What does it mean to be a Young Professional at the World Bank?

Many apply for the Young Professionals Program. A few make it to the interview, and fewer still make it all the way. By the time you’re hired you think you're special, because you managed to do what others couldn't. You'd be wrong.

​Young professionals are special, but it is not really our abilities that set us apart, it’s the opportunities we’re offered. We're encouraged and motivated to work outside our comfort zone. For instance, those with academic accomplishments are usually shipped off to work in operations. Your research shows that economic clusters lead to productivity gains? Why don’t you work with a team helping a sub-Saharan African country design industrial zones. You come with private-sector consulting experience? Perhaps you should work on setting up a platform to collate and compile knowledge for the institution.