AZERBAIJANI STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO SHAPE THEIR OWN FUTURES

AZERBAIJANI STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO SHAPE THEIR OWN FUTURES

It is certainly true that climbing the careers ladder remains a challenge for all students. Academic excellence remains only one part of the equation – employers want qualifications, but they also need experience, and effectively combining the two is often a difficult task.

For this reason, The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) Recruitment Services division held a major careers event for around 50 of the UK’s brightest Azerbaijani students at the London School of Economics (LSE) on 6 May. Entitled Shape Your Future, its objectives were threefold – to invite young professionals from various sectors to provide career path advice; initiate networking between students and those already working in the country; and to raise awareness of the TEAS Recruitment Services website at http://teasrs.eu/. This permits students to upload their CVs and enables employers in the UK and Azerbaijan to advertise their vacant positions and internships.

Gulnar Hasanova, Head, TEAS Recruitment Services, outlined: “Today is an historic day, both for TEAS and the UK-based Azerbaijani diaspora, because together we have started a new journey that should create a strong, united diaspora in the UK. By organising such events, TEAS aims to act as a bridge between Azerbaijani professionals and students.”

Following this, Fuad Huseyinli, VTB Group, outlined the various paths to a career in investment banking, remarking: “It is necessary to be results-driven, be analytical, and have the ability to break down complex information. Investment banking is a challenging and rewarding career.”

Zaur Baghirov, Lawyer, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) explained the paths to a legal career and the specialisations that are available: “During your time as a trainee solicitor, it is necessary to learn very quickly. If you work for businesspeople, you gain knowledge of their businesses, and then gain a good reputation. You can then progress with your legal career.”

Elnur Seyidli, IT Manager, BG Group, spoke on new opportunities in the IT industry: “There are now 400 different job titles in the IT sector, most of which did not exist 15 years ago. There is always a need for IT people, but you will constantly have to update your knowledge. As IT is such a wide sector, there are jobs to suit those with different abilities and specialisations. I cannot emphasise enough the necessity for a perfect CV and gaining the requisite qualifications for your chosen role.”

Lionel Zetter, Senior Political Lobbyist, TEAS explained the importance of lobbying and political careers: “Politics, lobbying and communications are related disciplines, and passion is a must. You need good written, oral and interpersonal skills. The TEAS Political Team has put Azerbaijan on the map for many UK politicians, raising awareness of the country’s energy resources and the continuing Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent territories.” He went on to outline how expatriate Azerbaijani students could assist TEAS on a political level.

Katherine Alexander, Professional Recruitment Specialist, imparted some advice on successful interview techniques, including CVs, video CVs, presentation, preparation and effective use of recruitment websites and agencies.

Emil Agazade, Head, Media and Diaspora, TEAS, issued a rallying cry: “The Azerbaijani diaspora is only just coming together in the UK. Knowledge of Azerbaijan is expanding, and we need to demonstrate our abilities and skills in the workplace.”