Learning is a management skill. Leveling up your TA team isn’t enough—the focus shifts to those who guide and develop them: Talent Acquisition leaders . The role of TA has undergone a radical change. Yesterday’s focus: operations (processes, KPIs, time-to-hire). Today’s mandate: strategy, technology fluency, data intelligence, and people leadership. Leading TA means acting as a strategist, change manager, analyst, and brand ambassador. With AI, automation, and skill gaps chan

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

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...

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

Some weeks ago, I spoke with Tim Glowa, Host of the "State of Work Today" HR-Podcast and founder of HRbrain.ai , about why authenticity,...