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On April 17, 2026, an educational event titled “First Steps to a Career: Meeting with an Employer” was held at the Higher School of Economics and Business of 91��ý Kazakh National University. The event was organized within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8 — “Decent Work and Economic Growth.” Participants included second- and third-year students of the “Marketing” and “Logistics (by industry)” programs.

The relevance of the event is related to the fact that modern graduates face significant challenges in employment. Employers require candidates to have work experience, as well as well-developed professional and soft skills. However, most students lack sufficient practical experience. To address this issue, the organizers aimed to introduce students to real employment opportunities at the early stages of their careers, even without extensive professional experience.

The objectives of the event included familiarizing students with company activities, identifying employer requirements, discussing key job-related skills, and increasing motivation for professional development based on competencies acquired during their studies. The event was conducted in an interactive format with elements of gamification, which increased participant engagement.

The program consisted of several stages. Initially, participants completed a “blind resume” task, which allowed them to assess their current level of preparation. Then, the invited expert, Zhanargul Karanova, head of EXIM KZ, delivered a presentation explaining recruitment stages, employer expectations, and common mistakes made by applicants. At the final stage, a “Skills Exchange” activity was conducted, where participants identified the most demanded professional competencies in the labor market.

During the event, participants analyzed their resumes using the “red and green marker” method, highlighting real achievements and removing generic statements. About 30% of the works were recognized as strong and potentially effective for future employment. The event also identified key competencies required in today’s labor market, including professional skills, multilingual proficiency, research and analytical abilities, communication skills, teamwork, adaptability, productivity, and stress resistance.

The speaker also emphasized the formula for successful employment, which includes knowledge, skills, experience, networking, and confident self-presentation.

Overall, the event clearly demonstrated the importance of developing self-presentation skills among students. As a result, participants gained a practical understanding of the employment process, realized the importance of both professional and soft skills, and improved their readiness for job interviews.

The event was organized by faculty members of the Department of Business Technologies: Z.B. Akhmetova, Zh.T. Kozhamkulova, A.K. Kazhmuratova, N.A. Tovma, N.M. Turlybekova, A.B. Alikbayeva, and A.Zh. Boltaeva.

First-year master’s students — Amina Daryabayeva, Alfarabi Salidin, Anel Dulatova (Marketing), and Alisher Khafizov (Logistics) — also actively contributed to the organization of the event.