Frequently asked questions about Engineers Sourcing · Engineering Headhunter
Get answers to your questions about headhunting, recruiting and outplacement in engineering.
Information for companies looking for engineers and technical candidates in Spain.
Choose your profile and get your questions answered
We have organised the FAQs according to what you need to know: whether you are a company looking for technical talent, a candidate who wants to submit your CV, or you simply want to better understand how Engineers Sourcing works.
Frequently asked questions for companies
Answers to all the questions that HR Directors, CEOs and recruitment managers may have when considering hiring an engineering headhunter.
1. What is an engineering headhunter and how is it different from a temporary employment agency or a generalist HR consultancy?
An engineering headhunter is a company specialised in direct search (executive search) for qualified technical profiles. Unlike a temporary employment agency—which generally manages temporary hires for non-specialised profiles—or a generalist consultancy that works across all types of roles, an engineering headhunter like Engineers Sourcing focuses exclusively on identifying, assessing and presenting specialist engineers, middle management and technical executives.
Direct search means we do not publish a job ad and wait for applications. We actively seek out the best professionals, including those who are not looking for a job, which gives access to talent that conventional channels do not reach.
In short: where a temporary employment agency covers a fast operational need, an engineering headhunter covers a strategic need with rigour and depth.
2. How much does it cost to hire Engineers Sourcing for a recruitment process?
At Engineers Sourcing we work with a success-based model: there is no upfront cost or initial retainer. Payment is only made when the process concludes with the candidate joining.
In headhunting, fees are calculated as a percentage of the hired profile’s gross annual salary, typically between 10% and 15% depending on the level and complexity of the process.
For recruiting for tenders, the cost depends on the number of profiles, the hours invested and the documentation workload. Outplacement is contracted in packages at a competitive cost compared to the market.
If you would like a personalised estimate, contact us with no obligation on 630 773 419 or via the form on this page.
3. How quickly does Engineers Sourcing present candidates for a technical vacancy?
In most processes, we make an initial presentation of qualified candidates within 2 to 4 weeks from the start of the process.
For highly specialised profiles—commissioning engineers for international projects, nuclear energy specialists or bilingual profiles for the Middle East—the timeframe may extend to 4–8 weeks.
Our advantage is having more than 30,000 CVs of qualified engineers already in our database, which allows us to significantly shorten timelines compared to other recruitment channels.
4. Do you offer a guarantee if the candidate is not a good fit after joining?
Yes. All our headhunting processes include a satisfaction guarantee. If the candidate does not pass the guarantee period for reasons attributable to the recruitment process, we restart the process at no additional cost.
Typical periods are 3 months for middle management and specialised profiles, and 6 months for senior executive positions.
This guarantee is possible because the quality of the process is high from the outset: we produce technical and psychological reports, conduct in-depth interviews, and provide active follow-up during onboarding.
5. Do I need to give Engineers Sourcing exclusivity to work with you?
We do not require exclusivity. You can work with Engineers Sourcing in parallel with other recruitment providers or your own HR department.
The only thing we ask for is mutual transparency: if a candidate has already been contacted through another channel for the same role, it is important to let us know to avoid duplication.
Not requiring exclusivity is one of the conditions that makes it easier to start working with us.
6. Does Engineers Sourcing work only in Spain or do you also cover international processes?
Engineers Sourcing has international search capability. We typically operate in Europe (Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom), the Middle East (Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia) and Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Puerto Rico).
For EPC projects that require expatriate profiles, or for Spanish companies with operations abroad, we are a regular partner.
Our website is available in five languages—Spanish, English, French, German and Arabic—precisely to reflect the real reach of our candidate network and the diversity of markets in which we operate.
7. What technical profiles can Engineers Sourcing cover?
We work across three main areas:
- Industrial engineering: process, civil, electrical and mechanical engineers; instrumentation and control; planners; discipline leads; construction managers; commissioning managers; and project directors.
- IT: project leaders, SAP and CRM consultants, functional analysts, senior developers, systems architects, CISOs and network administrators.
- Telecommunications: infrastructure engineers, network designers, pre-sales engineers and deployment project managers.
We also cover renewables, Oil & Gas, water treatment, nuclear, rail, marine and aerospace.
8. What is outplacement and when does it make sense to hire it?
Outplacement is a support service for employees leaving a company—due to restructuring, a collective redundancy process (ERE) or a strategic change—with the aim of facilitating their return to the labour market.
It makes sense to hire it when the company needs to reduce technical staff responsibly: protecting its employer reputation, preserving the climate of the team that remains, and minimising the risk of conflict.
At Engineers Sourcing, outplacement includes CV updating, access to our professional network, emotional support and a personalised career plan. It is provided in 6-month packages per professional.
9. What makes recruiting for tenders different from conventional headhunting?
Recruiting for tenders is a service for companies that participate in bids and need CVs of qualified engineers to include in their technical proposal.
Unlike headhunting—where the goal is permanent hiring—recruiting for bids aims to strengthen the proposal. The definitive hire may happen later, once the project is awarded.
At Engineers Sourcing, we structure and document profiles according to the tender specifications, increasing the competitiveness and credibility of your technical offer.
Frequently asked questions for candidates
For engineers looking for a job, technical professionals currently employed who are considering new opportunities, and newly graduated engineers.
1. How can I send my CV to Engineers Sourcing to be considered?
You can send your CV via the “Send CV” section of our website. Once in our database, your profile remains active and our consultants take it into account when we open a process that matches your experience.
There does not need to be an active vacancy. Many of the processes we manage are confidential and are not published: if you are in our database, you have access to those opportunities.
We recommend including your level of English, the sectors in which you have experience, the technologies you master and your geographic availability: these are the data we consult most in the initial search.
2. Does Engineers Sourcing charge candidates any fee?
No. Never. Engineers Sourcing’s services are completely free for candidates.
Our fees are paid exclusively by the client company. This is the standard in professional headhunting: any company that charges a candidate to access a job opportunity is operating improperly.
If you receive any communication requesting a payment related to Engineers Sourcing, please inform us immediately at info@eshumancapital.com.
3. What types of engineering roles does Engineers Sourcing manage?
We work with middle-management positions, senior technical specialists and senior leadership in industrial engineering, IT and telecommunications.
The most active sectors are IT (development, cybersecurity, Cloud, SAP), Oil & Gas, renewables, telecommunications, water treatment, civil works, automotive, nuclear, rail and marine.
Many positions are international and require availability to work in Europe, the Middle East or Latin America.
You can view published vacancies in “Job openings“. Confidential positions do not appear on the website, but they are available to candidates in our database.
4. I am an engineer currently employed and I am not looking for a job. Does it make sense to contact you?
Absolutely. Profiles that are not actively looking are precisely the most valuable to our clients.
Many companies ask us to find professionals who are not on job boards, because they want access to talent that is not browsing vacancies. If your profile matches what one of our clients is looking for, we will contact you with a specific and confidential proposal.
Registering does not imply any commitment. You will not receive mass communications, and your information will not be shared without your prior consent.
5. How does the process work when Engineers Sourcing contacts me about a position?
The usual process has six phases:
- Initial contact: a consultant gets in touch with you—via LinkedIn, email or phone—to present the position confidentially and explore your interest.
- Interview with Engineers Sourcing: if there is mutual interest, we conduct an in-depth interview about your background, motivations and expectations.
- Profile report: we prepare a report to present to the client company, always with your knowledge and consent.
- Interviews with the company: we support you throughout the process, preparing you and answering questions.
- Offer and negotiation: if you are selected, we also support you in negotiating the terms.
- Post-onboarding follow-up: we stay in touch with you and the company during the first months to ensure the fit.
6. What information on my CV is most important in a technical headhunting process?
The elements our consultants value most are:
- Projects you have worked on: end client, type (EPC, O&M, EPCM), industry and your specific role.
- Technologies and software mastered: PDS/PDMS, SAP, ETAP, AUTOCAD, ANSYS, Primavera, programming languages, cloud environments.
- Languages with a real level: especially English and, for projects in the Middle East, Arabic or French.
- Geographic availability: if you have international experience or are open to it, state it clearly.
- Degree and specialisation: for many international processes this is a tender requirement.
A long CV is not a good CV. What we look for is clarity: that in 30 seconds we can understand what you have done, in which sector and at what level.
7. Does Engineers Sourcing work only with senior profiles or also with junior engineers?
Our main focus is middle-management and senior positions: professionals with at least 3–5 years of specialised technical experience.
Headhunting as a methodology is optimised to find profiles with proven experience, where the cost of a bad hire is high.
For junior profiles, conventional job boards (LinkedIn Jobs, InfoJobs) are usually a more efficient channel.
If you are an engineer with a highly specialised profile from the outset—for example, internships in demanding technical environments or international projects—do not hesitate to send us your CV anyway. Some specific processes may be a fit.
8. Is the confidentiality of my CV guaranteed if I send it to Engineers Sourcing?
Yes, absolutely. Your information is processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in force in Spain and the European Union.
Your CV is not shared with any client company without your prior explicit consent. Before presenting your profile to a company, we always inform you and confirm that you agree.
Many candidates who work with us are currently employed and need maximum discretion. We understand and respect that from the first contact.
You can view our full privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions about us
Answers to all the questions you may have about our methodology, work, hours, contact, etc.
1. What is Engineers Sourcing and what exactly does it do?
Engineers Sourcing—also known as ES Human Capital—is a headhunter company specialised in sourcing and selecting technical profiles in industrial engineering, IT and telecommunications.
Founded and led by Julia Taviel de Andrade, with 15 years of experience in the sector, it operates from Madrid with an international reach across Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.
Its three main services are headhunting (direct search to fill vacancies), recruiting for tenders and outplacement (career transition).
The company is certified as a Women-Owned Business by WeConnect International and is a member of AFIBROM, AMETA, EJE&CON and Women Tech.
2. In which industrial sectors does Engineers Sourcing have the most experience?
The main sectors are:
- IT and Technology (20%): software development, cybersecurity, Cloud, SAP, DevOps.
- Oil & Gas (15%): refineries, EPC plants in Central Europe and Latin America.
- Renewable Energy (15%): solar PV, wind and hydro in Europe and Latin America.
- Telecommunications (15%): network infrastructure, telco cybersecurity, systems deployment.
- Water Treatment (10%): desalination and WTP plants in Israel, Australia and China.
- Also: automotive, nuclear, rail, marine, aerospace and civil works (5% each).
The client market is distributed across Europe (30%), the Middle East (30%), Latin America (25%) and others (15%).
3. How can I contact Engineers Sourcing?
You can contact Engineers Sourcing through any of these channels:
- Website: eshumancapital.com — contact form and CV submission available
- Email: info@eshumancapital.com
- Phone: +34 630 773 419
- Customer service hours are Monday to Friday during office hours. For urgent enquiries, the phone is the fastest option.
4. What is the difference between headhunting, recruiting and staff selection?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same:
- Traditional staff selection: the company posts a vacancy and filters among applicants. It is reactive.
- Recruiting: the recruiter actively searches using job boards and LinkedIn. More agile, but it does not always reach the best profiles.
- Headhunting (direct search): the headhunter proactively identifies the most suitable professionals—even if they are not looking for a job—and contacts them directly and confidentially. It is the method that provides access to the hardest-to-find talent.
At Engineers Sourcing, we work mainly with a headhunting methodology for specialised profiles, and with recruiting when the goal is to present CVs for tenders.
5. Why use a specialised engineering headhunter instead of managing recruitment internally?
An internal HR department has a broad view of the organisation but rarely has the technical specialisation or the contact network needed to fill highly demanding engineering positions.
A specialised headhunter brings three advantages that a generalist team cannot replicate: an active database of already-assessed profiles, deep knowledge of the technical market (real salaries, profile availability, competition for talent) and access to passive talent.
In addition, outsourcing the search frees up the internal HR team’s time to focus on management and culture, delegating the most specialised part of technical recruitment.
The cost of a bad technical hire—in lost time, project delays and replacement cost—far exceeds the fees of a specialised headhunter.
6. Does Engineers Sourcing work only in Spain or do you also cover international processes?
Engineers Sourcing has international search capability. We typically operate in Europe (Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom), the Middle East (Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia) and Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Puerto Rico).
For EPC projects that require expatriate profiles, or for Spanish companies with operations abroad, we are a regular partner.
Our website is available in three languages—Spanish, English, and French—precisely to reflect the real reach of our candidate network and the diversity of markets in which we operate.
7. What technical profiles can Engineers Sourcing cover?
We work across three main areas:
- Industrial engineering: process, civil, electrical and mechanical engineers; instrumentation and control; planners; discipline leads; construction managers; commissioning managers; and project directors.
- IT: project leaders, SAP and CRM consultants, functional analysts, senior developers, systems architects, CISOs and network administrators.
- Telecommunications: infrastructure engineers, network designers, pre-sales engineers and deployment project managers.
We also cover renewables, Oil & Gas, water treatment, nuclear, rail, marine and aerospace.
8. What is outplacement and when does it make sense to hire it?
Outplacement is a support service for employees leaving a company—due to restructuring, a collective redundancy process (ERE) or a strategic change—with the aim of facilitating their return to the labour market.
It makes sense to hire it when the company needs to reduce technical staff responsibly: protecting its employer reputation, preserving the climate of the team that remains, and minimising the risk of conflict.
At Engineers Sourcing, outplacement includes CV updating, access to our professional network, emotional support and a personalised career plan. It is provided in 6-month packages per professional.
9. What makes recruiting for tenders different from conventional headhunting?
Recruiting for tenders is a service for companies that participate in bids and need CVs of qualified engineers to include in their technical proposal.
Unlike headhunting—where the goal is permanent hiring—recruiting for bids aims to strengthen the proposal. The definitive hire may happen later, once the project is awarded.
At Engineers Sourcing, we structure and document profiles according to the tender specifications, increasing the competitiveness and credibility of your technical offer.
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If after reviewing our FAQs you still have any questions, you can write to us directly.
Briefly tell us what you need and our team will get back to you as soon as possible to help with your enquiry.
We will be happy to guide you.
Personal data protection:
At ENGINEERS SOURCING we will process your data to respond to enquiries or requests.
For more information about processing and your rights, please see the privacy policy