For yet another consecutive year, the Job & Internship Fair at AUBG brought together over 40 companies and their potential future talent – the students of AUBG.
“The purpose of the event is to help students find their future careers, whether it’s a full-time or part-time position for senior students, or an internship for the younger ones,” said Rumyana Hristova, Senior Coordinator at the Career Center.
“I want to emphasise that this event is suitable not only for students looking for employment, but also for practicing networking skills. It’s important to meet business representatives and understand early on what skills and qualities they’re looking for,” added Nadezhda Radkova, Coordinator at the Career Center.
Before students got to explore the exhibitors in the AUBG Sports Hall and speak with potential employers, AUBG President Dr. Margee Ensign welcomed everyone with a heartfelt message:
“This is an extraordinary gathering of companies and an incredible opportunity for our students. This is the first year I’ve been able to witness it in action, and it looks like something one of the University of California campuses would do in terms of the number of companies who have come to connect with our wonderful students. Thank you for being with us today.”
Curated companies to match market trends
The career event at AUBG is more than just a random collection of companies; it is a carefully curated exhibition of forward-thinking employers, selected by the Career Canter at AUBG to align with current labor market trends.
“This year, we have over 40 participating companies from various industries, including investment management, business consulting, IT, software development, gaming, and cloud solutions, among others. These are companies that offer innovative solutions, many of which are focused on sustainability, which is a key priority for the future,” said Rumyana Hristova.
One such company is S&G solar, which specializes in renewable energy and the construction of photovoltaic power plants.
“Our focus is on green projects both in Bulgaria and across Europe. We have a strong international presence and are based in Blagoevgrad,” said Mariya Ilieva, Head of Legal at S&G Solar.
“We’re pleased to see sustainability being formally studied, such as through the Sustainability Studies minor at AUBG. There is a real demand for professionals in this field, and specialized programs are crucial for the industry,” she added.
Alumni recruiting alumni
S&G Solar is home to many AUBG alumni, including Borislav Iliev (‘18), Head of Purchasing and Sales, who graduated in Business Administration and Information Systems.
But he is not alone. Many AUBG graduates have gone on to build or contribute to innovative companies.
Payhawk, a fintech company founded by AUBG alumnus Hristo Borisov, also recognizes the quality of AUBG students. Alumna Gabriela Belnikolovska (‘19), now a visiting lecturer at AUBG, is part of the team.
“For the past six months, we’ve been expanding rapidly and are looking to grow our business development teams across multiple locations, including Bulgaria. This fair is a great opportunity for us to meet young, ambitious individuals who could become part of our team,” said a Payhawk representative.
At the fair, we also met many alumni who are now on the other side of the coin – from job seekers to advocates and recruiters at their companies.
Marina Tsutsumanova (‘23), a Business Administration and Economics alumna, secured her first graduate job with Cerilion Technologies through the Job Fair two years ago: “Here I am now, looking to fish out the next Cerilion talent,” she said.
Rozalia Pandauzova (‘03), Head of Operations, Bulgaria at Cerillion Technologies, highlighted the company’s strong ties with AUBG students: “We currently have three AUBG students on board, two of whom are interns in our graduate program. We train our interns as equals. They get to experience the same challenges as our junior employees, giving them real responsibilities and integrating them into our team.”
Veselina Velkova (‘20) has a similar story. “I found my current job at Pentagon through the Job Fair. It was during COVID, so everything was online, but that didn’t stop me from finding the right place for me. Back then, eight AUBG students, including myself, joined the company as Account Manager interns. Now, five of us are still with the company, five or six years later.
“The quality of AUBG talent has remained consistently high, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for today – meeting talented individuals like we once were, mentoring them over the summer, and potentially welcoming them into our company long-term.”
Recognizing AUBG’s high-calibre quality
Many employers at the Job Fair echoed the same sentiment about the outstanding quality of AUBG graduates.
Iva Valova (‘22), Project Manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, reflected on her experience: “This is my second job, but I landed my first job through the AUBG fair. It was a great way to transition into work right after graduation.
“I know what AUBG offers in terms of talent. The people who graduate from here are incredibly smart. At HPE, I found a company culture similar to AUBG’s, with employee resource groups that remind me of the student clubs here. I hope students can discover that for themselves,” she said.
Dimana Mancheva, Human Resources Specialist at PwC, shared a similar view:
“This is our third year at the AUBG fair, and we are always impressed by the motivated students we meet. We love presenting our opportunities to them and discussing potential future collaborations. Many AUBG alumni work at PwC, and they are some of our top performers across different teams. That’s why we continue to stay connected with AUBG – it consistently produces high-quality talent.”
As another successful Job & Internship Fair wrapped up, it was clear that AUBG remains a launchpad for career success, bridging students with top-tier employers and opening doors to exciting opportunities.
