The economic sectors which currently demand most graduates are informatics, telecommunications, trade, services, consulting, financial and engineering. It is important to point out the growing demand for graduates, in the past four years, on the part of SMEs. 

Job offers are easiest to find in the service and industrial sectors and the best perspectives for the future creation of employment are to be found in the areas of: telecommunications, transportation, leisure and tourism, environment, and personal services.

Although the unemployment rate is still the highest in the European Union (15.3% for the fourth quarter of 1999), it is important to point out that it has progressively been going down since the end of 1994, when it reached its highest historical level at 23.9%. Graduate unemployment only accounts for approximately 7% of the total unemployment rate. 

How are candidates recruited?

In Spain, there are not specific seasons for graduate recruitment as in other countries. Recruitment is carried out all year long, although the summer months of July and August are practically inactive.

Candidates are recruited principally through advertisements in the national press (in particular, the Sunday editions of �El Pa�s�,�ABC�, �El Mundo� and �Expansi�n�) and specialized publications, followed by alumni networks, recruitment agencies, and direct contact with graduates (word of mouth, personal contacts, spontaneous candidatures). Companies do not recur to recruitment and student fairs as much as in other countries, but the tendency is changing and their participation in these events is growing quickly. 

When recruiting foreign graduates, companies also contact Universities and Business Schools directly, and they recur to commercial/business contacts in other countries.

INTERNET

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It is available at a cost of 25 CHF (plus extra for postage and packing) at Success and Career. [email protected]