Western Caspian University

Market Research

The Centre for the Practice and Development of Students and Alumni at WCU exists to ensure the continuation of professional training for undergraduates and masters, the improvement of their specialties, knowledge and skills, and the implementation of various supportive activities.

The Centre for Student and Alumni Practice and Development is a structural unit of the WCU teaching department and assists in the development and engagement of students, undergraduates and graduates at all levels of higher education.

The Centre is guided by the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the recommendations of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the charter of the WCU and its regulations.

• To achieve integration of theory and practice in training students within higher education and recruit highly qualified specialists in line with    modern standards

• Assist students and graduates in their development and employability
• Learn from the experience of foreign and local universities, companies and enterprises
• Engage professionals from public and private sectors to implement various developmental events
• Implement research to determine the level of training that graduates need to meet the prevailing demands of the labour market
• To perform other duties as provided by the legislation in accordance with the activities of the Centre.

Functions:

• Create a database of local and foreign companies and enterprises
• Create a database of undergraduates, masters and doctoral students and graduates
• Organise short internships in selected high-profile companies and enterprises with a view to negotiate possible employment of graduates
• Organise training and seminars with experts from public, private and foreign companies and enterprises
• Provide training and support for graduates to complete job application forms and CVs
• Collect information on vacancies in public and private companies and enterprises and ensure dissemination to graduates
• Support underprivileged students who fall under 20% of their family income during their study and find them suitable part-time jobs
• Organise graduate fairs with other universities
• Educate students about course offerings in various training and development centres and direct them to these courses
• Organise voluntary, partially paid or unpaid individual internships for students in various institutions
• Hold various events with other structural units of the University and student organisations.

State Agency for Citizens’ Service and Social Innovation under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Office of Affairs of the President, Republic of Azerbaijan

Ministry of Youth & Sports, Republic of Azerbaijan

Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Azerbaijan, Agrarian Research Centre

Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature (ANAS)

Department of Youth Policy & Sports, Republic of Azerbaijan

Institute of Folklore, ANAS

Chamber of Commerce

Alpha Audit CJSC

Yelo Bank

Rigis Hotel 

Central Park

SR and LAE Institute of ‘Azerenergy’ OJSC

Bank Republic

Smart Systems Technology

Ateliyer YANA

Azerbaijan State Museum of Musical Culture

‘Narinc’ Psychology Centre

AR State Migration Service

Graduates:

Dear alumni, the information collected on this platform will be used to build relationships between the business world and our alumni and current students, with the purpose of further skill development, obtaining a second major, studying at any age, and to address employment issues.

About Graduates>> 

• How to write a CV?

Is it possible to present yourself as a good and valuable employee before meeting employers? Yes, it is possible - you just need to write a well-thought-out CV.

• What is a CV?

A CV is a document that briefly describes a career history and the professional qualities of a job seeker. It is used in job search and recruitment. The CV is compiled by the job seeker and submitted directly to the employers, sent by mail or given to intermediary companies engaged in the selection and recruitment of staff at the request of the employers.

• Why do you need a CV?

The CV is of an advertising nature. Its essence is to acquaint the employer in advance with the professional qualities of the job seeker, to draw attention to the job seeker, to interest the employer and to inform the meeting. The main purpose of the CV is to get an invitation to an interview with the employer for direct acquaintance and possible employment.

• CV form

There is no standard form for a CV.

The following sequence can be recommended:

Write your name, surname, patronymic instead of the title (usually the title "CV" is not used). Address. Phone number. Date and place of birth. Marital status.

Purpose (description of the job and position you are looking for).

Your work experience (in chronological order, i.e. a list of jobs starting from the last place of work. The name of the enterprise or company you work for, date of employment, duration, position held, functions performed and achievements during the job should be noted).

  Additional information (your achievements, knowledge, abilities, the foreign languages you know, computer skills, driver's license, social activity, personal qualities).

Date of CV preparation.

• Principles of CV preparation

The CV must meet the following requirements:

Conciseness The size of the text should not exceed two pages. The employer will most likely not any large text and will throw it in the trash without regret.

Logic Only note what is relevant to the case - do not allow inappropriate details

Accuracy Write down only the information you can prove. The information you provide in your CV can be checked.

Positive character Try to create a positive opinion about yourself. Only mention your positive qualities and strengths, emphasise your achievements. If you don't like any of the information, don't write it down.

Sequence Describe the information in chronological order, leaving nothing out. The employer may view this as disrespectful and irresponsible.

Uniqueness Talk about the qualities that are unique to you, emphasise the positive aspects that distinguish you from other candidates.

Perfect writing style Use clear phrases, avoid punctuation errors and ambiguous abbreviations

Eye-catching design Use only quality paper and legible fonts. Arrange the text logically, divide it into paragraphs. Be sure to check what you write, correct possible mistakes. The CV should be easy to read.

How to write a biography

Biography is complete information about the person who submitted it. Biographies are usually required when being hired by government agencies, large companies, or agencies. Each person must be able to write this document about themselves in their own handwriting.

When you start writing a biography, you must first write accurate and consistent information about yourself. The following are appropriate starting points:

1. Name and surname
2. Year and place of birth
3. The year you entered and graduated from school
4. If you were admitted to a university, the year you entered and graduated.

Places and positions where you worked:

1. When preparing a biography, you should write detailed information about your family members, and if you are married, your spouse and children. (Name and surname, year and place of birth. Place and position currently employed)
2. When filling out the form, you should be careful not to omit anything.
3. When writing a biography, all events from the day you were born i.e. the year you went to school, the year you graduated, the places you worked, and your responsibilities should be recorded in sequence.
4. When preparing a document, try not to write too long and tediously. And when writing, Pay attention to the design and the correct grammar, style and punctuation.
5. The biography is usually handwritten on an A4 sheet of paper and begins with "I, my name, my surname…".
6. And finally, don't forget to put your name, surname, today's date and signature under the form.

The main requirements when writing a biography are:

1. The biography must specify the day, year, month (republic, city, district, village) of the person's birth.

2. The facts stated must be accurate and consistent. It is crucial to pay attention to the chronology in the biography.

3. The biography must be in the author's own handwriting.

4. The biography can be simple or complex according to the requirements of the case. A simple biography is used in primary school and is short. In this case, the student writes only information about himself.

5. In the case of a complex biography, information is given about the person and their parents, including their occupations.

The student's biography is in the following order.

1. Title - Biography (2020)
2. Name, surname and patronymic.
3. Year, day, month and place of birth.
4. Pre-school dates start to finish.
5. School dates start to finish.
6. Student dates start to finish.
7. His/her public duty at the university
8. Awards, prizes
9. Brief information about family members

10. Date of biography

      11. Personal signature of the biography author

How to write an application

• The requirements for an application are as follows:

The title of the application i.e. to whom and from whom it is written, must be clear.

The content of the application should be brief and the facts concrete.

The application must be written by the applicant in their own handwriting.

The date, month, year and the applicant's personal signature must be placed at the end of the application

• The application form is as follows:

At the beginning of the page, in capital letters, indicate the person and their position within the organisation to whom it is addressed, his/her name, surname and patronymic.

The applicant's name, surname and patronymic are indicated on the right side of 1/2 of the line.

The word "Application" is written in capital letters in the middle top of the page.

Starting with a new line the applicant's interest in the position is explained in a short, clear and concise way.

The application is signed and dated at the foot of the page.

Preparation of Linkedln profiles

The LinkedIn registration process covers four tasks.

1. Fill out a simple form on the LinkedIn homepage with your name, email address and any password.

2. Next, you are required to fill out a profile form asking  for your job title, and the name of the employer.

3. You will be asked to confirm your email address by clicking on the link in the message sent to you by LinkedIn.

4. Finally, you will choose whether you have a free or paid account.

Creating a basic profile on LinkedIn.

Filling out a simple form allows you to create a basic professional profile on LinkedIn in a minute or two. Profile boxes vary depending on the employment status you choose, such as "currently employed" or "you are looking for a job." The previous box says "you are currently employed" by default. You can change this by clicking the small arrow on the right and selecting an alternative status such as "I am a student". Other questions pop up depending on the situation you choose, such as school names if you're a student. Enter your geographic details - country and zip code - and the name of the company you're working for. When you start typing a business name, Linkedln will try to display specific company names in the database that match the letters you type. Selecting a company to open makes it easier for Linkedln to match its employees, and for the business name to be entered correctly.  If Linkedin is unable to find the company name in its database, select the most comparable industry from the long list that appears when you click the small right arrow next to the "Industry" box. If hired, type your current position in the "Position Title" box. Now we have created a basic profile on Linkedln.

The interview is a process organised by the potential employer to determine whether your skills, experience and personal qualities are suitable for the relevant vacancy. In addition, it is a process that determines whether a job seeker is suitable for the vacancy and the company's goals, future plans and interests. The golden rule:  it is not the smartest and most educated person, but the most prepared person who passes the interview. Therefore, regardless of the format, location and stage of the interview, it is necessary to prepare for that interview. Why is it necessary to prepare? Think of the interview as a competition, a game where you can score points and win in the end because you know the rules. However, candidates often do not know this or they underestimate its importance.

 Frequently asked questions in the interview:

1. "Can you tell us about yourself?"

It's a simple question at first glance, but you need to make sure the question doesn't overemphazise your personal life. Keep your focus on your education, career plans, and work experience in your answers.

• How to answer the question?

Talk about the factors that can describe the benefits you can bring to the company without discussing your family and hobbies.

2. "Where do you see yourself in 5 years- time?"

This question is a trap. So don't fall into the trap by saying you want to continue your education, move to a better position in a completely different field, or start your own business.

• How to answer the question?

The company is not interested in an employee who will soon leave its ranks. Be honest and tell the truth that you are looking for a job that will attract you for a long time.

3. "What are your weaknesses?"

Don't be in a hurry to give standard answers like "I'm perfect". Most likely, the interviewer has heard such answers many times and is tired of this form of answer. At the same time, do not give the impression you are not working on yourself at all.

• How to answer the question?

If you are talking about your weaknesses, you should give possible solutions, for example: “I do easy tasks first, and more difficult ones later. However, I understand that if I do the opposite, my efficiency may be higher.

4. "Tell us about the job you want."

The main purpose of this question is to test how serious you are about this particular job.

• How to answer the question?

It is enough to say, “I want to work here”.

5. "Do you check your email at weekends or holidays?"

On the one hand, it would be good to show the interviewer that you are responsible in your work and that you can be contacted at the right time. But on the other hand, the interviewer must make sure that you understand the importance of a balance between work and private life.

• How to answer the question?

The employer must know that you are responsible in your work. But at the same time, you need to explain that you need personal (free) time. During the interview, let them know that you will put everything in order before the weekend, and the company can easily contact you at any time.

6. "How did you prepare for this interview?" By asking this question, the interviewer checks your desire to get the job.

• How to answer the question?

Tell the interviewer that before coming to the interview, you researched the company and got acquainted with its activities. In this case, It is good practice to demonstrate a brief knowledge of any product produced by the company.

7. "Why do you want to work for this company?"

Again, this question shows how serious you are about the job.

• How to answer the question?

Here are three appropriate answers to this question.

(i) I already have several acquaintances working for your company and I have heard very positive feedback from them about the company and the business process.

(ii) I really liked the opinions of company employees, etc. on your website and social network pages.

(iii) Your company is a manufacturer of quality products that help people. Your activity gives a very interesting impression of the company. I would also like to become a member of this team.

8. "Do you prefer to work alone or in a team?"

If you say that you like to work alone, it can give an impression of a person who is difficult to communicate with and who is busy only with his/her individual assignment. On the other hand, if you say that you like working in a team, you will give the impression that you cannot take independent decisions

You can highlight that you are comfortable working in both forms. For example, by working in a team, you can gain new knowledge and exchange ideas. But you also think that working alone is enjoyable. You do not hesitate to make decisions in order to achieve your goals.

9. "Has there ever been a time in your workplace when your boss or co-workers asked you to do something that was against your principles?"

This question is intended to test your ethics and moral principles. In this case, you need to answer the question without referring to gossip about your former boss or colleagues.

• How to answer the question?

Try to keep your answers short, to the point. Do not go beyond professionalism and do not disclose confidential information about your past work.

10. "What are your salary expectations?"

This question can make both sides feel uncomfortable. The fact is that in most cases the interviewer does not have the right to discuss the salary. By asking this question, the interviewer wants to see if the company can afford to hire you.

• How to answer the question?

Before going to the interview, analyze the current salaries in your field. Then you can choose one of the following 2 answers.

(i) When I have clarity about your requirements for this position, I will be able to answer your question.

(ii) I am looking for a job that suits me and will increase my experience and knowledge. I am sure that you pay in line with the market. Simply put, “I value myself and I hope to work with a reputable company.’’

Be specific and sincere in answering all these questions. There is no need to over exaggerate about yourself. In any case, sooner or later your lie will be exposed. Be self-confident and if the interview fails, probably it was not the right job for you.