QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WHO WILL BE FIRED BECAUSE OF THE COVID CRISIS?

Now many people wonder who will be fired because of the COVID crisis, and which industries will flourish. Karina Epifantseva, head of crisis management and bankruptcy practice, will share her opinion on this issue.

"Perhaps we will expand the staff. Many companies will experience financial difficulties despite the measures taken by the government. Entrepreneurs say that the right to a bankruptcy moratorium will not allow them to continue their activities 6 months later, in October, and pay off accounts payable that has formed before the pandemic. Now they cannot work properly and earn money, so these 6 months will be, rather, a kind of delay before possible bankruptcy. Therefore, my field does not experience difficulties: there will be work for those who deal with bad debts.

As for university graduates, I think the situation has not changed at Saint Petersburg State University: both the selection and dropout are as tough as before. When I graduated, only a third of the 300 applicants received a diploma. Everyone I have interviewed recently has a good base (knowledge of civil law, the basics of the process). But you cannot immediately take a ready-made specialist from a university – you need to gain experience for several years under the guidance of practicing mentors."