How to land a job at World Bank or IMF

[Anonymous]

I have an MA in International Affairs (development focused) but have not worked in the field since graduating 6 years ago. Instead, I've worked in Project Management (started out in nonprofit and then transitioned into private sector IT) and to be honest, have not really enjoyed it very much. Recently, I was laid off during maternity leave, and have been thinking about changing my career direction and going back into International Development which I am really passionate about.

How hard is it to land a development job at the WB or IMF? I've heard that it's best to be referred but I don't know anyone that works there.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I would start by looking at job postings that you qualify for or have interests in doing and apply for it.

[Anonymous]

Strictly speaking, the IMF is not a development institution. It's focus is the stability of the international monetary system and expertise is in macroeconomics, financial sector and fiscal policies.

[Anonymous]

The Bank has a lot of short-term consultant positions available. Landing one of those I'd the best way in. People get know you and it can segue into a full-time position. You should think about the type of work you want to do. International development is very broad.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Bank has a lot of short-term consultant positions available. Landing one of those I'd the best way in. People get know you and it can segue into a full-time position. You should think about the type of work you want to do. International development is very broad.

Np. I had heard that most of these go to people who already worked with the bank and then went independent. How best to find these as an outsider?

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

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.

[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?

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.

[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.

DP. It is relatively easier as a non-US citizen. They will only have so many people from the US and since it is located here, there are more people angling for those spots.

OP, you should focus on getting international development experience at some other employer and then try to work your way into one of the institutions mentioned. The chance of you making the jump directly with your current experience seems low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

DP. It is relatively easier as a non-US citizen. They will only have so many people from the US and since it is located here, there are more people angling for those spots.

OP, you should focus on getting international development experience at some other employer and then try to work your way into one of the institutions mentioned. The chance of you making the jump directly with your current experience seems low.

Agree with all of this - it will be very hard to get a job with either with the kind of experience you mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Most of my friends at the World Bank started off doing short term consultancies. Many of those consultancies are de facto full time jobs (at least in terms of pay) but you can only work X days per year (maybe 180?).

Friends I had coming out of grad school (SAIS) definitely didn't have PhDs or even really specualized technical expertise beyond a couple years in Peace Corps or some internships, plus some Econ coursework.

I think most found jobs by doing lots of informational interviews and getting offered consultancies that weren't being advertised.

My advice -- besides doing info interviews -- is to come up with a narrative for how your recent experience links back to what you want to do now and what you studied. If you've been working on IT recently and your degree is in international affairs, maybe focus on the WB offices that work on something related -- expanding internet coverage, on-line banking for the poor, etc.

Search WB publications related to things that interest you and track down the authors (they're very often not especially high level).

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

The WB job web site might list some of the consultant positions.

The best thing is to tell your friends who work there that you are looking.

If you are in a specialized career stream at the Fund (communications, legal, specialist in financial markets, etc. or the people who do the technical assistance), then you don't need a Ph.D. and you can be American.

[Anonymous]

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?