On Oct. 30, NYU Abu Dhabi’s campus was filled with excitement as students, dressed in their best formal wear and holding freshly printed CVs, made their way to the East and West Forums for the semestral Career Fair. Organized by the Career Development Center (CDC), the event brought together a wide range of companies actively seeking to hire NYUAD students for both internships and graduate positions.

This year’s fair marked a noticeable change from previous ones. In the past, students had expressed frustration that many attending firms were not actively hiring. After the Student Government raised these concerns with the CDC, major improvements followed. This year, every company at the fair confirmed they were recruiting, giving students a genuine opportunity to take the next step in their careers.

More than 70 companies represented industries from engineering and investment, to media and technology. The lineup included AD Ports Group, ADNOC, AIR Q Limited, AlphaSights, Anton Oilfield Services Group, Du, Hilti Middle East, JLL, Mubadala Investment Company, Property Shop Investment (PSI), Qlub, Sheikh Shakhboot Medical City (SSMC), Tabby, TII, and Visa, and many others. Many offered both internship and full-time roles, giving students across academic years a chance to explore a variety of paths. Additionally, the CDC set up a photoshoot where students could take professional headshots, helping them update their LinkedIn profiles and applications right after talking to recruiters. Recruiters chatted with students about career goals, internship timelines, and application advice. As second-year student Aydariya Dzhusupova shared, “This year’s Career Fair companies are better than last year. The overall organization and atmosphere are good, I really liked it.” Her comment reflected how many students seemed to feel that day.