The status quo in recruiting: an expensive test of patience

In the first quarter of 2024, there were 1.57 million vacancies in Germany. At the same time, companies spend an average of €4,700 per recruitment, often over €10,000 for managers. These figures show a clear reality: finding employees is an enormous burden on time and budget. 84% of German companies see the shortage of skilled workers as one of their main problems. The traditional recruitment is often too slow and inefficient to close this gap. The high effort and rising costs require a fundamentally new approach that makes smart use of technology. This paradigm shift is crucial to compete for talent.

Focus on automation: How Job-Bots are revolutionizing the skilled trades

Automated solutions show their strength particularly in the skilled trades, where qualified technicians are in short supply. This is precisely where the KMLS Group, a building technology service provider, comes in. In over 50 projects for niche profiles such as HVAC service technicians, a placement rate of 76% was achieved. The job bot delivered an average of 21 screened applications per vacancy. The key lies in automation, which massively reduces the administrative workload for HR teams. The job bot conducts an uncomplicated mini-interview and routes suitable talent directly into the applicant management system. This enables small and medium-sized trade businesses to hold their own against the competition. But how does this work for highly specialized experts who are not actively looking for candidates?

Quality over quantity: attracting specialists with customized bots

You rarely find highly specialized experts on traditional job portals. According to a LinkedIn study, 56% of potential candidates are passive and not actively looking for a job. This is precisely where the recruiting service provider SCHRAMM comes in, which has been relying on individually programmed bots for hard-to-reach specialists in the DACH region since 2022. Instead of a watering can principle, these "manual bots" enable extremely precise targeting. This approach proves that customized bots reach passive candidates where other methods fail. The aim is not to generate hundreds of unsuitable profiles, but to attract a handful of highly qualified experts. Such precision in active sourcing is worth its weight in gold. This targeted method is essential, but can such quality standards also be scaled to meet high personnel requirements?

Scalable excellence: social recruiting as a talent magnet for large companies

Yes, it even works for hundreds of vacancies, as the example of the EDEKA Group shows. The food retailer was faced with the challenge of finding staff for over 20 different profiles - from store management to counter service. Since 2020, over 120 projects have been implemented with an impressive recruitment rate of 72%. The solution is a combination of social recruiting campaigns and a job bot. This approach activates even hard-to-reach target groups in a scalable and efficient way. EDEKA receives an average of 21 pre-qualified applications per job directly into the applicant management system. This proves that social recruiting can transform a traditional brand into a talent magnet without placing an additional burden on the HR team. The success of such campaigns stands and falls with the choice of the right channels.

Choose the right channels: Picking up passive talents where they are

Success in modern recruiting depends on addressing talent where they spend their time. With around 22 million users in the DACH region, LinkedIn is a key platform for professionals. TikTok has proven to be extremely effective in attracting trainees. A study shows that 56% of candidates are passive but can be reached via social media. This is exactly where automated campaigns come in. They identify potential candidates based on their interests and profiles and play out targeted ads. The subsequent application process via a chatbot is fast, mobile-friendly and significantly improves the candidate experience. A streamlined process, completed in minutes, prevents bounces and delivers qualified profiles. But what if you need more than just screened applications?

More than just applications: Innovative services for maximum relief

A modern recruiting strategy does not end with the application. Today, innovative service providers offer an entire ecosystem of solutions. These include, for example:

• TikTok campaigns: Especially for recruiting trainees, a channel that is still hardly used in the DACH region.
• Direct scheduling: The job bot not only delivers profiles, but also books interviews directly into your calendar on request.
• Recruiting consulting: Experienced HR practitioners such as Corinna von inga bring process know-how from major banks to SMEs.
• Stand-alone chatbot: For companies with a high volume of applications, a bot takes over the pure pre-qualification without expensive media placement.

These HR tech solutions take the pressure off HR departments. This makes the goal of finding innovative employees not only achievable, but also efficient and plannable.