12 de July de 2019
Straight after the new graduates were given their sashes at the Pabellón Madrid Arena, the awards for institutions that help to guarantee EAE Business School's academic excellence were presented. Talent acquisition and employability form a key part of the School's activities, through its work with top-level academic partners and business organizations. In this case, the financial institution BBVA was given the Top Recruiter Award at the Graduation Ceremony of EAE's Madrid Campus. María Gómez Seco, the Talent Acquisition Discipline Manager for Spain at BBVA, received the award from Carlos Giménez, the CEO of Planeta Formación y Universidades.
BBVA has received the Top Recruiter Award for EAE's Madrid Campus. What does this accolade mean to the company?
This award reflects the work and bonds that have been created over the years between BBVA and EAE Business School. Forging closer links between business and the university world is essential for everybody. At BBVA, we are committed to this objective in order to give all students access to the opportunity to continue training at a company like BBVA. The fact that the School understands the students' concerns and companies' needs has facilitated the recruitment of profiles aligned to what different companies are looking for.
We are very grateful for this award, particularly because of what it symbolizes in terms of the close partnership that EAE has always had with BBVA.
The talent of EAE's students is our biggest selling point. What sets EAE candidates apart?
At BBVA, we are committed to working in agile, multidisciplinary teams. The comprehensive training that EAE students receive always emphasizes the cross-disciplinary approach to working and that is a real added value when joining the bank. The students have a really diverse range of backgrounds and profiles, and they are used to working in a collaborative way.
Where is the banking sector heading from an HR perspective?
Just like companies in other sectors, banking has to take advantage of the opportunities being generated by the technological revolution. In relation to HR specifically, we have to be able to identify what professionals we are going to need within the coming years and facilitate training and acquisition of the new competences required among current employees and young people who will soon be joining the professional market.
What are the latest talent acquisition trends in the financial sector?
There are now tools that help us get to know candidates better, enabling us to offer them better development opportunities. New technologies facilitate the first contact with candidates, but it is crucial not to lose sight of the importance of personal contact.
What skills and competences do you value most highly in candidates?
There are different competences that are valued higher depending on the profiles required. We are fully convinced that working in multidisciplinary teams enables us to achieve greater objectives. In the case of BBVA, we look for profiles who know how to work collaboratively, who detect and understand our clients' needs, who work in a team and embrace new challenges.
The new digital environment has an impact on professionals and also on companies. How is BBVA adapting to these changes from the perspective of the teams and people?
One of our goals is the creation of opportunities. We are working on the development of structures that enable an increasingly collaborative approach to work, with diverse profiles who can generate new solutions through agile working methodologies. To achieve this, we give employees the option to decide how they want their professional career to develop, working on projects and in positions in which they can contribute most.
What advice would you give the students who have just graduated?
First and foremost, that they don't lose their drive to continue learning. It is crucial that they maintain their motivation and desire to understand what is happening around us and to grasp the new needs that emerge. I would advise them to observe, to know themselves and never stop analysing what they can offer, working on projects with the scope for them to develop. It is also essential that they do not close the doors to the different opportunities that arise.