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Over 100 people at risk of social exclusion participated in a job speed dating event in Madrid, an effective recruitment method that enables multiple interviews to be conducted simultaneously in the same space. The Incorpora programme of the ”la Caixa” Foundation aims to promote the employment of individuals from vulnerable groups through this initiative.
Belén is an active woman who knows what she wants and takes action to get it. At 44 years old, she has extensive work experience as a clothing and giftware salesperson, as well as an interviewer. “I really enjoy working with the public,” she says. Belén, who is of Roma ethnicity, is a mother of three and has a disability.
She is one of the more than 100 people who have come to take part in the job speed dating session organised by the Incorpora programme of the ”la Caixa” Foundation. Floor -1 of CaixaForum Madrid is a hive of activity, with people coming and going throughout the morning. Women and men, from Spain and abroad, young and old... All kinds of people are arriving to sit at the tables where four companies (FNAC, Pepco, Tendam and Carrefour) are recruiting staff for their shops. On some of their faces, there is a hint of nerves. But also excitement.
“I came to the programme through the Los Molinos association,” explains Belén. Los Molinos is one of the 39 social organisations that form part of the Incorpora network in the Community of Madrid. These are organisations that work with vulnerable groups and which, through Incorpora, help facilitate the integration of the people they support into the labour market.
“When you’re feeling a bit lost, the organisation guides you, helps you get into the process, with your CV... They help you climb the steps so you have the chance to attend job interviews,” says Belén.
Belén: “It’s such a relief to have someone supporting and encouraging you during the selection process.”
“It’s such a relief to have someone supporting and encouraging you during the selection process,” she adds with appreciation. She fondly mentions another Belén, the advisor from the Los Molinos association who brought her here. “She called me and said, ‘Don’t miss this opportunity, you’ve got what it takes’. Those words give you so much encouragement. You realise there are people rooting for you to help you land that job you’re so eager for.”
Support before, during and after the interview
The speed dating event in which Belén is participating was created with the aim of facilitating employment in the retail sector. “It’s a sector that offers opportunities and is also highly requested by many of the people we support,” explains Susana Moreno-Fernández, a business prospector at Hogar Sí – another social organisation that forms part of the Incorpora programme – and one of the organisers of this initiative.
“It seemed ideal to us that, in just one morning, companies could meet several candidates. Participants have had the opportunity to attend up to four interviews,” says Susana.
Susana Moreno-Fernández: “It seemed ideal to us that, in just one morning, companies could meet several candidates.”
Before reaching this point, the programme team had conducted a pre-selection of candidates proposed by the organisations. After reviewing their CVs, they organised group activities to assess whether they demonstrated skills such as teamwork, creativity and empathy.
And the work of Incorpora does not end once the interview is over. When someone secures a job, the employment advisors from the organisations support them in the next steps, depending on their needs: “I’m so nervous about the first day, where I have to go, who I should ask for, whether I need a food handling certificate, which has expired… Whatever you can imagine might come up during the onboarding process, we’re there to support you,” Susana explains.
The speed dating session is not over yet, but she is already thinking about organising the next one: “We have to do it again. It’s been a great opportunity to provide possibilities for many people in a single day, and I think they’ve felt good about it.” She points out that it is not only valuable for those who secure a job through it: “It’s a positive experience in itself because participants have been able to do a simulation of a job interview, of group dynamics. If they’re called for another position, they now have that experience under their belt.”
Nine months looking for work
Mouctar is another participant. He is 26 years old and was born in Guinea-Conakry, but has been in Spain for six years. Before that, he spent time in France and Belgium. After two years working in the textile sector, he is currently looking for a job. “I’ve been unemployed for almost nine months. It’s been tough, I haven’t been able to find anything,” he says.
Mouctar studied vocational training in fashion and garment-making. After working on clothing prototypes and alterations, as well as coordinating a warehouse, he decided to change his career path and is now training in retail. “I’d like to stay in the fashion industry, but work in a shop as a sales assistant – I don’t want to continue in garment-making,” he explains.
The retail course Mouctar is attending is run by the Cepaim Foundation, which is part of the Incorpora programme and has invited him to participate in this job speed dating session. He is pleased: “I’ve gone nine months without having an interview. Now they’ve managed to get me through a selection process to the final stage, which is the interview. It’s been a positive experience.”
Profiles that enrich company teams
For this activity to work, it needs participants, but it also needs companies. Alejandra Ortiz is in charge of human resources at FNAC, one of the four companies looking for staff. She conducted a dozen interviews during the morning. “Speed dating is a model that we find useful for recruitment. It’s a quick method that allows us to gather the basic information we need from candidates to decide if they can proceed to the next stage of the process with us,” she explains.
Her company has been collaborating with Incorpora for several years through internships, recruitment and visits to their offices, and has already welcomed many employees from the programme. “These profiles make teams more inclusive, more committed. In most cases, they lead to successful experiences,” she says.
Alejandra Ortiz: “Speed dating is a model that we find useful for recruitment.”
Before arriving at the speed dating session, companies inform Incorpora of the characteristics of the positions they wish to fill. Using this information, the programme team conducts a pre-selection and sends the companies the CVs of candidates from their organisations who match the profile. “What I’m particularly looking for are people who are customer-oriented. Those who are specialists or, as they sometimes call themselves in interviews, geeks. It’s a profile that fits perfectly for us: those who are passionate about gaming, literature, manga or technology. When that word or that spark comes up during an interview, we click,” explains Alejandra.
Of the people she has interviewed, she has only ruled out two. “The rest are all valid profiles, people who are interested in customer support, who enjoy teamwork and find the role appealing,” she says. She ended the session feeling satisfied: “It’s been a productive morning, and we’re leaving with candidates I’m confident we will hire.”
Support from the associative network
The programme offers companies diverse profiles that enrich their teams. This is helped by the wide variety of social organisations that participate, some of which focus on a particular group – homeless people, migrants, people with disabilities and so on – and others that are more general in nature.
Among them is CEAR, the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid. Through their support, Leandro, a 33-year-old Brazilian, has joined the programme. He studied physical education as well as business administration. “For me, this is a very hard process because I’m not with my family, nor am I able to support them. I’m used to working and doing things for my family, and now I can’t do much,” he reflects with sadness.
For some time, Leandro was not allowed to work in Spain. He recently obtained the document that accredits him as an asylum seeker and gives him the right to access employment, which is why he came to this job speed dating event. He took part in an interview and left feeling pleased: “I thought I would be more nervous because of the situation, but everything was all incredibly calm.”
Leandro: “I thought I would be more nervous because of the situation, but everything was all incredibly calm.”
Leandro is deeply grateful for the work of the organisation supporting him. “The work of the people at CEAR is very important to me. I was in a really bad place and they helped me a lot, with great care,” he shares. “Little by little, they helped me open my mind, because I’d been closed off and very afraid.” He will never forget what they have done for him: “They helped me psychologically, with clothing, food... I will always carry them in my heart,” he says.
At this speed dating, Leandro has taken another step forward in improving his situation and hopes to be lucky. He would like to find a customer-facing job: “I want to be in contact with people, to take care of others, to help in some way.” Thanks to the efforts of social organisations and programmes like Incorpora, Leandro and many others are getting closer to securing the jobs they so urgently need to regain control of their lives.
