In this blog post you will learn about Greenheart’s recent international job fair Astana, Kazakhstan. This hiring event brought together our dedicated hosts, our valued partner Opportunity Programs, and a group of enthusiastic participants. It is noteworthy that every season, Greenheart organizes international job fairs in locations around the world so that our host organizations can travel to meet candidates in-person and get to experience their culture, firsthand. As a result, our Host Organizations gain memorable experiences as well as complete their seasonal hiring in just four days.
Taylor Kay, Senior Director, Work and Travel Program at Greenheart shared his reflections on the event with us.
Anticipation for an Exciting Hiring Event and Cultural Immersion
Record snowfall in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast. Myrtle Beach grinds to a halt under 6 inches of snow as cold spread across much of the United States. Even my hometown in Maine reached -4 degrees F – and yet all these situations were balmy compared to Astana, Kazakhstan during the Greenheart Job Fair earlier this month. This weather on the Asian steppe – 48 hours of snow followed by temperatures dropping to -10 degrees F before windchill – is just business as usual. Yet as we all doom scrolled the weather back home and the windchills outside our comfortable hotel, we were warm inside both in body and in spirit and focused on the business at hand.
Greenheart’s Work and Travel Program
Let me back up a little bit. Greenheart is a sponsor of the Work and Travel program by which international university students can come to the United States during their summer academic break and experience American culture, building local connections, improve their English and learn new skills. Greenheart aids applicants with placements at US host organizations (seasonal businesses) and one way that this happens is through international job fairs. These host organizations travel abroad to interview and choose their staff for the next summer. Astana is our fourth job fair this year (see here, here and here for the previous fairs).
Let’s meet Kazakhstan!
Kazakhstan is a young country in an old land. Emerging from the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, the country knew one president until 2019. Nursultan Nazarbayev engaged in a campaign of nation building and nowhere changed more than Astana, the capital since 1997. Monuments abound – the Bayterek Tower, a sphere, a pyramid, the world’s largest tent (actually a beautiful shopping mall) celebrate the nation – even as the population grows to fill up the huge city blocks between the wide avenues. On one such block, 10,000 students attend classes in a single edifice, the university which hosted our job fair.
Immersion in the Kazakh Culture
Rather than a walking tour and a trip to the top of the tower for city views (of blowing snow), we visited the national museum and learned about the different peoples — proto-Turks, Chinese, Mongols, Russians, Persians and others – who lived here on the steppe over the past 3,000 years. Ancestors include the world’s first domesticators of horses, some of the first goldsmiths in Asia and of course Genghis Khan and the Golden Horde from the east. The most impressive display was the Golden Man of the third century BC, discovered in a burial mound in the 1970s. The golden outfit of this young princess was careful restored and has traveled the world on display. The museum also housed flesh and bones of wooly mammoths, found defrosting on the steppe.
Volunteering with the Less Privileged
In line with Greenheart’s mission, every Job Fair itinerary includes a volunteer opportunity, a way to give back and immerse our travelers in the local culture. On this trip we spent a morning with orphans and underprivileged children. I personally worked with 12-year-old Adlit on an art project about peace. With the help of a translator, we talked about what we like to do in our free time. Oh, the bonds that can develop in just a couple hours!
Exceptional Hospitality by Greenheart’s Kazakh Partner
One of the best things about a Greenheart Job Fair is the hospitality of our local partner. Sakan and Katya of Opportunity Programs were incredibly generous with their time and gave much care to our comfort and experience. They introduced us to many Kazakh customs, from language and greetings to foods and drinks. One custom is for the host to serve food and tea to their guests – it was rare that I filled my own plate and by the end of the trip it felt totally natural. As she ordered meals at restaurant, Katya described which her family prepared at home and how it might differ.
Coming from a nomadic tradition, Beshbarmak is a meal of dough or egg noodles and chopped meat that translates to “Five Fingers” though now is usually eaten with forks. Lemonade is actually the juices of any mix of fruit, and we had many delicious ones. Tea flowed from colorful pots each night. Our hosts also introduced us to Uzbek, Georgian, Russian and Ukrainian dishes.
Going the Extra Mile to Prepare Participants for their U.S. Cultural Exchange
For several years, our local partner has offered the Opportunity Club to program applicants. This is a session-based curriculum that prepares them for living and working and thriving in the United States. Greenheart staff and host employer participated in a session on American business ethics. For example, one of the topics illustrated how managers in the U.S. are more likely to ask employees to do something in a polite rather than stern or direct manner. It was fun to explore these differences as students tackled phrases such as “would you take out the trash when you have a minute?” (take out the trash next) and “Can we please keep this area clean?” (clean up!). Attending host employers enriched the session with their own examples.
The Job Fair and Conducting Successful Interviews
As is custom, applicants arrived at the fair at Maqsut Narikbayev University already enrolled for a specific host employer. Greenheart and Opportunity staff presented on the program. Each host employer spoke for a few minutes and answered common questions. We then broke out for individual or group interviews in nearby rooms. I stepped in to interview applicants for one host who had to cancel before travel. While my focus was on evaluating English ability and suitability for positions such as lifeguard, ride operators and F&B, and setting expectations about the work, housing, and arrivals, I secretly loved to hear about their hopes for their summer in the US and their future career plans. I spoke with some very bright applicants and felt inspired and energized by the experience.
One Final Amazing Experience
Our final meal was an amazing experience although it was bittersweet; we knew our departure was coming. Our final tastes of Kazakh cuisine were accompanied by a live performance of Kazakh folk songs. We also enjoyed the camaraderie of our Kazakh hosts.
Are you a U.S.-based business and would like to host international seasonal staff for a cultural exchange? Please visit HirewithGreenheart.org to learn more.