Working in Spain: Recruitment

You are reminded that you must have a knowledge of Spanish in order to work in Spain. 

Public Employment Services

The Spanish State employment service (INEM) and that of the Autonomous Communities (regional) have a network of employment offices which offer services for all employees.

People over 16 years of age can register with the public employment services on presentation of a current identity document or passport, provided they have an address. In order to enter an occupation requiring a specific qualification evidence must be provided that the requirements for access to the occupation in Spain are met.

Services provided include job vacancies, careers guidance, employment promotion measures, vocational training and handling of unemployment benefits.

Addresses of employment offices can be found in the telephone directory or on the INEM website which has links to all the public employment services of the Autonomous Communities. Some of their websites provide information on job vacancies. Many of them have useful information and addresses for finding work and guides to job seeking.

Private Placement Agencies and Partner Organisations

The current management model for some public employment services in Spain includes partner organisations which offer workers the same services free of charge. These organisations can lend their services to all kinds of workers or specific groups (students, disabled persons, workers in a specific sector of activity). Your employment office will provide you information on these.
Private placement agencies authorised by the employment authorities also operate in the Spanish job market. These charge for any costs incurred.

Temporary Employment Firms

Unlike other labour market intermediaries, temporary employment firms recruit workers directly and assign them to the user company by means of placement contracts, delegating the management and control of the work to be carried out to the latter. They are particularly useful for seeking temporary employment.

The Media

All Spanish national, regional and provincial newspapers have a daily section of job vacancies, though most offers of work are published in the Sunday papers.

A television programme called Aquí hay trabajo (Jobfinder) is broadcast from Mondays to Fridays at 09.30 on La 2 (RTVE).

Internet: Company websites: More and more companies are setting up websites publicising themselves and include a human resources section. Look on their websites for a link entitled trabaja con nosotros (work for us) or empleo (recruitment).

Internet: Employment websites: 

These provide job vacancies classified by sector of activity or province, with a description of the position, the date of posting, and the address and a telephone number for the company that placed the advert.

Personal Applications

In Spain, people normally complete application forms provided by companies and also send a CV, together with a covering letter.

If you make personal applications you should select the type of company you target and try to find out about them before applying for a job. The covering letter and CV should clearly show what type of work you want and are qualified to do and what the company has to gain by accepting your application.

Networking

Networking is very useful when looking for work. If you have friends or family in Spain it is a good idea to mention that you are looking for work, since many vacancies are filled by means of this type of contact and references.

Text last edited on: 06/2005

Source: European Union
© European Communities
Reproduction is authorised.