UNITED NATIONS — For the first time in the history of the United Nations, those vying to be the next secretary general have to post their résumés, subject themselves to open hearings and declare publicly why they want this plummy — and thankless — job.

Three of the eight men and women seeking the post this year are former presidents or prime ministers. Half are women, reflecting a push by civil rights groups for the organization to be led by a woman for the first time in its 70 years. Four are from countries that were once part of Yugoslavia, and two now serve as chiefs of United Nations agencies, making it incumbent on them to show that they are not exploiting agency resources to run their campaigns.

In the end, the selection will be made by the five permanent members of the Security Council, who will send that person’s name to the 193-member General Assembly for approval. As in the past, the deliberations are likely to be shaped more by diplomatic jockeying between Moscow and Washington than what the candidates say or do in public hearings that start next week. The Russian ambassador, Vitaly I. Churkin, made this clear to diplomats who asked him about the new pressure for transparency.