What it does: NATO protects the security and freedom of its member countries. It works to serve three main purposes: forbidding the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe, deterring Soviet expansionism, and encouraging European political integration.
Mission: NATO works to protect the freedom and security of its member countries. The organization promotes democratic values and helps its members with security-related issues to prevent conflicts.
Size and presence: NATO, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military service between 30 member states, 28 European and two North American. The combined military of all NATO members includes around 3.5 million soldiers and personnel.
Best known for: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is known for promoting democratic values and enabling member countries to promote security and stability.
The good bits: The organization offers the opportunity to work with world-class professionals from different countries. Most employees at NATO represent top-tier elements of their country’s military and civilian. Moreover, it provides excellent growth opportunities via proper training and polishing.
The not-so-good bits: Just like everything has a flip side, the candidates applying for roles in NATO should expect a bit of pressure as the organization works for a purpose.
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and is also called the North Atlantic Alliance. It consists of 30 member states being an intergovernmental military alliance out of which 28 are European and two North American. The organisation was established after World War II and implements the North Atlantic Treaty. The treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, in Washington, D.C.
The organization is a system of collective security where the member states agree to defend each other at the time of any conflict like war or attacks by third parties. The main headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium while the military headquarters are near Mons, Belgium. It started with twelve founding members and added new members over time.
As far as the history of NATO is concerned, it started after World War II when the Treaty of Dunkirk was signed by France and the United Kingdom in 1947. It started as a Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance in the event of attacks by Germany or the Soviet Union. It was until the Korean War that the North Atlantic Treaty was dormant but things changed and initiated the establishment of an integrated military structure.
The member countries of NATO consist of Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkiye, United Kingdom, and the United States.
NATO offers more than a job, it is like a mission and missions need dedication. Being an intergovernmental military alliance, the organization offers a diverse and dynamic work environment. Employees are expected to give their best and stay current.
As NATO is such a big organization, the selection process might take a bit, and here’s what candidates can expect…
Assessment Centre: A one-day event that takes place off-site and is required for grade A.5 posts and above. Candidates take part in several individual and group activities so that management can judge their competencies.
Written Test: Once the panel is done with the assessment, candidates are asked to sit for a written test. It is required to assess the drafting skills and technical knowledge of the applicant. It may vary in duration from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the level of the job.
Language Test: It consists of a one-hour multiple-choice computer-based test done to assess the language skills of the candidate. English and French are two official languages of NATO and the scores range from level 0 for complete beginners and level 5 for bilinguals.
Interview: An Interview Panel of 5 or more members conducts a direct interview with the candidates. Each member asks questions from the candidate and the interview may last for sound one hour.
Nomination: Depending on the skills, qualifications, and experience, candidates are given different grades for posts. A report bearing a recommendation is sent to the higher authorities so that they can decide the level.
Once the selection process is complete, there may be other formalities like administrative processes, etc.
NATO offers employment opportunities in different areas such as defence, political-military work, security, diplomacy, resource management, engineering, informational technology, and administration. As the work is both meaningful and challenging, employees get to learn a lot and develop skills as part of a dynamic international team.
However, the organization recruit well-qualified, motivated civilians who are willing to work hard and make a difference. It also offers employment opportunities for university students, recent graduates, temporary staff, young professionals, and freelancers.
Moreover, employment opportunities are available in many locations across member states. Applicants can visit NATO’s website to check the latest vacancies under different Job categories.
The remuneration structure at NATO is called the single salary spine and is designed to provide a flexible remuneration structure. The remuneration structure helps the organization to give appropriate salaries to all employees according to the complexity of their jobs and level.
Here’s the list of benefits of working for NATO…
As NATO works with the purpose of guaranteeing the freedom and security of its members, it provides complete support to member countries. The organisation provided intelligence support, the provision of biological radiological, and nuclear defence assets, and radar aircraft.
The organization has several policies related to human rights such as combatting trafficking in human beings, children and armed conflict, and the protection of civilians. It works with a motto that peace and security cannot be taken for granted.
The current U.S. policy of NATO expansion suffers from many controversies including it would sharpen conflicts in the region, needlessly provokes Russia, it would cost a great deal of money, and many more.