The fight for new employees is becoming more and more intense. Ann-Kathrin König, owner of a personnel consultancy, has concrete tips on how applicants actually turn into employees who are happy to get involved and stay.
Many companies are convinced that they advertise optimally and implement the application process. But in my experience, this is exactly the crux of the matter: Applicants today no longer want to be part of a “process”, it feels like a machine and small cogs. Instead, they want to be seen as people and treated accordingly. It’s not as difficult as it sounds, and many of my clients are surprised at how big the impact of seemingly small changes can be.
Hiring is a bit like dating these days: you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. It is therefore all the more important that companies show themselves from their best side right from the start. What that means?
It is not fundamentally wrong to pay attention to the skills of applicants when hiring. However, I advise my clients to also keep in mind that while people are most often hired for their skills, they are fired for their personality. Therefore, when deciding for or against applicants, it should always be taken into account whether the person also has the right mindset. For example, it can be more important for a company that employees are open to innovations and are happy to continue their education than that they have all the necessary skills right away. After all, skills can be learned.
Ann-Kathrin König is the founder of the ANN-KATHRIN KÖNIG corporate
Around 63 percent of all applicants pay attention to benefits when applying. In addition to the salary and the security of a job, they are u. a. a good work-life balance in the form of home office and flexible working hours is important. Offers such as support with childcare or help in finding suitable housing are also well received by applicants. In practice, we also experience that the needs of the applicants now go far beyond the classic benefits: The search for an appreciative environment plays a central role when changing jobs. The younger generation in particular is looking for meaning and sustainability – companies with a mission and vision are ahead as employers.
More service for applicants who include personality and stand out through benefits and lived values - in the end it’s not big things that companies hire successfully. It is therefore all the more important to me not only to support my customers in making their open positions visible, but also to accompany them on their way to value-oriented recruiting. In the end, it is not a truism that it sounds out of the forest how you call in – this also applies to personnel decisions.
The Mission Female business network, founded by Frederike Probert, is actively committed to more female power in business, society, media, culture, sports and politics. It unites successful women across all industries with the aim of making further professional progress together.
