The Eighth Forum for Orientation & Recruitment
held at BIEL, Beirut Central District
in March 2009 attracted over
55 400 visitors in four days
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THE OFFICIAL INAUGURATION OF FORWARD 2009___________________________________________
An inaugural lunch was held at BIEL - La Terrace du Pavillon Royal - before opening the FORUM’s door to the public. Speeches were given in chronological order by: Mrs. Tania Eid (Managing Partner of Careers, E² and member of the Board of Directors of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Industry, & Agriculture) Mr. Ghazi Koraytem (President of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Industry, & Agriculture) and H.E. Mr Gebran Bassil, Minister of Telecommunications.
The lunch was a great success especially with the honorable presence of M.P. Dr. Camil Khoury, Colonel Istambouli ( the representative of the Lebanese Chief of Army), Mr. Fadi Abboud (President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists), Mr. Nadim Assi ( President of the Beirut Trade Association), Mr. Wajih Bizri (President of The National Committee for the International Chamber of Commerce) , all the members of the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, & Agriculture, many prominent figures, economists, business & industry leaders, education & syndicates representatives, Lebanese and foreign exhibitors as well as a major media presence and coverage.
The media coverage of FORWARD 2009 was distinctive due to a high press attendance such as televisions, radios & prints. In what follows you will find the complete list of TV stations and magazines that were present & active in this year’s edition of FORWARD: LBCI, FUTURE TV, OTV, Télé Liban, New TV, NBN, ANB, Orbit TV, MANAR, Al Akhbariya, Al Hurra, Nahar, L’Orient-le-Jour, Anwar, Dyar, Hayat, Balad, Al Akhbar, Bayrak, Liwaa’, Safir, Daily Star, Le Commerce du Levant, Magazine, Lebanon Opportunities and Executive Magazine.
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VISITORS____________________________________________
- This year's number of FORWARD’s visitors was a key indicator of
its success, where more than 55,400 visitors versus 52,000 in
2008. This allowed companies in the exhibition to recruit qualified Lebanese talents that they were seeking.
- The 55400 Visitors were as follows:
1- 6100 were between the age of 17 and 20; 21,000 were between the age of 21 and 26; 17,300 were between the age of 27 and 35; and 11,000 were above the age of 35.
2- 33% were females and 67% were males
3- 21% were looking for education, training, and/or internship, while 79% were looking for job opportunities. Out of this 79%, 72% were looking to shift their current jobs for better opportunity, while the 28% in between jobs or fresh graduates.
EXHIBITORS____________________________________
- What distinguished FORWARD 2009 is the heavy participation of Lebanese companies that were recruiting Lebanese talents from different levels. This is unprecedented in the history of FORWARD especially that around 85% of the involved exhibitors were Lebanese despite of the political and the economical situation that the country is going through.
- Bookings were still requested up to the very last minute. On the
same day of the inauguration and during the first day of the exhibition when the bookings were officially closed, 4 more companies joined the FORUM. This shows the strong belief in the essence, goals and success of FORWARD .
- The fair gathered around 144 exhibitors on an area of 7,000sqm that was spread as follows:
- 116 Leading Multinational, Regional and local Companies
- 28 Academic Institutions, Training & Cultural Centers
JOB OFFERS___________________________________
Over 3,500 job offers and internships in Lebanon and the region were available in different fields and for all career levels.
Once again at FORWARD many companies that couldn’t exhibit at the FORUM and who had job openings were able to post their vacancies on the Jobs Avenue that was designed for this purpose.
Successfully, 100s of job openings in different fields were posted for candidate who applied directly.
Local companies found the fair as the initiation of their annual recruitment operation with results continuing for weeks and months to come after the forum. Job seekers were able to apply directly to CAREERS making full use of its all-year job opportunities in Lebanon and the Gulf region.
ON - GOING TRAINING SESSIONS________________
Eleven carefully selected training sessions with attendance
certificates were provided by the Lebanese American University,
CSP Middle East, ICTN and Imag In to update Global Executives
with the latest management solutions to the ever-growing demands
of the business world today. These sessions were given throughout the four days of FORWARD 2009 at BIEL’s Conference Area and
have
attracted more than 500 managers and key decision makers
in
various fields.
Workshop for a professional image and personal impact
improvement were also held at FORWARD 2009 by Imag In.
It offered personal or group re-looking sessions for those
seeking further tangible outcome in their career.
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CONFERENCES & PRESENTATIONS________________
A series of presentations was organized by CAREERS where exhibitors of local and multinational companies presented their employment opportunities and career paths at their respective enterprises.
A series of presentations was organized by C.O.D. where exhibitors of local and multinational Educational Institutions presented their majors, programs, curriculum, enrollment conditions, tuition fees and scholarships, visa requirements, etc…
DEVELOPED AREAS AT FORWARD 2009____________
- Career Services Pavillion:
Careers Specialists helped job seekers enhance their search through assessment and career development tools especially integrated in this pavilion for the sole purpose of finding the matching career. Visitors were able to get the tips that directed them to the right job, where consultants gave them advices on ways to achieve self-awareness, re-format their CVs and to ultimately enhance their career opportunities.
- Entrepreneurship Area:
Organizations at the Entrepreneurship Area were present for the aim funding new businesses. Visitors discussed with these companies’ representatives their ideas for new projects, their feasibility and applicability. Support from such organizations for potential projects would be translated in terms of financial and/or non-financial help.
- The Jobs Avenue:
Visitors had the chance to check and apply to 100’s of job vacancies classified per field and posted on boards in the “the Jobs Avenue” area. From now on at FORWARD, jobs will no longer be limited to the fair’s exhibitors, but also to organizations in Lebanon and abroad who have openings but cannot attend FORWARD.
SPECIAL ORIENTATION HELP AT FORWARD 2009____
- Speed Jobbing: Two spots stood out in the middle of the forum with representatives from Careers to direct candidates towards the available vacancies at the forum that matched their experience and education instead of wasting time posting their CVs to companies that don’t have openings for their caliber. This came efficiently to both candidates and companies and helped better direct the recruitment process.
- Self Assesment Tests: Scientific methods were applied by Careers’ psychologists to draw conclusions about human behavior. Personality assessment tests were used to provide interested visitors with descriptions of how they behave, react, and interact under different situations at the workplace and the kind of companies and jobs that suit them.
- Career Counseling: Career counselors were there to provide visitors with the needed consultations to be exposed to more career possibilities. They worked on fostering the candidates’ potential and generating options to determine their own career track.
- Professional Resumé Assesment Center:
CAREERS HR Specialists presented FORWARD’s visitors with a one of a kind opportunity to improve their résumé during personal sessions. Interested visitors were able to take advantage of the presence of career specialists to better present their CV and thus get the job they want.
- Video CV:
More than 200 candidates were able to record their qualification and motivation on a Video CV, which is a 60-Second video of a candidate’s profile, explaining what kind of position they’re looking for, what experience and education they have, and why they should be considered for any position they’re applying for
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ASSESMENT OF VISITORS & EXHIBITORS___________________________________________________________________________
Questionnaires were distributed to visitors and exhibitors to get their feedback on the forum. The results are the following:
- 91% of the participants confirmed that the event met their objectives
- 94 % of the participants expressed extreme satisfaction with the organization
- All visitors clearly stated that they would advise their relatives and friends to visit FORWARD
- 23% of visitors expressed their wish to have more Companies and Universities exhibiting at FORWARD
- 26% of the participants in the Recruitment Section did not regard the fresh graduates as their sole target segment
- An outstanding demand was put equally by all participants & visitors to have more than one forum per year especially during the holiday’s season (New year’s & August) in order to attract Lebanese job seekers living abroad.
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As far as participation in the next forum is concerned:
- 81 % of exhibitors confirmed their participation for next year .
- 12 % of exhibitors expressed their intention to participate .
- 7 % exhibitors unresolved, depending on their future recruitment needs.
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