In little over three months, those who opted for a university degree as a part of their training will end their academic year. Many of them will have their first work experience as a part of a highly-qualified staff this very year. Hence, this is the perfect time to know which profiles are most in-demand in Spain in 2019. This information should be also of great interest for those professionals who want to go a step further in their career.

In its XIV Informe Los + Buscados report, Grupo Adecco’s middle and executive-level management consultancy firm Spring Professional, points out that the common denominator of talent many companies are currently competing to attract is “being strategic for their sectors”. But that’s not the only requirement. The mutating nature of the economic environment leads companies to bet strongly on recruiting multidisciplinary professional profiles, highly-versatile, endowed with great analytical skills, result-oriented, with a strategic vision, proactive and adaptive to changes. Of course, English is a must, and candidates speaking a further foreign language have a bigger chance of success in selection processes and later during their professional career.

In this sense, the degrees and profiles companies demand the most are those linked to new technologies, especially those related to IT and telecommunications. That’s why, as reflected in the labour market report by Spring Professional, throughout this year it will be a common occurrence to see attractive offers in job sites and headhunting platforms for cloud specialists; information security officers; FrontEnd developers; or Big Data Architects, among others.

In addition, attraction of the best talent will be also happening within classic areas of companies, which also require new members with extensive training in technology and a high degree of innovation:  engineering and finance departments.

Most demanded engineering profiles

  1. Those who have chosen degrees in the field of engineering should be aware that electricity and mechanical specialties are the most demanded professional profiles, mainly in the energy industry. With regard to experience, the ideal situation is to have a minimum 5-year experience in similar positions, as well as being very familiar with design, calculation and computer programming software.
  2. People in charge of implementing these measures in order to improve processes in terms of cost reduction and productivity enhancement are the most demanded engineering profiles in 2019. For this position, organizations require graduates in technical and higher engineering, with a Black Belt-Six Sigma certification, broad knowledge of English and a minimum 5-year experience in operational continuous improvement positions.

The Michael Page Group has identified another two positions, also related to engineering, that will be professional profiles in high demand during this year:

  1. Energy storage and microgrid engineer: in addition to having a diploma in Engineering, the most valued candidates are those with a master in renewable energies and experience in microgrid designing.
  2. Modular construction manager: professionals with a degree in Architecture or Technical Architecture, an experience of between 2 and 4 years as a construction manager and proven ability in team management.

Most demanded financial profiles

  1. Management control analyst: the ideal candidate is a graduate in Business Administration, Economic Sciences or similar, with a deep knowledge of English and Office applications. Recruiters also appreciate that candidates have taken a master degree in finance or a MBA. As for professional experience in a similar position, the minimum required is 3 years, being a plus if it was in the fields of consultancy or auditing.
  2. Cost controller: In the Spanish labour market they enjoy a high level of employability. Companies usually look for graduates in Accounting and Finance with excellent knowledge of SAP or Excel, proficient level in English and 2 or 3 years of experience.
  3. International Financial Controller: candidates must have a degree in Business Administration or Economic Sciences, command of the New General Accounting Plan and a B2 level in English.
  4. Chief Financial Officer (CFO): undoubtedly, the most demanded profile in financial departments. With a level of studies similar to the aforementioned three, candidates must have a minimum experience of 10 years in positions requiring a comprehensive approach to finances within an organization.

Talent and the most attracting features of employer companies

In this battle for talent attraction, the agility of the labour market makes companies pay special attention to their own profiles as employers. It’s essential that they’re aware of the main motivations that would lead a candidate to choose them in a “multiple offer” situation, and in some cases include them in their Employee Value Proposition. In this sense, the report World’s Most Attractive Employers 2018 reflects that the features young talents appreciate the most are training plans and the chances for professional development, besides the prospect of future remuneration. But those are not the only factors. Corporate social responsibility policies are gaining momentum, particularly the commitment of organizations to environmental protection.

Sources: Trabajos. com, Michael Page, Universum and Compromiso Empresarial

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