21 years old and one month as CEO

21 years old and one month as CEO

The young man goes hand in hand with the CEO, goes to meetings and can even give his own speech

The second meaning that includes the RAE on the term innovation is "Creation or modification of a product, and its introduction into a market". Something that could well define the proposal that Adecco has been making for four years, for young people who are finishing their university studies: being CEO of their company for a month.

Enrique Sánchez, 'permanent' CEO of Adecco, does not call this initiative as a scholarship or training course. "It's a real immersion experience in which Miguel Castillo (the temporary CEO) comes to my side and comes with me everywhere: be it a meeting with a client, with the steering committee or an international meeting." Encounters in which the 21-year-old not only takes notes, but can ask questions and propose his own proposals. Or even give your own speech if Sanchez also has to give it.

To this process 13,000 young people showed up in their last years of university studies and with a series of personal competences. "We do not just look at a good academic record or a good level of English. We also want people who are social, creative, humble, hardworking, serious and capable of working as a team, "explains the CEO of Adecco. After several tests and personal interviews, there were five finalists who met Enrique Sánchez. "It was the most difficult decision, having to choose one of them," says the CEO.

Miguel Castillo was chosen. This ADE student still has two years left to finish his studies, in September he moved from Erasmus to London and for a whole year he combined his studies with volunteer actions. "I hope that everything he learns here can be applied in the short and long term and both personally and professionally," he tells us.

He knows that it is not easy (at least in the short term) to become a CEO again, but he recognizes that he is learning a lot about emotional intelligence. Maybe because work as the head of a company was not as I thought. "There are CEOs and CEOs," he acknowledges, "but Enrique was surprised at how close he is to me and how he treats people like that. It is a great value. I thought there would be more distance with the employees ».

Mutual learning
 
Enrique Sánchez says that this initiative is a reflection of Adecco's commitment to young people. "There are several groups, including young people, who have real difficulties in finding a job," he laments. In fact, those under 25 have an unemployment rate in Spain twice the European average. "Our mission is that there is no difference between the competences of universities and what companies demand. Advice is lacking in young people on how to strengthen their strengths, how to develop their skills and what career to choose, "he says.

Sánchez believes that other companies should also have initiatives like this one. "Young people are very talented and we have to help them, train them, advise them, stimulate them". For those who want to pick up the glove, the Adecco CEO recommends approaching the Administration and the education system to ask how they can help young people in the training of skills. "It's a way to explain to them what I will need as a company and a way to be more sustainable and responsible," he says.



In addition, this responsible ensures that not only young people learn: also companies and their CEO draw morals from these experiences. Miguel Castillo is the fourth CEO for a month that Adecco has. Two of the three previous ones work in the company. Sanchez does not want to generalize, but he does note that these new generations take decisions very quickly, "more than me at his age. They are more alternative, global, open and instantaneous ». And with them he confirms that the world of work is changing. "They do not worry about having a job for a lifetime, or about the mobility they can have. Or if they are going to have a work table or not.

They want to work for projects. And there goes the world », warns Sanchez. Are they a little committed generation as they are criticized? For the CEO of Adecco, no. "Yes they commit, but it's a different commitment. Leadership and business values ​​are important to them. They decide if they want to work with you or not. Now they question everything. They ask for more flexibility ».

And after being CEO, what?

Normally you do not enter as CEO of a company, much less being so young, but Enrique Sánchez believes that Miguel Castillo can aspire to be one after living this experience of a month.

However, the objective of this initiative is to help you to have a vision of how companies are going and to demystify these charges. "We are people doing a job," explains Sánchez, who would like Miguel Castillo to enjoy and learn from this experience. Of course, also says that "the ideal is to have a continuity in Adecco and be incorporated when you finish your studies."

For his part, Castillo assumes that he will not be CEO overnight despite this experience. "You need experience and knowledge for it," he acknowledges. But "few people have everything I'm learning." An intense month in which you are discovering the operational part, marketing and strategy of a general management of a large company.

"I've been here for ten days and it seems I've been there all my life," says Castillo, for whom the most difficult part of this stage in Adecco is assuming that every day is one less as CEO. «I know it has an expiration date, but that motivates me to take advantage of it».

While that moment arrives, he has several orders as CEO of Adecco. For example, in terms of digital strategy, with the aim that the company can reach more young people. Orders that he is developing as CEO so that the company can start them up.