In this blog, discover the incredible career path of José J. de la Vega, Country Manager South Europe & UK, at Luxe Talent. In this interview, José talks about his experience and his professional career in Luxe Talent and shares some of his best advices to evolve internally in a company.
How did you start your career at Luxe Talent? What position do you currently hold?
I have always been moved by people, which is why I decided to study Labour Relations and Human Resources. Later, I study complementary higher education in Talent & Hiring Management. The beginning of my professional career was in the UK where I worked in Retail Management and HR consulting.
6 years ago, in 2018, I returned to Madrid and joined the Luxe Talent team as Senior Consultant EMEA, within the Iberia team, under the leadership of Carolina Ramos. It was quite an opportunity to get into this position, as my main objective: to re-establish senior, executive and corporate positions, and to develop the market in that sense, was a great professional motivation.
Two and a half years later, I was promoted to Manager for the Spain and Portugal team. I could say that it has been my biggest challenge to date, full of successes, some failures, but a lot of learning. All this has allowed and led me to lead, since last June 2024, the management of Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal) and UK as a new market within Luxe Talent. Receiving the support of our new Team Manager in Spain, Desirée Montero. I face this new responsibility with great enthusiasm and surrounded by the best team!
How have you managed to develop your career into a high-level position?
Innate competencies play a vital role in a successful position of responsibility, and while they can develop over time, they form an essential foundation. I would highlight:
- The ability to lead, especially in times of difficulty.
- Resilience, always maintaining a positive attitude
- Flexibility and/or continuous adaptability
Leadership roles bring daily challenges that require adaptability and effective problem-solving. To succeed, it’s essential to cultivate skills like analytical thinking, strategic vision, creativity, and perseverance.
At Luxe Talent, training in people management provides a structured framework, enhancing both our strategic outlook and day-to-day team dynamics. However, the most valuable growth comes from hands-on experience—facing real-world scenarios with our teams and external partners, embodying the essence of “learning by doing.”
Strong internal relationships are equally vital. They foster collaboration, broaden perspectives, and deepen our understanding of diverse markets and realities, enriching us both professionally and personally.
This mindset, combined with continuous dedication to delivering exceptional service to our partners, has driven many successes and shaped my professional journey.
I’m honored Luxe Talent entrusted me with this new leadership role. I’m committed to showcasing my management skills and achieving lasting results. Onward to new challenges and accomplishments!
How do you initiate a request for professional development within your company?
The key to internal development within a company lies in communicating our desire for development to management and being transparent about our intentions from the outset. There are also other aspects to consider when expressing these promotion intentions. Among them, one must wait for the right moment to communicate it. Above all, it is important to consider the economic level of the company, since the right moment for one as a person will be difficult, if not impossible, to arrive.
It is essential to demonstrate with actions that each of us is a key element for the company and that we have the company’s success in mind when preparing our internal evolution speech. We cannot forget to include in it the aspects that motivate us together with some of our most outstanding results and achievements!
How to convince coworkers to accept the change?
It is important to remember that a promotion does not only affect one person, but also an entire team. Therefore, this change must be officially communicated with the support of management. Also, I recommend scheduling a meeting with the new team along with individual meetings (when appropriate), because they will be the ones who will help us in achieving the new objectives.
Important: a promotion does not excuse us from listening to and accepting feedback from our colleagues! Although the most important thing as a team leader is to modify work habits gradually and never implement them abruptly. The key is to give the necessary time to adapt and assimilate the change.
Once you’ve got the job, how do you ensure your career progresses successfully?
I could summarize my key points for success-oriented career development as:
- Accept and assume new responsibilities.
- Continue to train and develop skills (either personally or with professionals such as the Retail Academy).
- Keep our goals in mind and communicate them to the rest of our team.
Tips on how to develop your professional career?
My advice to those who wish to evolve in a company is:
- Conduct a skills assessment to understand what evolution you really want to achieve.
- Do not be afraid to ask for an evolution, the normal thing is to want to grow and continue to develop as a professional.
- Prepare well for this evolution.
- Remain determined and do not give up if the first request has not gone as expected, everything comes in its own time!
If you want more tips, follow us on our social networks: LUXE TALENT on Instagram, LUXE TALENT on LinkedIn, or in our academy RETAIL ACADEMY on Instagram, RETAIL ACADEMY on LinkedIn.
