World Bank Young Professionals Program: What you need to know

For more than half a century, the World Bank has been recruiting and training its future leaders through its Young Professionals Program. The program did take a hiatus in 2014 due to an organizational shakeup but started back up again in 2015. Recently, the program has taken some steps aimed at improving transparency in the selection process. It has updated its website with more guidance to candidates on how they can improve their chances of bagging one of the coveted spots, including tips for interviewing. The bank also hosts at least one live chat during the application period where interested applicants can ask their questions and have them answered. A recording of the chat is later posted on the program’s website. “People can always contact us, but you can imagine there’s a large number of people that potentially we need to advise, so we're also trying to ensure that people leverage all the resources that are out there,” said Myriam Peltier-Thiberge, program manager of talent acquisition for the World Bank Group’s youth programs. In our conversation with Peltier-Thiberge, she gave a detailed description of the selection process and what successful candidates can expect to experience during the five-year program. Eligibility Since introducing the changes, the World Bank Group’s Young Professionals Program has received “high-quality” applications, with most applicants meeting the eligibility criteria, according to Peltier-Thiberge. These criteria include: • County member citizenship • 32 and younger by Oct. 1 of the covered year • English fluency and preferably full proficiency in one or more of the bank’s other working languages namely Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish • Master’s or doctorate degrees and three years of development experience, especially in areas relevant to the multilateral agency’s operations including economics, finance, education, public health, social sciences, engineering, urban planning, agriculture and natural resources Selection process The World Bank Group receives about 4,000 applications per year for its Young Professionals Program. The initial screening involves evaluating the candidates against the eligibility criteria. A technical review follows, where potential hiring units score the candidates based on three factors: depth and breadth of their professional experience, team leadership, and commitment to development and clients. Apart from the CVs, the review will consider references and personal essays, which Peltier-Thiberge said indicate their writing and presentation skills as well as how inferential and persuasive they are. Of the total applicants, less than 200 will receive invitations to come to either Washington, D.C., or Paris, which hosts candidates from Africa, Asia and Europe, to participate in a four-hour group simulation exercise focusing on a real country situation and a 90-minute interview with a panel of three senior technical experts in the candidate’s area of expertise. From this short list, the bank identifies the so-called YP potentials. The YP potentials who meet the current business needs of the hiring units are then hired. In 2015, 48 made the final roster; in 2016, the bank plans to recruit 40, who are expected to start work in September. For those who fail to make the cut, the World Bank offers a 10-15 minute talk detailing the reason for the decision. Some did benefit from the process and made it to the program the next time they applied. Successful candidate profile Most people chosen as World Bank YPs have doctoral degrees with strong analytical skills and “a very rounded experience” in a particularly area of expertise by working many years for instance in government, local communities or the private sector. According to the bank, the newest YPs on average had six years of experience prior to applying for the program. They also truly believe in the bank’s mission to fight global poverty. This quality may show in the internship or volunteering opportunities the candidates have been involved in or in their personal stories of how they’ve overcome development challenges. Successful candidates also show they are able to collaborate, learn fast and constantly adapt to changing situations. Peltier-Thiberge noted that often World Bank staffers speak to different audiences such as aid recipients, government ministers and their colleagues who are experts of their respective fields. “You need to be able to work with a variety of people and you need to have this kind of openness to working together … You need to think more broadly about what might be the dependencies on other sectors that you need to bring as well to provide effective solutions for countries,” Peltier-Thiberge told Devex. “This ability speaks to results and client orientation and problem solving.” During and after the program During the five-year program, the YPs receive internationally competitive remuneration that includes a mobility package, which can cover their children's education, among others. The final amount of the salary depends on the YPs’ academic credentials and relevance of experience. Typically serving in Washington, D.C., the YPs are assigned a department from the inception of the program, thus eliminating the feeling of uncertainty about where they might end up after the five-year program. During the first two years, the YPs take part in a development curriculum, including leadership development training to understand how they can impact others, be better at giving and receiving feedback and develop their personal vision. The bank likewise conducts career development workshops for YPs and provides them with mentors, who can guide the YPs on their career paths. They do go on what is called a business-driven stretch assignment. This enables the YPs to develop a new expertise that may be complementary to the work they are doing by taking on specific projects or assignments for a couple of months potentially in country offices or moving into another area that will benefit them when they come back to their home units, say a water sector-focused YP who decides to tackle climate change. During the last three years, the YPs devote their time to deepening their expertise. They may even get promoted if they perform strongly or have increasing responsibilities by leading specific projects. The YPs also have ample opportunities to network with World Bank Group leaders and receive coaching from fellow YPs on how to tackle challenges and develop skills such as how to build trust. “[The YP network] is really fantastic. It's for life. You have friends for life,” Peltier-Thiberge said. “You have developed a network of people with whom you can get things done right.” To learn more about the World Bank’s Young Professional Program including how to apply, visit the bank’s website here. Looking to make a career move? Visit our career center for expert advice on how to navigate your job search — all you need is a Devex Career Account to get started.