1_Don't be afraid of rapid changes in the skills you are looking for in the market.

10 years ago, if someone had several years of experience as a supply chain manager, there was a high probability that they would be able to quickly adapt to a new employer. Today, it's a different story. Systems have changed, processes have been streamlined, SAP has spawned new updates. The "shelf life" of skills for many highly skilled jobs has shortened. So when someone wants to re-enter the job market after a long break, many new and different skills are required.

Tip: There are numerous external training opportunities that can bring what appears to be outdated experience back up to date. No reason not to evaluate such profiles more closely. These gaps can be quickly retrained.

2_The Human Touch

It often takes far too long in the recruiting process for the applicant or candidate to come into direct contact with a human person. That's because the same employers who are desperate for new employees are relying more and more on software tools and technology to weed out applicants based on their criteria. There seems to be little room for the question of which personalities one wants to attract as future employees. Employees want to contribute to the company as a whole person and not be reduced to their technical skills right from the start.

Tip: If at all possible, give interested applicants the opportunity to call or ask questions by e-mail. However, it is better not to use an automated chatbot. Good candidates want to know that their application is in good hands. With a personal first contact, trust and a relationship can already be built.

3_Reduce excessive requirements and job postings

Companies and specifically departments have a tendency to expand the list of required skills instead of shortening it. Not only are 10 bullets too many, the listings are sometimes a wild collection of technical terms and skills that don't even exist in the market in the combination being sought. The job profile was drafted on the drawing board.

Tip: Don't be too impressed by the specialist department. Question the skills mentioned and reduce the job advertisement to a maximum. Often, a search in social media gives a first picture of how many potential specialists or managers there are with your search profile in the first place. This gives them a quick market overview and allows them to "tone down" the profile if necessary.

4_Focus on skills rather than abilities

Employers and recruiters assume that candidates who have acquired a skill will want to continue doing it. But: professionals want to develop! For example, a validation specialist may want to develop in a broader role after 3-5 years, but is often continually asked for validation specialist positions.

Tip: Focus less on individual job titles and keywords and more on the skills needed for successful transfer performance in your operation. Ask the specialist department in which functions the future job holder might have acquired the relevant "skills". This will give you valuable info for the various staffing options.

5_Avoid unread texts in the application dossier

Your recruiting software reads the CV. You want a quick triage of interesting applicants. Candidates often also send a traditional cover letter and job references. The text in these documents is not read accordingly by an electronic recruiting tool. In addition, the technical terms used are not always congruent with the terms that are common in your company or industry. Important information is lost in this "translation".

Tip: Don't set your filters too narrowly. In the market for specialists and executives, you must remain creative. Often there is little or nothing on the business environment of the employers you don't know in the resumes. References or an Internet search will bring clarity.

6_Too sharp a selection slows down the pace

Recruiting processes have been standardized and streamlined in recent years for reasons of efficiency. Resources are used selectively and sparingly. After a selective review of the documents, only a few candidates are invited to initial interviews. Second-round interviews with 1 to 2 candidates are held with several internal participants and assessments or trial days are organized. Finding appointments becomes especially challenging at the management level. But the market keeps turning! Sought-after managers find another job, withdraw from the application process, or never get back to you.

Tip: Push the pace and always keep alternatives open. But also prevent your specialist department from settling too early on a candidate who seems perfect. Constantly offer alternatives in the process and critically question a too early selection. Reserve time slots at the beginning of the process so that the final round can be completed efficiently.

7_Enable internal job rotation and additional tasks

Internal job rotations and additional tasks are a strong springboard for your own talents. Technical specialists in particular not only get to know other departments, but also understand them in a process context. You can also measure leadership potential or cognitive transfer performance in this way.

Tip: Install opportunities for "job swappings" or "traineeships" and thus continuously expand the capabilities of your company's own talent pool.

Bottom line:

Automation is both a blessing and a curse here. Software solutions help you structure and process a large number of open positions and applicants. However, you should use selective filters and automated clarifications with caution and, depending on the situation, also handle them variably. It would be a shame if well-qualified candidates turned away in frustration because they were only a 90 percent match for your position.