The bitter reality: why traditional recruiting in the skilled trades fails

The search for skilled workers in the skilled trades is often like looking for a needle in a haystack. According to the German Economic Institute, there is a nationwide shortage of around 113,000 skilled workers, particularly in building electrics and HVAC technology. The problem is that outdated methods such as newspaper advertisements or general job portals do not even reach the passive candidates - i.e. the 90% of talented people who are not actively looking. Young, tech-savvy specialists also expect fast and digital processes, not weeks of waiting. A study shows that generations Y and Z are put off by long application processes. As a result, your job advertisements are seen, but not by the right people. This gap between full order books and empty workbenches is expected to grow by 62% by 2030 if companies do not rethink their approach. It's time for a fundamental change in recruitment.

Craft 4.0 is Recruiting 4.0: The leap to automation

The term Handwerk 4.0 describes far more than just digitalization on the construction site. It encompasses the entire value chain, including the recruitment of new employees. Instead of hoping for incoming applications, use automated Job-Bots to actively go where your target group is: on social media. These bots work for you 24/7 and target potential candidates. They conduct an initial, uncomplicated mini-interview directly in the chat and pre-qualify applicants based on your criteria. The result is not hundreds of unsuitable CVs, but a handful of screened profiles. This digital process speeds up the selection process enormously and reduces the cost per hire. Find out more about how to digitize your recruiting process in our blog. This way, digital transformation becomes the engine for your company's success.

Practical proof KMLS: Fill 76% of niche vacancies with Job-Bots

The KMLS Group, a building technology service provider with around 300 employees, was faced with the challenge of finding niche profiles ranging from HVAC service technicians to accountants. The company has been relying on inga's Job-Bots for over five years and has achieved an impressive fill rate of 76% in more than 50 projects. KMLS received an average of 21 screened applications per vacancy, which drastically reduced the administrative workload for the HR department. "The job bot is fast, uncomplicated ... talent flows directly into our BMS - the icing on the cake ," was the company's feedback. This example shows that automated systems can reliably fill even highly specialized roles in the skilled trades. The key lies in the combination of precise targeting and a low-threshold application process. But what if the experts you are looking for are invisible on traditional channels?

Quality over quantity: How SCHRAMM wins over experts with "manual labor bots"

An even more targeted method is needed for highly specialized roles where traditional channels fail. Recruiting service provider SCHRAMM has been using individually programmed "handwork bots" since 2022 to attract hard-to-reach specialists and managers in the DACH region. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, each campaign is tailor-made. In this way, passive candidates who are not actively looking for new challenges on any job board are targeted. This approach proves that a precise, almost artisanal approach to digital recruiting makes all the difference. It's not about reaching as many people as possible, but the right ones. Such a strategy prevents application spam and delivers only high-quality contacts. This proves that even in the digital age of Craft 4.0, customization is key. But can this focus on quality also be transferred to large-scale recruitment?

Scalable success: How EDEKA is becoming a talent brand with social recruiting

The EDEKA Group, a long-established company with over 70,000 employees, was struggling with a shortage of skilled workers in logistics, administration and store-based retail. 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 job bot delivered an average of 21 pre-qualified applications per position. The solution is a combination of social recruiting campaigns and a job bot that conducts a short interview without brand bias. In this way, even hard-to-reach target groups are activated efficiently without increasing the workload for the HR team. The qualified profiles are transferred directly to the existing applicant management system. EDEKA impressively demonstrates how a traditional brand can become a talent magnet using digital methods, even for mass roles. The common denominator of these success stories is the intelligent automation of the first steps in the application process.

The efficiency machine: How automated pre-qualification reduces HR costs

At both KMLS and EDEKA, the key to success lies in automated pre-qualification. Instead of spending hours sifting through unsuitable CVs, the job bot does the initial, crucial filtering. This not only saves time, but also improves the quality of the candidates that reach the HR team. An applicant management system can further optimize this process. Here are the key benefits:

• Time saving: Pre-selection is reduced from days to minutes.
• Objectivity: Algorithms evaluate purely on the basis of facts and qualifications, which reduces bias.
• Better candidate experience: Applicants receive immediate feedback, which can increase satisfaction by over 50%.
• Data-based decisions: You quickly recognize which channels deliver the best candidates.
• Focus on the essentials: Your HR team can concentrate on the qualified candidates and the personal interviews.

This increase in efficiency is a core aspect of Craft 4.0 in recruiting and makes it possible to achieve great success even with small teams. But digitalization offers even more, unimagined possibilities.