ONLY one in five job vacancies in Spain are advertised, with the rest being filled by existing staff or their contacts outside work, according to a study by business school ESCP Europe.

A total of 80 per cent of jobs are filled before they even get to the advertising stage, and companies are spending far less on recruitment, selection and headhunters, preferring instead to use their own databases.

This is part of what is contributing to the economic crisis and high unemployment rate, says ESCP.

Word of mouth plays an important part in filling vacancies, perhaps more so than the traditional problem of 'contacts' or 'favours', the research claims.

The business school says these days it is far more likely for people to send their CVs to firms on spec, even if they do not know whether there is a vacancy.

Department manager at ESCP Europe, Ramón Aragón, says: “Now more than ever it is crucial to keep on the move and build contacts with active professionals who can give you hints and tips about new job offers.

“The concept of networking is a very significant one for past bosses and colleagues to bear you in mind when they hear of jobs, since they know best how you work.”



