Find an employer or start your own business: Career Day at St Petersburg University

Throughout the day, a poster session was held in the corridor and in the Assembly Hall of the Twelve Collegia building, where University students could communicate with representatives of employers, fill out a job seeker’s questionnaire, and learn about internship programmes and student practices. 

Many companies are partners of the University and have been participating in the St Petersburg University Career Day for several years. Among them is PhosAgro, the largest Russian producer of phosphate-containing fertilisers. St Petersburg University signed a cooperation agreement at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024. The company’s branches are located in four cities: Kirovsk, Cherepovets, Volkhov, and Balakovo, said Natalia Kalinicheva, PhosAgro’s leading specialist in corporate programmes. About 2,500 employees work at the Volkhov site alone. The company is planning to build a new production facility this year and they will therefore need various specialists: chemists, architects, builders, journalists, lawyers, and IT employees to name just a few.

Among our employees, there are many from top universities, they all have a high-quality education. Among them, the graduates at St Petersburg University, as it seems to me, are distinguished by a fundamental classical education and experience in internships abroad. When you can exchange experience, you gain additional skills, and this gives you advantages in reaching your career goals. Such an employee is always more highly valued on the labour market.

Natalia Kalinicheva, PhosAgro’s leading specialist in corporate programmes

Some of the HR specialists who participated in the Career Day had studied at St Petersburg University. At the Career Day, they represent companies to find highly qualified specialists at the University. Olga Sviridova, a graduate in ‘Organisations Development Management’ at St Petersburg University and the main specialist in personnel selection and adaptation at Acticomp, is happy to be again at St Petersburg University. 

"Our company has been pursuing a policy to inform and attract students from universities that train specialists in synthetic and organic chemistry to ensure that we can form a pool of students for further internships, practical training, and excursions to production facilities," said Olga Sviridova. "We love graduates at St Petersburg University because they are well prepared. They are highly intelligent students, very involved and immersed in chemistry. The University has excellent educators who do not just share knowledge, they instil a love for this profession and this field. That is why we have many University graduates."

Traditionally, the St Petersburg University Alumni Community took part in the Career Day, where students could learn about the mentoring programme aimed at helping students and young graduates build their careers. "We have graduates with extensive professional experience who volunteer to advise students on how to start their career path, what to pay attention to, and how to make their career track more direct and upward," said Ekaterina Kalashnikova, a curator of the St Petersburg University mentoring programme. "We also tell students how they can stay in touch with the University after completing their degree, participate in our projects, and start supporting other students".

The projects of the St Petersburg University Alumni Community may be of interest not only to those who have completed their studies at the University, but also to those who are still studying. For example, the meetings of the discussion club are open to all University students who would like to broaden their horizons in various fields of knowledge: from psychology to artificial intelligence. Among the speakers are leading experts in their fields, business representatives, scientists and cultural figures.

The third season of the St Petersburg University mentoring programme, which started this autumn, includes two tracks: a general track and a partner track. Among the mentors are employees of Nexign, i.e. one of the IT giants of Russia. Students in mathematical mechanics, applied mathematics and control processes, mathematics and computer science who have participated in this project and the University’s Career Days are now strong IT specialists at Nexign. 

"Today, at the stand, together with us, HR representatives, there are engineers, and some of them are completing a degree at St Petersburg University. When we posted the news that we would be participating in the Career Day at the University, they volunteered to go with us. University students support alma mater and they come back here as early-career experts," said Irina Nikulina, Head of the Department for Work with Universities and Talents at Nexign. 

As part of the Career Day at St Petersburg University, workshops and business games were held by specialists and heads of participating companies. Students learned how to choose their field in the IT industry, how they can benefit from networking in building a career, what will help them successfully pass a video interview and discussed important questions. Aleksandra Leonova, manager for the development of corporate programmes for the development of the corporate university of the Baltika Brewery, told students how not to fall into the trap of thinking when choosing a dream job. 

According to the speaker, cognitive distortions have not only negative but also positive functions. These functions enable us to make decisions quickly and automatically based on our experience. However, in some cases, e.g. choosing your first job, you should make a thoughtful and balanced decision. The applicant is faced with the task of understanding which cognitive distortions you have in order to put aside the attitudes imposed by family and social constructs and try to see the essence of the company you are interested in. 

Students could also become part of student teams at St Petersburg University; learn more about the Olympiad "I am a professional", for which registration is open until 12 November; and discussed how to implement your start-up idea in the fuel and energy sector with the support of the St Petersburg University Energy Club.