In late May, just days after his inauguration as president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky announced his first digital initiative, dubbed ‘LIFT,’ which is meant for bringing talent and ideas into state governance.
Speaking at the iForum 2019 digital event in Kyiv on May 24, President Zelensky called on Ukrainian entrepreneurs and people at large to submit their CVs and project proposals through LIFT’s website to join Zelensky’s team in its bid to bring long-awaited changes in the country.
Officially launched in beta on May 28, the LIFT website allows visitors to create their detailed job seeking profiles that must include their working experience and video resumes. Users may also submit their project proposals covering such areas as state governance, innovation, and social changes, and seek support and funding from the state for existing projects.
The project is managed by 28-year-old Michael Fedorov, the key person behind Zelensky’s highly successful digital campaign in the past presidential elections in Ukraine.
According to information published on LIFT’s channel on Telegram, at the end of the first day of its operation, more than 100,000 people visited LIFT’s website. The visitors submitted 510 project proposals, many of which aim to develop e-governance in Ukraine, sustainable energy, and social networks. 324 resumes were created online, most of which seeking jobs in such areas as legal practice, education, and top management at the national level.
Also, LIFT received 201 applications seeking support for ongoing projects that aim to promote e-governance in Ukraine and help implement the State in a Smartphone initiative announced by Zelensky. Upon submission of their data, applicants can track the progress of their applications by using the LIFT tracker.
LIFT claims that “absolutely anyone can join the project.” Some leading recruiting agencies and HR specialists are said to be involved in the project to select prospective candidates.
In the week before his inauguration on May 20, the new president met members of international recruiting agencies in Kyiv to discuss staffing policy, especially for top government positions. The meeting was attended by representatives of Hudson, Оdgers Вerndtson, Bayden, and Ward Howell.
