Recruiting is no longer a linear process. The way people interact with employers has changed. Candidates no longer move through a predictable funnel—they encounter companies at many touchpoints: career sites, social media, review platforms, networks, job boards, referrals, and more. This diversity presents both opportunity and challenge. Recruiting is no longer just communication; it’s experience design . And that’s where touchpoint management  comes in: a marketing concept t

Employer branding faces its greatest pressure since the rise of social media. Generative AI now produces content, variants, and formats at speeds that once demanded a dedicated team. Meanwhile, candidate expectations and scepticism are rising. As communication scales, the cost of interchangeability increases, and small missteps quickly turn into systemic trust issues. A clear perspective appears when the topic is viewed through three lenses: automation, authenticity, and risk

The idea that prompting skills – the ability to type the “right words” into an AI system – would be the key to successfully using generative AI has been one of the dominant narratives in recent years, including in Talent Acquisition. Many organizations invested heavily in prompt libraries, training, and certifications, hoping to unlock efficiency gains and higher quality outcomes. By now, however, two things have become unmistakably clear. Prompting in itself does not solve s

The digital landscape is evolving faster than many recruiting teams can keep up with. For more than a decade, everything revolved around Search Engine Optimization (SEO). But today we are standing at the threshold of a new concept: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) . GEO refers to the optimization of content for AI-driven answer engines such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, or Microsoft Copilot. These tools are rapidly becoming the primary information source fo

Uncertain markets, technological disruption, geopolitical tensions, and rising expectations from employees and customers create an environment that is more complex, dynamic, and unpredictable than ever before. Leadership today takes place under conditions where traditional playbooks fail, and new approaches are urgently needed. A recent Fast Company article hits exactly this point — and sends a clear message: Leadership teams are more successful in turbulent times when they d

In 2026, your career site will determine whether candidates can find you—both directly and through AI engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity. Traditional career pages resemble “job boards in corporate branding,” but modern sites must make skills visible, be structured for generative AI, and act as an analytics cockpit. Leading industry publications and market analyses agree: the future belongs to employers who unite skill-based hiring, GEO, and data-driven optimization i

…or: Things we REALLY don’t want to repeat in 2026. The Christmas decorations are barely back in their boxes, the leftover cookies are still calling from the kitchen, and yet — as every TA professional knows — January does not wait. It arrives loudly, with fireworks, unrealistic hiring forecasts, and an inbox already judging your life choices. So let’s embrace it with style. Here comes my official, slightly-too-accurate list of New Year’s Resolutions for TA Teams. Sharpen yo

Myla Ramos’ article on HRMorning about resilient staffing leaders captures the essence of effective leadership: resilience is rooted in empathy and decisiveness, working together, not in opposition. Resilience Starts With the Leader — Not the Team “Resilient leaders don’t wait for normal to return. (Spoiler: It won’t.).” This line from Myla captures modern leadership perfectly. The truth is uncomfortable: the old “normal” isn’t coming back — and that’s not a bad thing. Resil

Because Santa isn’t the only one who needs help this season. Ho ho ho, dear TA elves and wizards, sourcing sorcerers, candidate-whisperers, hiring–manager therapists, and everyone else who has survived another year of “urgent” reqs — gather ‘round the digital fireplace. It’s that magical time of year again when we stop pretending everything is under control and instead write a wish list. Not for Santa, no — but for something far more mysterious and unpredictable: Talent Acqui

A little while ago, I wrote about the potential of internal talent marketplaces during crises. Today, I want to dive deeper into how AI is accelerating this concept and what opportunities it creates. The world of work is changing at breakneck speed. Talent shortages, new technologies, and flexible working models are putting organizations under enormous pressure. But within this complexity lies a huge opportunity: investing in developing your existing workforce rather than rel

As recently discussed on LinkedIn in response to Persoblogger Stefan Scheller ’s  post about the future of job boards , I also believe that job boards are gradually losing relevance for both jobseekers and employers. However, it will likely take a few more years before this shift is complete. To understand this shift, let's examine which types of job boards offer the most value to jobseekers and employers in today's landscape. The job platform landscape is vast and complex.

Amid evolving labor markets, organizations face skill shortages, rapid shifts in required competencies, and high workforce mobility. Strategic talent planning is now critical. Talent Heatmap Analytics  provides clear, visual insights into workforce needs, supporting more strategic decisions. What does Talent Heatmap Analytics entail, and how can organizations utilize it effectively without significant expenditure? What Are Talent Heatmap Analytics? A Talent Heatmap  visually

Skills must be validated In recruiting circles, terms such as “ skill-based hiring,” “skills-first recruiting,”  or “competency-based selection”  are gaining popularity. Many organizations see this as the key to fairer hiring, better matches, and broader access to talent. But what’s really behind it — and where are the hidden pitfalls? What Is Skill-Based Recruiting? Skill-based recruiting shifts the focus from “what you are”  — your degree, title, or job history — to “what y

If you’ve noticed a significant drop in your LinkedIn reach over the past few months, you’re far from alone. Many users, companies, and marketers report the same trend: despite a consistent strategy, solid content, and an active community, impressions, comments, and interactions have dropped sharply. So what’s behind these shifts in your LinkedIn metrics? A closer look shows LinkedIn itself is evolving—both technically and  strategically. The algorithm (the software that deci

I recently read The Alignment Advantage Report by Checkr , which surveyed 3,000 HR professionals and 3,000 job candidates about how AI is used and perceived in recruiting. The report offers direct comparisons of expectations and values from both groups, identifying where perceptions align and diverge. These differences reveal actionable insights for recruiting teams using AI now or in the future. The Study Base: 6,000 Perspectives on AI in Recruiting The report explores, amon

Fear is part of the Game. Really? A while ago, I wrote about the fears that hiring managers bring into recruitment — the doubts that slow decisions and cloud judgment. But let’s be honest: it’s not just hiring managers who bring fears to the table. We recruiters carry our own baggage, too. Recruiters are often the first face candidates see — the moderators, translators, brand ambassadors, process managers, and sometimes, the human lightning rods between hiring managers, HR, a

TRM with a little helper. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a huge fan of Talent Relationship Management (TRM)  as a recruiting tool — and that I’ve built and implemented it multiple times. Yet TRM is still heavily underused in recruiting today. Many companies chase applicants, conduct interviews, make a decision, and then delete every trace of the interaction. The contact is gone, the interest fades, and the relationship ends. But that person might not have been a “no” — th

Seed your hirings tomorrow in today's crises. When companies downsize, recruiting is often paused. Positions are cut, budgets shrink, and talent pools get neglected. Crisis management takes priority over relationship management. This reflex is costly. Organizations that neglect talent relationships pay for it later. Every crisis passes. And when the market rebounds, those who stopped everything today will lack the right people tomorrow. In times of economic uncertainty, it’s

Facts beat poetry in Recruitment Few areas of employer branding show a greater gap between intention and reality than benefits communication. While many employers still rely on vague phrases like “attractive perks”  or “exciting employee offerings,”  today’s jobseekers want something far simpler — clarity. The days when a fruit basket or free coffee inspired enthusiasm are long gone. In 2025, winning talent means communicating, precisely and credibly, what employees actually

Many companies face a paradox: while layoffs and hiring freezes are common, the pressure to fill critical roles quickly is still growing. This is evident in Germany’s automotive sector, where jobs are cut as companies shift to e-mobility and efficiency. In Switzerland, large banks are reducing headcount after mergers and cost-cutting. Yet, the skill shortage persists. When markets rebound, companies lack experienced professionals familiar with their organization and culture.