Alumni of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship (Muskie) [9] Program and the Global Undergraduate Exchange (UGrad) [10]Program in Russia recently participated in a Virtual Career Fair organized by IREX. The fair was the final component of a Career Progression Training program led by IREX and held in Moscow last fall. The goal of the project was to help alumni identify their career goals and objectives, connect them with leading employers across Russia, and disseminate information on professional development and internship opportunities for young professionals currently seeking employment in Russia. Over 50 alumni participated in the program.
“I think that the Virtural Job Fair project is a great idea for both alumni who are looking for a job, and those who simply want to have up-to-date information about the current trends on the Russian labor market,” said one UGrad alumna. “I am currently employed with one of the leading IT companies, but you never know what will happen and if I will have my job tomorrow. Projects such as the Virtual Job Fair are something we have hopes for in times of crisis.
Almost 30 Russian and international employers participated in the Virtual Career Fair, including Procter & Gamble, Citibank, Renaissance Credit, CareerStart, and EcoService. As part of the training, alumni developed their resumes, which were shared with employers electronically in the categories of Marketing and Public Relations, Legal Sector and Human Resources, Industry and Economics, Finance and Banking, Information Technologies, and Sales.
One of the company representatives commented that “With the financial crisis underway, the candidates we are looking for have to be very competitive. We are looking for motivated young people, who are able work both independently and in a team, and are willing to grow both personally and professionally. Both [UGrad and Muskie] alumni have already gone through a very competitive selection process and we look forward to seeing these talented individuals work for us.”
UGrad and Muskie are programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State and administered by IREX.
