Success of the Social Networking Night organized within the framework of the Programa Jóvenes Belux
Last Thursday, the 
14th of April, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized the first edition of the Social Networking Night in Brussels. By means of this activity, that took place within the framework of the Programa Jóvenes BeLux, they introduced the young Spanish residents the different available tools for job search, encouraging at the same time networking as a key tool in the search for job opportunities abroad.
María Catalán, Secretary General of the Chamber, welcomed the attendees and presented the event schedule and the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program in which the Chamber is a new local contact point in Belgium and which aims to promote professional experiences among entrepreneurs in Europe.
Likewise, she thanked the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security and BNP Paribas for their support for the Programa Jóvenes. She also expressed her gratitude to the contributors who made the organization of the Social Networking Night possible.
During the event various talks and workshops took place. The talks focused on entrepreneurship, working for European institutions and related entities and the presentation of real experiences concerning the development of a professional career in Belgium.
Estefanía Andreu, representing Everis, gave presentations and advice on how to work for an outsourcing company of the European institutions. Juan Manuel Revuelta, of Finnova, talked about “The EU and self-employment as integration mode”. Finally, César Pla, explained the distinctive features of the EPSO exam as access to the European institutions.
After the first round of talks the workshops started. Ramón López Peláez, manager of the Programa Jóvenes Belux, explained the assistants how to create a good CV and motivational letter to help us find the job we want. It was also the moment to share our doubts when writing our CV. How to prioritize the most important information?, How long should a CV be? What should a good motivational letter contain?, etc.
Philippe Schifflers, Community Manager, explained how to make the most of social media in order to optimize our professional profile and how to obtain work opportunities by means of it. He mainly focused on LinkedIn, an essential tool for job search.
Asier Maquina, employee at Arcelormittal, encouraged the assistants to extend their contact network by means of networking and by putting into practice his advice given during the Social Networking Night.
During the final presentations, which alternately dealt with professional successful cases, José Alonso from Buendía Tours, talked about his experience as entrepreneur in Brussels. It takes a lot of effort to start a new business but you feel so satisfied when you see it grow and consolidate!
Ángel Rebollo, from Atrevia, presented his professional background in Belgium. Being considered a “successful case” because of the evolution of his career, he made clear which difficulties and opportunities the country offers concerning job search. He recommended the youngsters to “insist, persist and resist” when looking for a job and new opportunities.
To end the Social Networking Night, Eduardo Arranz told about his experience when searching a job. He highlighted the importance of never giving up, being very proactive when detecting opportunities and he emphasized the assistance of the Programa Jóvenes Belux.
Finally, the youngsters could interact with the speakers and put the advice they collected during the event into practice during the time devoted to networking.
With a Spanish aperitif and drinks offered by Codorníu, Belgibeer, Mediterranea and Vinespa, we had an entertaining and dynamic day.
We would like to thank all of the attendees, the participants as well as the speakers, who made the event possible. Take a look at the pictures at our Facebook page.
We hope you enjoy your night!
Remember that we are at your service until the end of May for the Programa Jóvenes Belux to help you with your job search. Our contact email is programajovenes@e-camara.com.
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