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The topic in a nutshell
The shortage of skilled workers in Germany is acute with over 530,000 unfilled vacancies, particularly in IT, engineering and skilled trades.
Modern recruitment uses automated Job-Bots and social recruiting to achieve fill rates of over 70% (proven by case studies such as EDEKA and KMLS).
Technology-supported processes such as inga's deliver an average of 21 pre-qualified applications per vacancy and significantly reduce the administrative workload for HR teams.
The German labor market is empty - over 530,000 jobs remain unfilled, especially in IT, technology and skilled trades. Many companies are turning to a recruitment agency, but traditional methods are reaching their limits. Time-consuming and cost-intensive processes, a low reach among passive talent and high wastage are the result. But there is a better way: by combining intelligent automation and targeted social recruiting, companies such as EDEKA and KMLS can not only find their ideal candidates faster, but also more accurately. This article shows you how you can exceed your recruiting goals with the right technological partner.
The labor market 2025: A battle for every talent
The figures paint a clear picture: the shortage of skilled workers is no longer a forecast, but a harsh reality. According to the German Economic Institute, there was a shortage of over 530,000 qualified specialists in Germany in October 2024. The situation is particularly dramatic in IT, where around 149,000 vacancies remained unfilled in 2023, and in engineering, with 148,000 vacancies in the first quarter of 2024. Almost half of all companies (47.1%) report a further increase in demand for staff. This gap will be further exacerbated by demographic change as the baby boomer generation leaves the labor market. For companies, this means that the competition to find qualified employees is becoming more intense by the day. The old ways of recruiting staff are no longer sufficient to survive in this environment.
The limits of traditional recruitment: Why old ways no longer lead to the goal
Many traditional recruitment agencies rely on methods that are failing in today's candidate market. They rely on job boards that often only reach 10% of potential talent - the active seekers. The biggest problem, however, is "candidate ghosting", which 85.6% of recruitment agencies have seen increase significantly in recent years. Candidates abandon processes without feedback because they are too slow and cumbersome. A traditional recruitment agency often invests weeks just to present a handful of perhaps suitable profiles. This approach is too slow and too imprecise to fill today's vacancies. What is needed is a method that is also able to find the 90% of specialists who are passively searching and inspire them to make a change.
KMLS Group: Filling 76% of niche roles in the skilled trades with Job-Bots
The KMLS Group, a building technology service provider with around 300 employees, was faced with an enormous challenge: filling niche profiles ranging from service technicians (HVAC/ MEP/MSR) to accountants. The company has been relying on inga's Job-Bots for over five years. In over 50 projects for more than 15 different profiles, an impressive fill rate of 76% has been achieved. The bot delivered an average of 21 screened applications per vacancy. The company's quote speaks volumes: "The job bot is fast, uncomplicated ... talent flows directly into our BMS - the icing on the cake." This success shows how a modern recruitment agency with automated technology can deliver reliably and with little admin effort, even in the highly competitive skilled trades sector.
EDEKA Group: How social recruiting is turning a traditional brand into a talent magnet
Even for a well-known brand like EDEKA, recruiting is not a sure-fire success in a highly competitive market, especially in logistics, administration and branch-based retail. Traditional processes deter many talents here. Since 2020, inga has achieved a recruitment rate of 72% in over 120 projects for 20 different profiles - from store management to counter service. The key was a combination of social recruiting campaigns and a job bot that conducts a short, brand-independent interview. This enabled even hard-to-reach target groups to be activated efficiently, resulting in an average of 21 pre-qualified candidates per position. This strategy transformed recruitment without placing an additional burden on the HR team. The success proves how scalable social recruiting works.
SCHRAMM: Customized bots for the hunt for "hidden champions"
What do you do if you're looking for highly specialized experts who can't be found on any job board? Recruiting service provider SCHRAMM has been relying on inga's "manual labor bots" since 2022 to recruit precisely these hard-to-reach specialists and managers in the DACH region. Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, individually programmed bots are used here that are tailored precisely to the target group. This approach proves that quality comes before quantity. Customized bots based on precise targeting attract passive candidates where traditional channels have long since failed. A specialized headhunter for professionals with the right technology is essential for finding such talent. This makes active sourcing precise and free of application spam.
The technology behind it: How the automated talent pipeline works
The success of KMLS and EDEKA is based on a sophisticated, automated process that massively reduces the workload of HR departments. Instead of waiting for applications, potential candidates are approached where they spend their time: on social media. The process is divided into four simple steps:
- Targeted approach: AI-supported campaigns play out the job ad to thousands of potentially suitable users on platforms such as Facebook or Instagram.
- Automated pre-qualification: A job bot, available 24/7, conducts a short, 5-minute chat interview that asks about the most important qualifications and motivation.
- Immediate results: Only candidates who meet the basic requirements are evaluated as qualified applicants and sent immediately.
- Seamless integration: The talent profiles flow directly into the customer's existing applicant management system (BMS/ATS) - without any manual effort.
This approach not only delivers quantity, but above all class and reduces the administrative effort for personnel consulting to a minimum.
Flexible and tailored to your needs: recruiting solutions for every challenge
Not every company needs the complete package. A modern recruitment agency adapts to the needs of its clients. At inga, you will therefore find modular solutions that are precisely tailored to your situation:
- TikTok trainee recruitment campaigns: Reach the next generation where they are - much cheaper than a standard skilled labor campaign.
- Budget-light campaigns: For jobs with low entry barriers, such as EDEKA counter jobs, the same bot technology is used with a leaner approach at a savings rate.
- Delivery of completed interviews: Don't have time to coordinate appointments? We not only deliver applications to you, but also schedule the interviews directly into your calendar.
- Stand-alone chatbot: You have enough applications but no time to filter them? The bot takes care of pre-qualification and transfer to the ATS for a fraction of the cost.
This flexibility ensures that you always get the most efficient solution for your specific problem, whether you are looking for a recruitment agency for a single project or a strategic partner.
Conclusion: The future of recruitment is digital and automated
The shortage of skilled workers and changes in applicant behavior are forcing companies to rethink. While traditional recruitment agencies are losing efficiency, technologically leading partners such as inga are setting new standards. With a success rate of over 70 % in more than 170 projects for clients such as KMLS and EDEKA, it has been proven: Automation is the key. Job-Bots and social recruiting not only reduce effort, but also deliver demonstrably better results. When you stop waiting for applications and instead actively and intelligently approach talent, you win the battle for the best minds. Are you ready to take your recruiting to the next level and fill your vacancies in record time? Then start now with a free potential analysis.
FAQ
How quickly will I receive the first candidates?
With inga's technology-enabled approach, you will receive the first pre-qualified candidate profiles usually within 7 to 10 days of campaign launch. The automated process enables a fast and continuous delivery of talent.
For which sectors is recruitment with Job-Bots suitable?
The approach is successful across all sectors. As the case studies show, it works for niche positions in the skilled trades (KMLS Group), for highly specialized experts (SCHRAMM) as well as for the scalable filling of various roles in retail and logistics (EDEKA Group).
What happens if a position cannot be filled?
inga is success-oriented and offers a 50 % money-back guarantee. If, contrary to expectations, a vacancy cannot be successfully filled, this promise takes effect and minimizes your financial risk.
How does the integration into our applicant management system (ATS) work?
The qualified candidate profiles from the job bot can be seamlessly transferred to all common applicant management systems. This ensures a smooth process without media disruptions and reduces the manual administrative effort for your HR team to a minimum.
Do you also reach candidates who are not on social media?
The focus is on social media, as this is where the majority of passive talent is reached. However, the approach is a multi-channel strategy that can also include other digital channels, depending on the target group, to ensure maximum reach.
What distinguishes inga from a traditional headhunting agency?
While traditional headhunting is often a manual, lengthy and expensive process for individual management positions, inga relies on technology and scalability. We make the principles of active sourcing accessible to a broad range of specialist and executive profiles through automation - faster, more transparent and more cost-efficient.
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