Job Opportunities after Graduation from HSE

A small talk with a Vietnamese student who had graduated from HSE the previous year to get an honest look at job opportunities for fresh foreign graduates with an HSE bachelor's degree in their country.

Must read if you do not intend to stay in Russia but come back to your native country to join the labor market after finishing BA program OR going to enroll in HSE.

– Please introduce yourself. Which HSE faculty have you studied at and when did you graduate?

– My name is Thu Nguyen (Mia). I’m from Vietnam. I studied at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, my major was World Economy. I graduated in June 2022. The second foreign language I chose was Chinese.

– What was your dream job while still in HSE? And did you have a specific direction before you graduated from the University?

– In the beginning of university time, I did not have any vision of my future career paths. However, after an internship in the third year I got to know more about the labor market and had some ideas in my mind.

– So, now you are living and working in Vietnam. How long did it take you to get a job?

– Yes, I currently live and work in Hanoi, Vietnam. After graduation, I spent a few months traveling and taking a rest. I officially arrived in Hanoi on the 15th of July and my first onboarding day was the 5th of August, so it took almost 20 days to get a job. 

– And did you face any challenges or difficulties finding a job with a bachelor's degree from HSE? In other words, what is the attitude of employers towards your diploma? You know, I’m quite curious because I am to graduate from HSE next year and come back to our country after that :)

– In Vietnam people rarely know about HSE and other universities in Russia. To highlight, I often mentioned in my CV and interview that HSE is the best university in Russia according to Forbes 2021 :)

However, I suppose recruiters would consider other aspects of applicants, rather than just educational background. In many cases, if recruiters look for a candidate with solid experiences working in an international environment or working under pressure, HSE degree might greatly help to grab the attention of employers.  

take as many internships and training courses as you can during university time

– What field are you working in and what position do you hold? Does it directly correspond to the major you finished in HSE?

I work in the Logistics industry as a Business Development Assistant. My job now is not correlated so much with my major in HSE.

– Do you find it difficult to do a job that is not very related to your field of study? Please share some of your work experiences.

– It might be very difficult at the beginning. There are several related terms, phenomena, and common things that you have no idea about. However, every obstacle can be overcome if you are patient, hard-working and optimistic.

– What skills or subjects do you find most useful and most applicable in your current job?

– Language skills definitely play an essential role. Research skills and the ability to work independently also help in any industry. 

– Well, it seems like you are still doing well at your current job and have nothing to complain about, but we all want to know about your long-term plans for the future. Do you intend to study for a master's degree or move into a job directly related to your field of study?

– I intend to pursue a Master Degree overseas, in order to get more in-depth knowledge about my interested field, broaden my network and build up some managerial skills.

– Do you have any advice for students in general and foreign students who are about to graduate and prepare to return home to enter the labor market?

– Firstly, understanding the local labor market is very important to take into account, especially for foreign students. Every market is different. Even in the same country and culture, educational and working environments require different skills and performances. From my observations, foreign students usually spend a lot of time adapting to the new environment and earning a bachelor degree overseas. When they decide to arrive and settle in their homeland, they struggle a lot, in some cases, they become a stranger in their own land after many years of absence. As a result, they can't understand exactly what the labor market demands, or how to get involved in it.

Secondly, related working experience is a fundamental key to attract and get the position you want. Moreover, there are some positions which are open for candidates to negotiate with recruiters, so if you get well prepared (i.e. for fresh graduates: good educational background, foreign languages, working experience,etc.), there will be a better chance to get a decent official deal. So my advice is to take as many internships and training courses as you can during university time. 

Last but not least, find yourself a mentor to guide you at the beginning of your career path. HSE students often get a broad knowledge beyond the major itself. In order to make the right choice and get a suitable job, make sure you are well-informed and analyze the career prospects in this field. 

Text by

Ngoc Tran