Eva Aramendía: "The Saló de l'Ocupació makes sense if it generates and materializes job opportunities"

Entering the working world is not a simple task. Interviews, CVs, and job searches fill the agendas of people looking for their first job or wanting a career change. It is clear, then, that key tools and spaces are needed for connectivity between personnel and companies. Eva Aramendía joined Fira de Barcelona in 2023, after more than a decade of experience in the world of advertising and brand management. At the end of last year, she took over the direction of the Saló de l'Ocupació , the event that brings together workers and companies in a dynamic and leading environment. This year, this congress doubles its surface area and exceeds 160 activities with the aim of connecting people looking for work with the needs of the labor market. This new edition will be held on October 21 and 22 at the Montjuïc venue, with about thirty companies with their own stands and new initiatives to facilitate direct contact between candidates and companies.

—The fair doubles its surface area and reaches more than 160 activities. What led you to make this leap and what is your assessment of the previous edition?

—In this edition, we insist on the formula that has already worked for us in previous editions: that of being a meeting point between people looking for a job or a boost to their professional career and the labor market. For this reason, we have continued to strengthen all those areas that provide more value: direct connection with companies and sectors, personalized guidance, continuous training, and updating of skills. In this sense, it is clear that having more space is very beneficial, as it allows us to improve our offer.

This year, for example, we will have around 30 companies with their own stands, allowing us to comfortably exceed 100 companies participating in the event in some capacity. Most importantly, all these companies will bring current job openings within their organisations. In fact, we can confirm that we will bring more than 1,000 genuine job vacancies to the event. But that is not all: as you mentioned, the event’s programme includes a wide range of activities covering different stages of a professional career. Ultimately, our goal is to help everyone find job opportunities, define their own action plan and advance their professional development. Last year’s edition followed the same approach and worked very well, which is why we believe that stepping up our efforts is the winning strategy.

“This year, we will comfortably exceed 100 participating companies, which will bring more than 1,000 genuine job vacancies to the Saló”

—You mention that about thirty companies will have a stand to present real vacancies and interview candidates. How have you chosen the represented sectors and what is the demand for profiles you detect in the market?

—I believe the key is that all companies present at the fair need talent, and this is a guarantee of job creation. This is concretized in areas such as commerce, food, hospitality, transport and mobility, metal, communication, among others. These are very varied sectors and profiles, and therefore, rather than pointing out specific profiles, we prefer to emphasize that the fair opens a wide range of possibilities for people looking for a job, wanting to boost their career, or even considering a change of direction. 

—Talent en directe (Talent Live) is one of the big novelties. How exactly will this rapid interview activity work and what do you expect it to bring to candidates and companies?

—Talent en directe is born with the aim of facilitating rapid interviews between companies and candidates based on the participants' profiles. The initiative seeks to streamline the match between talent supply and demand, generating direct and immediate contact that allows companies to identify candidates and visitors to have a first access to real job opportunities. But in addition, we will also have the marketplaces of strategic sectors such as tourism or retail, where in certain time slots people can arrange meetings with different companies in these areas. Ultimately, with all these activities we seek the same thing: to connect talent and the labor market. Because the Saló de l'Ocupació makes sense if it generates and materializes job opportunities. 

—Artificial intelligence will be very present. How is the way of looking for a job changing with the arrival of technology?

—Artificial intelligence is transforming both the skills demanded by the labor market and the way people look for jobs. Today, it allows for the creation and optimization of resumes and cover letters, strengthening personal branding, identifying professional trends, and preparing for interviews. At the same time, it is also modifying selection processes through automated systems like ATS. That's why it's important for professionals to understand how these tools work and learn to use them effectively and responsibly to improve their candidacies. 

"Artificial intelligence is transforming both the skills demanded by the labor market and the way people look for jobs"

—This year's motto is We open doors for you. How have you designed the itinerary so that each profile finds its space and leaves with an action plan?

—This was the motto we launched last year. We open doors for you reflects this vocation to accompany people with very diverse needs because, as I said before, our proposal aims to be broad and address both young people looking for their first job and professionals who want to change sectors, find a new opportunity, or update their skills. That's why the fair's proposal combines guidance, personalized advice, training, candidate preparation, discovery of training itineraries, and direct contact with companies. Overall, it's a menu designed so that each visitor can identify their interests and skills, discover new professional options, and leave the fair with a concrete action plan and practical tools to advance their objectives.

—Trades will have a special prominence. What do you seek with this commitment and how can it help awaken vocations or break prejudices?

—We want to bring visitors closer to the reality of professions and sectors that are often little known or about which preconceived ideas exist. Practical demonstrations will allow them to see firsthand the tasks, tools, and skills associated with trades related to fields as diverse as floral art, 3D printing, robotics, health emergencies, or audiovisuals. We believe that this direct experience helps to discover new vocations, better understand existing professional opportunities, and highlight sectors that have a growing demand for talent.

—More than 40 speakers and experts will pass through the hall. What criteria have you followed to choose them and which sessions would you highlight as essential?

—The program will feature more than 40 experts from the fields of career guidance, human resources, training, and digital transformation. Specialists in artificial intelligence applied to employment, talent acquisition and development, as well as professionals linked to sectors with a high demand for qualified profiles, will also participate. For a person visiting the fair for the first time, we would especially recommend sessions related to professional guidance, candidate preparation, the use of artificial intelligence in job searching, and direct contact activities with companies and professional sectors.