Navarre Employment Service: Rubén Águila's experience with job search

Let's start with the basics, shall we? My name is Rubén Águila and if I tell you my story is because for many years I have been a client - yes, client - of the Servicio Navarro de Empleo. Yes, I'm that guy who has gone through absolutely every phase of the job search, from "what do I do now?" to "but how do I sign up for this course?"

What is the Navarre Employment Service (SNE)?

First things first: the Servicio Navarro de Empleo (SNE) or Nafar Lansare is the entity in charge of managing all employment moves in the Autonomous Community of Navarre. It doesn't matter if you are looking for a job, if you need a training course or if you are a company that wants to hire someone... the SNE manages it all. It's like that colleague who always has the answer to your questions, but in an official version.

This agency offers several services, including:

• Job offers: both public and private, so you won't be short of work. The best thing is that these offers come with the backing of the Foral Administration.
• Job guidance: if you are more lost than an octopus in a garage, they have professionals to help you design your path to the ideal job.
• Professional training: yes, they offer courses for you to update and improve your skills. Come on, you no longer have an excuse!

This is where my story comes in. Back in the early 2000s, I was out of a job. It was one of those moments when you look into the void and think "now I've really messed up." And guess what? I ended up at the Navarre Employment Service, or what is the same, the only open door when everything else seemed closed.

How the Navarre Employment Service works: what you should know

For starters, if you have become unemployed and have no idea what to do, the first thing to do is sign up for unemployment. It sounds bad, I know, but that's the way it is. In Navarre, this procedure is done at the SNE, which helps you to manage your job application. It is not as complicated as it seems, you sign up with your DNI, they ask you a few questions and boom, you are registered. From there, you have your DARDE or unemployment card. The key is to always have it updated to be able to access benefits.

But beware: registering with the SNE does not mean that you will automatically get job offers. Not by a long shot. It's a process.

The SNE-NL is also in charge of managing aids, such as the famous subsidies for hiring. Companies that hire unemployed people registered with the SNE can receive economic benefits. Yes, that company you are looking askance at could hire you faster if you are registered in the demand list. Therefore, it's important to keep yourself visible.

Also, the Navarre Employment Service is not only useful for job seekers. It also helps companies and entities manage their job offers more efficiently, something it has improved with its new platform, which streamlines the publication and management of vacancies.

The SNE courses: what they don't tell you

Another thing I learned throughout my years contrasting with the SNE is that its courses are not just anything. At first, I made the mistake of thinking they were a waste of time, but I was wrong. These courses are designed to improve your skills and, honestly, they do it well. There's everything from training for technical jobs to courses to improve in "softer" areas like communication.

On a personal level, it helped me get into jobs I wouldn't have considered otherwise. And I tell you, Rubén Águila, that I ended up as a technician in occupational risk prevention thanks to one of these courses. Before I had no idea what the concept meant, and now here I am, enjoying a profession I didn't even know I was interested in.

What else does the SNE offer? Services you didn't know

EURES: If you are thinking of going to work in another European country, the Servicio Navarro de Empleo puts you in contact with the EURES network. It is a European network that facilitates labor mobility between EU countries. Come on, if you are tired of being here, you can start looking for work abroad.

Youth Guarantee Program: If you are between 16 and 30 years old and cannot find a job, this program is designed for you. They offer you training, internships in companies and, most importantly, a direct bridge to your first job.

The myth of SEPE vs. SNE

Ah, and let's not confuse things. The Navarre Employment Service is one thing, and the SEPE (State Employment Service, formerly INEM) is another. To apply for unemployment benefits, you have to go through both: first you register as a claimant at the SNE, and then you go to the SEPE to manage the unemployment collection. It's a bit confusing at first, but once you understand it, you do it without a problem.

My personal experience with the SNE

I'm not going to lie to you, it wasn't an easy road. At first, I was frustrated by the bureaucracy, the deadlines, the endless forms. But in the end, the Navarre Employment Service pulled my chestnuts out of the fire more than once. They helped me get oriented, trained and, finally, found a job. And that, believe me, is priceless.

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