It usually takes about three months from the first interview to the signing of the contract. For very difficult-to-fill positions, it can take up to six months. This figure does not include the fact that the time required for personnel recruitment does not start with the job interview. In the run-up, there is the needs analysis, the creation and placement of an accurate job advertisement and much more.

If a position remains unfilled for a longer period of time, this is a not inconsiderable cost factor for a company. Other employees have to take over the tasks, and their own responsibilities suffer as a result. Otherwise, the duties of the position simply remain unfilled until the position is filled. Both situations are far from ideal.

But where to find candidates when the job market is empty? The full extent of this situation is particularly evident in the case of difficult-to-fill management positions. There are simply too few skilled workers available.

Because, of course, well-trained talents are often already tied into positions and are not actively looking for a job change. Consequently, they don’t read job ads at all. So how are these top professionals supposed to become aware of attractive, available positions? One thing up front: Lionstep offers several effective approaches.

What is meant by recruitment?

First of all, recruitment is part of personnel management, which within the company is usually the responsibility of HR departments. Among all the responsible tasks of HR managers, recruitment is perhaps the most important and complex.

In large companies, jobs – in addition to being advertised externally – are also advertised internally. Smaller companies or start-ups rely on a job ad to bring the desired success. In order to place the job ad correctly, some key points must be observed:

The job description must be worded accurately to appeal to the appropriate talent.
The salary must be calculated precisely, and there must be room for negotiation.
The employer brand must be presented confidently. Employer branding is an often underestimated measure for employee recruitment.
Soft skills are just as important as qualifications – how is this requirement formulated correctly in job advertisements?
Last but not least: Which channels should be used for job marketing to quickly attract the attention of the right talent?

The crux of difficult-to-fill positions is not just the ubiquitous shortage of skilled workers. HR departments themselves often have to contend with understaffing. Cost and time pressure do the rest to quickly generate frustration.

What are the advantages of external recruitment?

External recruitment offers meaningful and customized solutions for companies of any size and in any industry. Off-the-shelf recruitment was once upon a time. High-quality recruiters act hand in hand with companies and respond precisely to specific needs.

The price-performance ratio is often used as an argument against the use of a recruiter. Lionstep therefore also offers innovative and attractive pricing solutions.

Companies benefit from external recruitment on very different levels:

Human resources departments are significantly relieved without losing decision-making ability.
Lionstep draws on a variety of sources with a specially developed platform to reach as much talent as efficiently as possible.
A constantly available pool of talent has access to exclusively advertised positions.
Whether many jobs at once or positions to be filled individually: We find the right talent quickly and easily.
Lionstep contacts the most promising candidates and answers all questions. In the second step, our clients only talk to the talents who are actually eligible for the job(s) and are also interested in the position.
Companies outsource all or part of their recruiting processes to us – depending on their needs.
Costs are presented transparently and clearly. You only pay for what you actually use. Companies have full cost control thanks to an innovative prepaid system.
We are available as a contact partner at all times. Communication with integrity and trust in all directions is a given for us.

How does recruitment work?

Everyone is talking about the war of talents. Companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find skilled workers for open positions. To the same extent, talented people are finding it easier to find a good job. The wind has changed: candidates are no longer applying to companies, the opposite is the case.

Accordingly, recruitment is also in a state of flux. Where companies used to be able to sit back and wait for applications, they now have to be proactive. Employer branding measures and a positive candidate experience are just two of the important factors.

Employer branding measures

Putting your own corporate culture in the spotlight – employer branding is an effective tool for successful recruitment. What values does a company pursue? Are sustainable and/or social projects supported? What is done for the employees, what further training measures are there?

One very important point is, of course, that once promises have been made, they are kept. With integrated employer branding, companies increase their attractiveness as an employer and attract talent.

Positive Candidate Experience

If talents have a good experience during the application process, the chance of being hired is significantly higher. The positive candidate experience during the entire selection process is crucial for the reputation of a company and the success of recruiting.

Appreciative communication at all times is one of the most important foundations here. Transparency, expertise, interest and empathy underpin the positive experience that talents have with a company. Even if it ends up being a rejection: Their comprehensible reason should be mandatory. Because, as we all know, we always see each other twice – talents who have a positive candidate experience remain approachable for future open positions.

Active Sourcing

An immensely powerful tool in successful recruitment is active sourcing. Because if truth be told, good professionals are not looking for new jobs. Why should they? Top trained talents are quickly filled in the best available positions and often see no reason to change.

Nevertheless, many skilled workers and top talents remain curious. The proactive and non-binding approach is often enough of an incentive to openly approach opportunities that present themselves. At Lionstep, we haven’t reinvented active sourcing – but we have perfected it and increased efficiency with a lot of technology.

Talents receive a message from us with relevant information. With a completely digitized Candidate Journey, we can analyze relevant data. Is there no interest? The candidate feedback and the data provide information about possible reasons. Together with our customers, we optimize the job advertisements and improve the chances of finding suitable talent.

There is interest? Very good – in the next steps, we personally contact the talents in question. Last but not least, one exciting advantage of external recruiters is that jobs can be described neutrally. Talents can express questions or concerns in a safe environment – the keyword here is also positive candidate experience.

The right fit? We will be happy to introduce you to your matching talents. Everything else is now up to you. You as the hiring company make the final decision.

Recruiting with Lionstep – We find your talents!

Contact us! We will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Would you like to learn more about your options for customized personnel recruitment? Simply and conveniently use our contact form.

Since our foundation in 2016, our company has been growing and successfully established in the market. For this, we work with innovation and empathy – for your and our success. Take the next step and find your top talents with the Lionstep Way!

Not convinced yet? Then read about the experience our scale-up customer Radicant had with Lionstep.

If you’re a candidate looking for a job change, take a look at our job board with a variety of job offers.