After years of talent shortages, the wind is shifting across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Unemployment is rising. For the first time in years, it’s not just hitting blue-collar roles. More and more white-collar professionals are affected. For recruiting teams, this marks a turning point. There are more applications and expectations, along with new opportunities to rethink how hiring works. Wind of Change? A Snapshot of the DACH Labour Market In Germany , registered unem

Final Sale for Vocational Training Positions Between October and January, many companies enter the crucial "second half" of the training year. While regular start dates have passed, thousands of young people are still seeking placements, and many apprenticeship positions remain open. Post-placement programs offer a timely solution: employers and counseling services can match motivated late starters, repeat seekers, and switchers to meaningful opportunities—and help your organ

Mark your calendar: June 7th, 2026. With the EU Pay Transparency Directive (EU 2023/970) , a new chapter in Europe’s compensation culture begins. By June 7, 2026 , all EU member states must implement the directive into national law — meaning that pay transparency will become mandatory  for employers across Europe. Those who wait risk losing valuable time. Organizations can either treat the new requirements as an administrative burden or leverage them as a strategic employer-b

Choosing an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a key HR decision. An ATS does more than track applications; it shapes candidate experience, recruiter efficiency, and data integration. Many ATS rollouts fail due to poor preparation, vague requirements, and overlooked integration issues. A structured approach fixes that. 1. Preparatory Activities: Building the Foundation Start by organizing your internal processes before contacting vendors. Current state analysis: Which systems

Same, same, but different. In a labor market increasingly defined by talent shortages, hybrid structures, and declining employee loyalty, recruitment is undergoing a fundamental transformation. It’s no longer enough to scan résumés for keywords or to focus on “cultural fit” – that is, whether someone seems to fit into the existing company culture. To recruit successfully and retain talent long-term, we need to dig deeper. What matters is not whether a candidate “thinks like u

Employer branding is facing a crisis of trust. According to a recent analysis by Employer Branding News , fewer than 20 percent of companies can demonstrate the ROI of their employer branding activities. In most cases, no solid data proves that branding or communication efforts actually lead to faster hiring, better candidates, or lower turnover. The issue isn’t with the concept itself — it’s with the execution. For too long, employer branding has relied on glossy campaigns a

Discussions on talent shortages usually focus on graduates, immigration, or automation. Rarely do we address the immediate value of professionals aged 50+. It matters—especially now, as shown in my recent Basel impulse session. The situation is tighter than ever, and alarmist headlines don’t help. There’s also serious work: Outsourcing consultancy von Rundstedt has pre-announced a new “55plus” study (publication scheduled mid-November). The preview already highlights demograp

It will crash without silver necks. Even if the economy is wobbling at the moment, Germany’s shortage of skilled labor is a structural reality and one of the country’s biggest economic challenges. Across nearly all industries – from crafts to care, education, and IT – qualified workers are in short supply. The new federal government under Friedrich Merz has introduced the so-called “Active Pension” (Aktiv-Rente)  – an initiative designed to motivate older employees to continu

Illusion: The risk-free recruiting Recruiting isn’t an “HR topic” anymore. Every manager who hires is, in effect, a recruiter — whether...

I recently saw a viral "Job Ad from Hell" on LinkedIn—hilarious for all the wrong reasons. It’s a prime example of clumsy AI use in recruiting, and a reminder that DEI standards still vary greatly by region. JobAd from hell. Rather than focusing on poor examples, I wanted to explore what happens when AI is given a genuinely useful task. To explore this, I prompted my favorite assistant to analyze what the “perfect” job ad would look like for each generation, considering value

Since I keep getting asked about it, here’s a quick deep dive into the world of ATS technology. Before anyone panics, most companies...

Despite talent shortages and aging populations, age discrimination in hiring remains widespread. 50+ candidates are consistently...

AI in recruiting stopped being science fiction a while ago. CV screening, chatbots, matching tools – all here already. However, what’s...

As a recruiter, you typically conduct interviews, moderate assessment centers, and evaluate job candidates through tests. It’s easy to...

Work is evolving rapidly. Digitalization, shifting lifestyles, talent shortages, and demand for flexibility are sidelining traditional...

End at the door: Biased Recruiter. Recruiting presents numerous challenges, including talent shortages, rising candidate expectations,...

For decades, a career meant completing an apprenticeship or degree, joining a company, advancing for years, and eventually retiring. That...

In August 2025, SAP acquired SmartRecruiters, marking a significant disruption in the HR tech market. For many DACH companies, the ATS...

The world reels from conflict, economies slide into turmoil, and the prevailing mood is one of tension. Uncertainty permeates every team...

Yes, every company claims to be amazing—offering fantastic work culture, outstanding training opportunities, and unbeatable working...