Spain's economy is thriving and Spanish players have swiftly entered the global marketplace. We look at what you can expect when recruiting staff from this dynamic European economy.

Madrid, Spain's financial hub, is increasing in importance.

The result was an increased GDP growth, a reduction of the public 'debt to GDP' ratio, a drop in unemployment from 23 percent to 15 percent in three years, and a lowering of inflation to under three percent.

However, Spain still faces some challenges – including reducing the public sector deficit, further decreasing unemployment, reforming labour laws and investment regulations, further lowering inflation, and raising per capita GDP – but the country is moving surely up the ranks in Europe's economic 'hit parade'.

The Spanish graduate marketplace

With a history of high unemployment, the current Spanish market still isn't an easy one, but it does offer opportunities; and, in particular, you should be able to find good candidates for starting positions.

According to the Spanish government, the sectors that have the largest growth perspectives are energy, biotechnology, information technology, telecommunications and the environmental sector. Spain's financial hub, Madrid, is also increasing in importance.

Due to several factors – political influences during the era of dictator Francisco Franco, which resulted in Spain becoming rather inward-looking, significant migration in the 1970s and high unemployment in the 1990s – qualified managers in Spain have been thin on the ground. But following Spain's rapid economic modernisation, this trend is slowly but surely phasing out.

The organisational culture

The organisational culture used to be very hierarchical and bureaucratic, but it is changing due to the influence of American management theories, a growing number of young managers educated abroad and changes in Spanish society itself.

However, some things still haven't changed, for instance detailed job descriptions are rarely used, and assessment of staff is uncommon.

Personal contacts are seen as the most effective route into a job.

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