European Labor Market for Economists brings top talent to the global stage
The European Labor Market for Economists stands as a premier gathering that identifies rising talent in the global economy. It connects high-achieving students with employers across corporations, universities, and financial institutions, including international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Representing government agencies, this week-long digital event gathers a broad mix of participants, creating a clear path to influential roles. Four University of Alicante students — Clemente Pinilla Torremocha, Álvaro Fernández Gallardo, Julián Gabriel Soriano Harris, and Binur Yermukanova — earned the opportunity to participate thanks to exemplary academic records. The objective remains straightforward: secure placements with organizations actively pursuing top-tier talent.
The event is organized by leading economic bodies and societies, bringing together the most outstanding economics students from universities and business schools worldwide to apply for employment contracts with renowned economic organizations. The goal is competitive, with about 9,500 registered students in a recent year seeking nearly a thousand offers from a wide range of employers.
This edition features doctoral candidates from the University of Alicante’s Department of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis, Faculty of Economics and Commercial Sciences, who meet the selection criteria. Candidates needed to complete their doctorate within the current academic year and present a labor market paper linked to their doctoral thesis. They also submitted a forum report that included a CV, an essay, and three recommendation letters from professors endorsing their research. Multiple companies, universities, and organizations will evaluate profiles and conduct online interviews with applicants. If selected for any available positions, they will take part in in-person interviews in the early months of 2024 to present their research directly. Afterwards, the organizations will contact the top matches.
David Jiménez Gómez, who coordinates UA students’ participation in the Department of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis, notes nearly a decade of steady involvement at the forum. He explains that the forum has helped UA students access high-responsibility roles within private firms and national and international public institutions such as University College London, the University of Barcelona, and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, reflecting a strong external impact.
UA Economics Conference addresses challenges of the new technological revolution
The Department of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis at UA has achieved a 100 percent employability rate for participants in previous editions. This outcome, highlighted by David Jiménez Gómez, is described as a rare opportunity for students and a testament to the Faculty of Economics’ educational quality and external visibility, with recruitment data reinforcing that impression.
expectations
What do the students hope to gain from the experience? Julián Gabriel Soriano emphasizes that belonging to a high-caliber department and participating in a globally attended forum is a privilege. He specializes in Monetary Economics and Macroeconomic Policy, fields that have gained prominence since the 2008 financial crisis when central banks broadened their focus beyond inflation to financial stability and macroeconomic risk assessment. This shift makes the forum especially attractive for students aiming to contribute to central bank research or academic work.
His aim is to secure work in a central bank research division or an academic setting that enables teaching and meaningful scholarship. Soriano notes that all participants recognize the significant opportunity before them. Instead of scattering applications, they now have access to a concentrated pool of vetted opportunities from globally reputable organizations, underscoring the forum’s value.
Other UA entrants include Álvaro Fernández, who shares Soriano’s focus on monetary economics, while Clemente Pinilla concentrates on Applied Macroeconomics, Economic Typology, and Inflation. Binur Yermukanova adds expertise in Industrial Organization and Macroeconomic Theory, enriching the group with diverse macroeconomic perspectives.