More than a dozen companies have already signed up to showcase career opportunities at this year's Kyiv Post Employment Fair, which will take place on May 16 at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce offices at 33 Velyka Zhytomyrska Street.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with presentations and seminars beginning at 10:30 a.m. Entry is Hr 25 per person.
Although the pace of recruitment remains slow amid Ukraine’s recession and war, many companies are still on the lookout for talented graduates and experienced professionals.
Business sectors to be represented include retail, charity, finance and education.
A program of speakers has yet to be finalized.
Sectors such as information technology outsourcing continue to grow despite the economic trouble, but competition remains fierce.
English-language skills give job seekers a big advantage as Ukraine turns increasingly towards Europe
Although only the third most popular language in Ukraine, after Ukrainian and Russian, English is fast becoming an essential skill for several companies.
“All our training is in English, so it’s a must for us,” said ProCredit Bank Training and Personnel Development Specialist Kateryna Babiichuk.
Ilona Vorobets, a public relations and marketing specialist at Kyiv School of Economics, said that it’s a struggle to find qualified applicants with proficient English.
“Very few people combine a good knowledge of the profession and a good level of English – we need all that in one person,” she said. “But people are paying attention to the things that they need to change and they do want to improve.”
The school will be advertising both professional positions and postgraduate training, with certain courses developed to respond to the needs of modern business.
“In management jobs now, good English is the most important thing, but many managers lack this knowledge. That’s why we have started an English M.B.A. program because we must prepare people for this kind of employment,” she said.
Language skills are also crucial for AIESEC, said Vladlen Dashyvets, Kyiv’s vice president of corporate relations and organizational development. However, he stated that it’s usually easy to find people with the right level of English for their two internship programs.
Aimed at fostering leadership skills in under-30s, AIESEC offers a Global Citizens volunteering initiative, as well as professional internships with international companies. Both programs have grown in the past year, he said.
Other companies attending the Employment Fair include French retailer Auchan, Advanced International Translations, Ukrainian cable telecommunications firm Volia, the British Council, employment portal Rabota Plus (rabotaplus.ua), auditing firm KPMG, Mazars consulting company, shipping firm Ukr China and Porsche Finance.
Kyiv Post staff writer Sandra MacKenzie can be reached at [email protected].
