that external applicants have little realistic chance.
Experienced UN job seekers learn to spot these patterns over time. The GloJobs Formality Indicator formalises this knowledge and applies it automatically to every vacancy, giving every applicant — not just insiders — the same information.
How the score is calculated
Each vacancy is analysed for five independent red flags. Every flag that fires adds one point to the score. The result is a whole number from 0 (no flags) to 5(all flags), displayed on the job detail page as a colour-coded bar:
| Score | Label | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | None | No flags. Likely a genuine open competition. |
| 1 | Very Low | One minor signal. Probably still a fair competition. |
| 2 | Low | Two signals. Worth applying, but be aware of the context. |
| 3 | Moderate | Three signals. An internal candidate is plausible. |
| 4 | High | Four signals. Strong indicator of an internal selection. |
| 5 | Very High | All five flags present. Apply only if you have strong internal connections or an exceptional profile. |
The five red flags — explained
Narrow Requirements
The vacancy's required qualifications include hyper-specific skills, niche tools, or an unusually narrow combination of domain expertise and technical background. Genuine open competitions tend to list broader, transferable qualifications; narrow requirements signal that the terms of reference were written around a specific person's CV.
Short Application Period
The vacancy closes within 7 days or fewer of being posted. Standard UN postings are open for at least 2–4 weeks. A compressed deadline limits the pool of external applicants while technically satisfying the requirement to advertise the post.
Temporary / Fixed-Term Conversion
The vacancy is explicitly for a temporary or short-term post, or the language suggests it may be a temporary-to-permanent conversion. These postings are sometimes used to regularise staff who are already performing the role on a consultant or temporary contract.
Internal Bias Language
The vacancy text contains phrases that give a structural advantage to internal candidates — such as references to prior experience within a specific agency as a requirement (rather than desirable), or language lifted directly from internal performance frameworks.
Hyper-Specific Qualifications
Requirements that go beyond professional expertise into very precise combinations — for example, a mandatory degree in an extremely narrow sub-field, or a specific combination of certifications and language levels that only a handful of people globally would hold — particularly when listed as required rather than desirable.
How to use the Formality Indicator in your job search
The indicator is a signal, not a verdict. Here is how to use it effectively:
- Score 0–1: Focus your strongest application here. These are the most likely genuine competitions.
- Score 2–3: Apply if you are a strong match, but do not invest disproportionate time tailoring your application.
- Score 4–5: Apply only if you have a particularly strong profile, a personal connection in the hiring unit, or are already known to the organisation. Don't skip it entirely — occasionally a high-scoring vacancy goes to an external candidate — but calibrate your expectations.
Pro tip
Use the search filters on GloJobs to narrow to organisations and duty stations where you have existing contacts or prior experience. A vacancy with a score of 3 from an agency you have previously worked with as a consultant is often a better bet than a score-0 vacancy from an organisation that doesn't know you.
Limitations and important caveats
- The analysis is automated and based on text patterns — it cannot read the hiring manager's intentions.
- Some legitimate specialised roles genuinely require narrow expertise. A high score in a very technical area (e.g., nuclear safety, specialised international law) may reflect the nature of the work rather than bias.
- The indicator analyses the vacancy text only. It cannot account for internal dynamics, current roster status, or whether a candidates-reserve panel already exists.
- Short deadlines in certain agencies (e.g., some humanitarian operations) are standard practice and do not necessarily indicate internal pre-selection.
- This feature is new and continues to be refined. If you believe a score is incorrect, please use the feedback link on the job page.