Monthly Archives: January 2014

Youth unemployment in Europe: The education to employment report by McKinsey & Company

This entry was posted in Articles, Employment trends and tagged , on by Lynn.

“Change has been so fast and so drastic
as to be unprecedented in the post-war era;
Europe faces the possibility of a ‘lost generation’.”

No doubt, youth unemployment is one of Europe’s greatest challenges at the moment and consultancy firm McKinsey describes the journey of young Europeans from education to employment as “rocky”. The UK’s unemployment rate is under the average of the EU zone (Office for National Statistics, 2014), but prospects are clearly far from positive. Many young people in the UK complain about the labour situation and are faced with greater competition and decreased job security. According to the McKinsey survey, there are many companies which do not seem to find the right candidates to fill their open positions and many employers complain that graduates do not have the desired skills.

Youth unemploymentSo graduates and companies reported likewise that they experience difficulties in finding the right job or candidate. What is going wrong here? Where can graduates, companies, and policy makers improve in order to find a way out of this depressing situation? Is it the lack of jobs, a lack of skills, and market-oriented education, or simply a problem of coordination? These questions and more have been addressed within the recently published report by McKinsey and we find that they come up with novel points and a comprehensive picture of this complex problem.

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5 questions that you should ask on an interview

This entry was posted in Articles, Job interviews and tagged , , on by María Aragón.

…If you’re the candidate for a position.

Most people who after applying for a job are called for an interview go over the possible questions that may be asked and prepare well-informed answers: yes the ones that will show you are up to speed and the right person for the job.

right_choice_job_interviewYou’re not wasting your time. It is fundamental that you be prepared to show that you’re capable of meeting and surpassing the recruiter’s expectations, besides finding out if the company meets yours. Take advantage of the interview to interview the company! We don’t mean the questions directly linked to the position – as the company is sure to give you this information. Are they what you expect? Are they going to strengthen your professional development? Are you going to fit in with their business culture?

An acquaintance left the company he was working for because financial problems were looming. He went to work at another company that went bankrupt the month he started. His mistake was not asking (and maybe the employer’s bad faith in not putting his cards on the table regarding the real situation the company was in). Our advice is: ask and analyse. In a selection process, you choose too!

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There’s talent everywhere: The INSEAD Business School’s Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI)

This entry was posted in Articles, Working life and tagged on by Lynn.

Which regions have the most talent and how important is this really for the economy?

gtci-report-coverThe INSEAD Business School recently published its annual study on global talent and their ability to compete, the Global Talent Competitive Index (GTCI) Report. This was launched in Singapore before an audience that included important decision-makers from the world of politics and business.

Why is it important to foster talented people and to research their behaviours across the globe?  It is beyond question that every economy (and every company) needs talented people at the moment to drive innovation and growth. In some sectors one can already speak of a global battle for the most in-demand minds and it is therefore essential to keep talented people in your country and at the same time to recruit specialists from abroad.

The study confirms that countries need to foster their talents so that their economies grow. Emerging and developing nations face a double challenge, however. In industrialized nations it usually pays off: investment in talent, for example through a good education system, generally leads to higher productivity, more innovation and a better ability to compete.  Not only do poorer countries have fewer resources to invest in fostering talent, the results from improved education systems are also less linear. This is because well-educated specialists emigrate nevertheless to where salaries are higher and career prospects are generally better.

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What Not to Wear: Interview Style Tips

This entry was posted in Articles, Careers advice, Job interviews and tagged , on by María Aragón.

Outfits for an interviewGoing for a job interview is something that many people start to panic about, not least because there is so much planning involved if you want to make a good impression. In addition to thinking about what you can ask and how you can prepare properly, you also need to work out what you should wear to the interview.

Presentation is hugely important when you go for an interview – in fact, the way you present yourself can have a big impact on your levels of success. Of course, it is worth bearing in mind that there is no ‘one size fits all’ type of outfit, as the way you dress will often depend on the type of job and company you are being interviewed for. The key interview style tip, however, is to avoid dressing inappropriately or looking as though you’ve put no thought or effort into your outfit and overall presentation.

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Career stories: Clara De Nadal, journalist & Cool Hunter

This entry was posted in Interviews and tagged , on by plabram.

Clara De Nadal is a Journalist, Cool Hunter and Founder and CEO of www.muymia.com. She not only works, but makes a living doing what she really loves.  The secret? Find out by reading this interview!

1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Has this influenced what you do now?

When I was a kid I wanted to be everything, just like now. I’ve always liked writing, but Clara-De-Nadal-Trias-muymia-by-Carles-Roig-Photographermy mum was the one to help me choose Journalism as my major, because at that time I wanted to be an actress. Haha… In fact, I’ve studied in the Cinema Studies Center of Catalonia. I’ve always been a very creative and curious person; I love fashion and travelling, so in the end, I discovered I was born to be a fashion Journalist and Cool Hunter.

2. What do you actually do at work? Explain a regular day.

Nowadays I am self-employed in London. I work as a Fashion Editor for national and international magazines and online media weekly publishing my own articles about fashion, trends and lifestyle. I also do Cool Hunting projects for agencies and I collaborate with many brands and fashion companies from all over the world.

In 2011 I started my own project: a trend site with smart content about, fashion, trends, lifestyle, interviews, catwalk and events as well as travel and foodie sections!

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