‘I Hope You Have Entered the Economic Profession Consciously’
On November 11, 2024, the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences hosted a celebration for Economist Day. Many of the university's partners came to congratulate HSE on the occasion. The atrium on Pokrovsky Bulvar hosted booths from VkusVill, Ozon, HeadHunter, Wildberries, and other leading companies. Students and professors participated in quizzes, spun the wheel of fortune, painted, and crafted.
Economist Day joined the Russian calendar of professional holidays in 2015. The date was not chosen by chance—on November 11, 1765, Empress Catherine II decreed the establishment of the Imperial Free Economic Society, the first public organisation in the Russian Empire created to develop economic sciences and use the acquired knowledge for the growth of the national economy.
The Dean of the Faculty of Economic Sciences, Sergey Pekarski, opened the celebration in the atrium of the HSE building on Pokrovka with congratulations to his future colleagues: ‘If there is a Cosmonautics Day, then why shouldn’t there be an Economist Day? Perhaps our profession is not as romantic as space flight, but much depends on it. It is not only about your personal well-being and that of your relatives, friends, and the company where you work. How we organise economic processes in the country determines how people live. And how you study now will determine how effectively you can build the economy of our country in the coming decades. I sincerely hope you have entered the economic profession consciously and that you enjoy it.’
The future economists had a fun and productive day with a packed programme. Seemingly no one left without a sticker pack, branded T-shirt, mug, or book.
The company Technologies of Trust set up its booth as a bookshelf. In exchange for a social media post about personal development life hacks or an important book, participants could receive books such as 12 Principles of Mental Resilience by Andrey Weber, Games People Play by Eric Berne, The Leader at the Blackboard by Stanislav Logunov, and others.
A big line formed at the VkusVill booth, where they served non-alcoholic mulled wine. At the Kept booth, attendees made bracelets from beads. The Museum of Darkness booth tested visitors’ tactile skills, inviting them to identify bas-reliefs of famous people and buildings blindfolded, with a chance to win a certificate for a museum visit if successful.
At the hh.ru booth, students could play a team game of Jenga and chat with a career consultant about job hunting. At Ozon's booth, participants could win merchandise by successfully answering 11 questions in a quiz about the company. The Unilever Russia booth featured a large wheel of fortune that visitors could spin to win company products. At the Ostrovok booth, guests engaged in an interactive game that required them to guess locations on a map. Those who recognised the spots most accurately received gifts from the company's staff.
Representatives from Wildberries played a memory game with visitors, invited them to solve crossword puzzles, and gave away colourful sticker packs. The CROC company hosted quizzes and contests, and also shared information about internships and career growth opportunities for young specialists. The Dom charity foundation organised a donation collection to support their beneficiaries, giving out badges, stickers, and pens.
On the stage in the atrium, company representatives gave lectures and hosted entertaining quizzes and competitions with prizes for participants.
Each partner company presented their internship programmes for students, turning Economist Day into one of great opportunities. On stage, students and alumni of the economics faculty shared their job-seeking experiences. Zlata Aleksanova, a recent graduate of the Bachelor's in Economics programme, investment analyst, and participant in the HSE Mentoring Programme, explained step-by-step how to prepare a CV and described common mistakes made by most applicants at the start. Fourth-year student of the Faculty of Economic Sciences Askhab Khalidov provided information about potential employer companies specialising in different economic sectors, detailing everything from weekly working hours to annual bonuses.
At the end of the event, acting as the host and dean, Sergey Pekarski cut a delicious festive cake big enough for every guest to get a piece.
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