How to land a job at World Bank or IMF

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And that is tax FREE, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

You can only lateral if you get in as an economist and pass the panel. Otherwise you are in a specialized career stream and can’t easily move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

Wow, back office staff make this much money?! Sign me up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

NP, I'm a MS economist from a top school, but US citizen... do I have a chance or do I really need to be foreign national?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

NP, I'm a MS economist from a top school, but US citizen... do I have a chance or do I really need to be foreign national?

I dealt with HR issues in the Fund. Being a US citizen is not a disadvantage, contrary to the misinformation on this thread.
But no back office staff are making $200 k in Fin. Only the deputy division chiefs would make that kind of money, and they typically have a PhD and fifteen or twenty years work experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And that is tax FREE, right?

No, it is not tax free for US citizens. It's actually more expensive tax wise since US citizens must pay self employment tax in addition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

NP, I'm a MS economist from a top school, but US citizen... do I have a chance or do I really need to be foreign national?

I dealt with HR issues in the Fund. Being a US citizen is not a disadvantage, contrary to the misinformation on this thread.
But no back office staff are making $200 k in Fin. Only the deputy division chiefs would make that kind of money, and they typically have a PhD and fifteen or twenty years work experience.

Not true, especially if you consider gross salary (with the tax allowance.) It is possible to gross that as an a13 or a14 non-division chief. Still need decent work experience for these grades, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

I think a ton of any major people are in IT, just conduct training classes and on boarding. you don't have to have a background in engineering or Computer Science. then lateral over to FIN or stay in IS/IT, go to HR. those are all huge departments with same cushy benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

NP, I'm a MS economist from a top school, but US citizen... do I have a chance or do I really need to be foreign national?

I dealt with HR issues in the Fund. Being a US citizen is not a disadvantage, contrary to the misinformation on this thread.
But no back office staff are making $200 k in Fin. Only the deputy division chiefs would make that kind of money, and they typically have a PhD and fifteen or twenty years work experience.

Not true, especially if you consider gross salary (with the tax allowance.) It is possible to gross that as an a13 or a14 non-division chief. Still need decent work experience for these grades, though.

IMF totally overpays on a net and gross basis. All they care about is Total Numbers of Years Working. Not quality of degree or work experience, if not an economist. "Mainstream" people not PhD Econs are always bopping around trying to find a pay band that moves up.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know about non-economists, but certainly for economists the pay is largely in line with the World Bank, the Fed, etc.
benefits are a bit better, especially if you are a foreigner with kids. But most economists who leave to go to the financial sector will typically double their salaries, so I don’t think economists are significantly overpaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

and the 2 hour social lunches plus gym time is a blast - badmitten, vball, basketball.

i did not, however, like the 9am to 6pm facetime hours given how bad my commute was those times. I would much rather have shown up at 8-5pm and skipped the 1 or 2 hour gym session. But no, rules rules rules, bureaucracy, bureaucracy, bureaucracy.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know anyone at the Fund who has time to take two-hour lunches. I work in a functional department and my days are pretty breathless. Constant deadlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a job at the IMF is realistic without either a Phd or serious experience in a Finance Ministry, Central Bank, or similar.

Your project management experience would be much more useful at the Bank, where you could try to get into operations work as a consultant. Set up informational interview there with people from your MA program or any other contacts.

What about job at back office like FIN?

FIN are mainly accountants. There are also a few economists. Not a large number of non-specialists in back office jobs. Just the usual clerical and security etc. you are better off at the bank, where there are a large number of staff in operations that need project management skills.

But IMF FIN is still paying pretty well and has Prestige of IMF, can’t you lateral from there?

Yeah, IMF pay is the bomb, my cousin has a MS in Econ and works in FIN and her salary is $200k

And they have easy hours and lots and vacation

NP, I'm a MS economist from a top school, but US citizen... do I have a chance or do I really need to be foreign national?

You need a PhD. Some US citizens get in but not that many.

And easy hours? These people work nonstop. Yes, there is good vacation because you have people from all over the world working there and most of the world starts at 6 weeks of vacation. But when they aren’t on vacation they are working hard.