How to land a job at World Bank or IMF

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

This is true.
- spouse of an IDB employee (similar rules apply)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

Some manager has it out for you, IMF has the ultimate bankers hours, since they really don't have any oversight or regulator they are largely unaccountable, and lots of Europeans who are used to 8am - 4pm, with two hours lunches w/wine as well as amble espresso and smoke breaks, months of vacation and basically August off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Some manager has it out for you, IMF has the ultimate bankers hours, since they really don't have any oversight or regulator they are largely unaccountable, and lots of Europeans who are used to 8am - 4pm, with two hours lunches w/wine as well as amble espresso and smoke breaks, months of vacation and basically August off.

Absolute crap. No one drinks at lunch, and the large majority of staff work very long hours. You are ignorant and insulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Some manager has it out for you, IMF has the ultimate bankers hours, since they really don't have any oversight or regulator they are largely unaccountable, and lots of Europeans who are used to 8am - 4pm, with two hours lunches w/wine as well as amble espresso and smoke breaks, months of vacation and basically August off.

Absolute crap. No one drinks at lunch, and the large majority of staff work very long hours. You are ignorant and insulting.

I did not mean to be disparaging, I believe the European model of employment is a far better one and a much more fair distribution of wealth between labor and capital.. My cousin works there, and she describes basically this framework, and I could’ve sworn I saw little bottles of wine in the cafeteria, but maybe they were just sparkling water and I was daydreaming a little bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Some manager has it out for you, IMF has the ultimate bankers hours, since they really don't have any oversight or regulator they are largely unaccountable, and lots of Europeans who are used to 8am - 4pm, with two hours lunches w/wine as well as amble espresso and smoke breaks, months of vacation and basically August off.

No. My whole department is like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) you need a PhD
2) you should preferably be a citizen of a country other than the US

You could land a clerical job though & that would most likely pay more than your current job

1 and 2 are both incorrect.

The statement about the clerical job is also incorrect.

[Anonymous]

People in area departments may have it slightly easier because they have crunch time during missions, but a lighter schedule at other times. Functional department and those that have to provide briefs and content, develop new policies and review all the country work, etc. - these people are slammed with work. It can be quite fast-paced and grueling. But it’s a great environment with a lot of brilliant people.

[Anonymous]

I know lots of people who have gotten in at the IMF and WB but they are almost all from the finance world, not the international development world. I feel like international affairs degree programs mislead you about how this job market works. I have a development degree as well and most of the people from my class work in the NGO sector.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Some manager has it out for you, IMF has the ultimate bankers hours, since they really don't have any oversight or regulator they are largely unaccountable, and lots of Europeans who are used to 8am - 4pm, with two hours lunches w/wine as well as amble espresso and smoke breaks, months of vacation and basically August off.

No. My whole department is like this.

Which this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Some manager has it out for you, IMF has the ultimate bankers hours, since they really don't have any oversight or regulator they are largely unaccountable, and lots of Europeans who are used to 8am - 4pm, with two hours lunches w/wine as well as amble espresso and smoke breaks, months of vacation and basically August off.

No. My whole department is like this.

I don't know what drug the persistent PP is on but hours at the Fund functional departments can be brutal as are the demands. After the financial crisis, the missions and the pressure just grew exponentially. I spent more weekends working at the Fund - in DC or on mission - than when I was in a big law firm.

[Anonymous]

Just look at the floor 2 cafeteria - at least 1 hour chatty lunches, but that's good for networking and talking over projects.
Then go to the old HQ building and check out the gym at 1pm, 100s of people playing 1 hour long scrimmages on several different courts.
Then there is the crazy amazing pension plan, and automatic raises every 6 months and how you never really get fired after 3 years probation.
But you have to put up with the bureaucracy and the tenure-based promotions of some very incompetent people sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Opp left out the 2 week vacation "best practices" and how your kids' private school tuition is 80% paid for by the IMF on top of your salary (only for non-citizens).

Hope Trump keeps paying the IMF and UN dues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just look at the floor 2 cafeteria - at least 1 hour chatty lunches, but that's good for networking and talking over projects.
Then go to the old HQ building and check out the gym at 1pm, 100s of people playing 1 hour long scrimmages on several different courts.
Then there is the crazy amazing pension plan, and automatic raises every 6 months and how you never really get fired after 3 years probation.
But you have to put up with the bureaucracy and the tenure-based promotions of some very incompetent people sometimes.

Are they playing squash? That is the bomb! Seriously, what a sweet gig.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Opp left out the 2 week vacation "best practices" and how your kids' private school tuition is 80% paid for by the IMF on top of your salary (only for non-citizens).

Hope Trump keeps paying the IMF and UN dues.

Is that the two week free trip to your home country every year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Opp left out the 2 week vacation "best practices" and how your kids' private school tuition is 80% paid for by the IMF on top of your salary (only for non-citizens).

Hope Trump keeps paying the IMF and UN dues.

Wait, who is paying for the private schools, the members nations? Why can’t us citizens?