Editor’s note: This article was first published in April 2012, at the height of Spain’s unemployment crisis; the CIS figure of 73% of under-35s naming unemployment as their main problem and the job-access percentages it cites are from that time.
Unemployment is a national problem, and among young people it is becoming alarming. According to Spain’s Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), 73% of under-35s consider it their first and main problem.
These are not the only overwhelming figures. Of the young unemployed who get a job, 26.2% hold university or higher qualifications, and only 15.9% are people who get a job with basic schooling. By age, 20.4% of those who find work are between 16 and 24, while 23.9% are between 25 and 34; both make up the young segment. Among 35- to 45-year-olds the figure is 21.8%, and among those over 45 only 17% manage to get a job.
After months of actively looking for work. After completing a decent education. After deepening my academic training with additional courses. The years go by and… I’m unemployed.
You’ve got what it takes…
Stop and think. Don’t despair. There are many people like you, and it takes them a while to find work. Look around, get informed, get ready and try to find the solution to your problem in one of the questions below, but never despair: your training, your skills and your experience will always be valuable to some company. It’s just a matter of finding it.
Where am I looking for work? In companies that need employees with the studies and requirements I have prepared for. Are you open to working in a different field?
Where do I want to work? In my own city, or I don’t mind moving somewhere else.
Does my CV stand out? I’ve managed to put together a CV that is different from most. I’ve gone from a photocopied blank sheet in the same style as everyone else’s to something different that catches the eye.
Are my qualifications any different? Of course not: hundreds of us apply for the same position with an academic profile just like mine. Everyone has the same education, so I need to stand out in something else, either in my personal qualities or in my additional training.
My job interviews. I’m so used to them that I no longer pay attention. Couldn’t the reason be your own lack of interest in the companies you go to? Prepare your clothes, your image and what you know about the company. Have a real conversation and show your interest.
Me, sit public-sector exams? Have you thought about looking for work through an oposición, the competitive exams used to recruit for any of Spain’s public administrations?
They won’t give me a permanent contract. Have you thought about the reasons? Does the company offer permanent contracts, or does it only take on temporary staff? Have you grown in the job, or have you just done the minimum? Has your attitude towards the effort the job demands been the right one?
I get turned down in group assessments. Think about how you behave in them: that is where your greatest strengths, and your worst flaws, come out.
I have no experience, so nobody picks me. Keep trying. Replace professional experience with personal experience, and learn to make up for your lack of work experience by showing what you have done in your personal life.
I don’t like the working conditions. Take the job, gain experience and then look for better options. Don’t rule it out because of the conditions; you may be able to build a “career” there and move up and… remember… something is better than nothing.
Featured image: Chemical Engineer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
