EAE News
-
Experiencia EAE
"Constructive, approachable people are welcome at IBM"
15 de March de 2018
The multinational IBM has taken part in EAE's Talent Week, where Maite Iniesta, the Talent Acquisition Partner, and Amaia Sánchez Smith, an HR Partner Intern, shared key information about the technology company and its recruitment options.
Once again this year, EAE Business School has welcomed the participation of IBM to enhance the students' employability. On this occasion, the presentation and subsequent interviews were organized within the framework of Talent Week, a frenetic event at which students have gained an insight into the processes and working methods of more than 100 leading companies.
Held in the Event Hall of the Joaquín Costa building, IBM's session was divided into two clearly defined sections. The first was a presentation of the company, its company culture and the employment opportunities it offers (for professionals, students and graduates), given by Amaia Sánchez. After this, based on the concept of "do the best job of your life", Maite Iniesta gave the participants a number of tips for taking part in selection processes in large companies.
What does participating in EAE's Talent Week 2018 mean for IBM?
A breath of fresh air spending time with students, because they know what they are looking for, what they want to know about IBM, and what are their concerns and interests. This kind of interaction is really useful at a professional and company level.
Are you looking for something in particular at this type of initiative?
EAE Business School gets a large number of students involved and we like that because it gives us a very broad overview of how candidates experience the selection process and, thanks to their feedback, we can make the improvements required in terms of the "candidate experience".
As a Human Resources recruiter, you said that you read all the curriculums you are sent yourself. In this respect, what grabs your attention most?
I am a very curious person and I like to do a more in-depth investigation of the most notable aspects of each candidate because the automated system sometimes does not recognize formats or there are files that can't be opened properly. Therefore, I try to find out what has happened and supervise it personally.
When preparing a curriculum vitae, what advice would you give to candidates hoping to work at IBM?
There are no magic recipes in this respect, but there are some basic rules. The curriculum must be easy to understand and attractive to look at. If it can be kept to one page, that would be better, with a simple structure and design. You have to strive to achieve added value and an effective impact. Doing mass mailshots of curriculums is a mistake. We have to adapt it individually to the position that we are applying for in each case.
How is the selection process conducted for candidates at IBM?
Once they have completed the registration form for candidates on the website, the next step consists of a psychometric test, followed by a group exercise and a personal interview personal. These stages are spread over a fairly long process that lasts around two and a half months, in which we are looking for constructive, approachable people who meet the requirements stipulated for the position and have at least a B2 level of English.
Within the framework of Talent Week, how would you define talent?
At a business school like EAE, they train students to an extremely high level. What attracts me most is the person's attitude, a desire to do things. There are some people who, despite having qualification different from the training required for a vacant position, have a great deal of drive and that is clear to see. The differential layer comes from this attitude and it is linked to a passion for learning and taking on new challenges. This way of acting is talent, in my opinion: a desire to do new things, take risks and try things out.