First a flirt, then a deep dive: the "War for Talents" is now being fought by means of virtual applications - with a lot of fake. This does not go without unlikely and comic situations.

I love applications, really. An application is some sort of a flirt, a wink: "Hello, I would be interested - if you like me a bit as well, get in touch!" As a job provider, you also usually get to receive a social media profile, a resume most of the time, and even a motivation letter sometimes.

Nowadays more and more job platforms are incredibly user-friendly. You immediately feel - ooops! - one rushed click on the "apply" button and it's already sent. Systems are always faster and easier to use, thus generating generate an exponential number of clicks on "Apply". The result is an accumulation of electronic applications in the data bank or in the recruiter's mailbox.

Inadvertent "Apply" button-clickers

Screening these applications sometimes leads us into comic situations. I am thinking in particular of applications from highly qualified candidates, applicants with third level education. What do these inadvertent "Apply" button-clickers really want?! Are they literate? Or are they just fake-applicants? Do they or do they not want...?

These questions become more and more obsessing when we never hear back from some twenty percent of the candidates, whom we would like to get to know better. It goes for them almost as for the most sought-after men and women on Tinder: they receive so many offers that they suddenly feel lost among the numerous possibilities they have. Some of our candidates obviously loose the overview of their applications. Others realize they do not feel like going through a demanding application process anymore. And others have all of the sudden too much to do. The "War for Talents" takes on a new meaning. Those who manage to make it to the phone interview reach the next leveWoe .

Favored candidate as Fata Morgana

Woe betide if we or our client wish to meet personally with the selected candidates. This is when wheat separates from the chaff. Our favoured candidates are suddenly incredibly hard to reach. They no longer answer mails, SMS or any other means of communication. Reaching them through social media fails as well. Boom, everyone is gone!

And if you finally manage to get in touch with one of them, he has constant scheduling stress, does not have a single day off for the rest of the year, is caught up in a whirlwind of business trips abroad or all kind of colds and flues - truly major challenges. In this case, maybe a Skype interview could be the solution?

Fake applications or false intentions?

A lot of water has gone under the bridge. We ultimately sit in front of a blurry Skype image, battling against a poor connection. Then comes the time when these candidates ask if and when they can receive the contract. And at that very moment, doubts start to arise: wouldn't it be better in the end to send a fake contract for a fake position? Both sides feel overstrained. "Any time, sure, but... there is a lot going on right now... really a great lot..."