The war ON talent and the angst of the Quereinsteiger

What is a Quereinsteiger?

Sometimes there just isn't an English equivalent. So, let's go with the lateral entrant, someone who changes into a job or industry without prior experience…or so they say.

Truthfully, it has been quite a while since I entered the application and interview pool, luckily having sat on the other side for most of my career.

Now where to begin with this journey of self-awareness, confidence, and patience…tons of patience.

There are many posts advising job seekers and candidates on how to prepare for the job search and any potential interviews. Most of the advice boils down to overpreparing, being diligent, investing time and energy, and being available for follow-ups.

All good and dandy and something I also expected from the humans I had the pleasure to interview.

But what about the other side – the interviewers and the companies looking for talent?

My mum always used to say, you give, you get. 

You Give, You Get! 

Exactly this way and not the other way around.

And while there isn't any contract in place (yet) I do believe in a human contract once people meet, converse, and exchange time for a mutually aligned purpose.

What do I mean by that?

I believe that any job application and interview is a two-way street, based on respect, decency, and setting clear expectations.

Should a company expect the candidate to bring their A-game? Absolutely.

Should a candidate expect the company to follow up and provide feedback? Absolutely.

Some of you might have differing opinions when it comes to feedback…especially personal feedback in the age of lawsuits. 

It is tough and yet it is crucial, and it is where talent optimization starts…not necessarily for the company providing the feedback but for the overarching development of a talent pool. And who knows when paths cross again in this universe, right?

Especially, with more and more companies out there asking for 'honest' feedback on their recruiting and interviewing process.

Let's pivot to the real world …and the talent that just slips through everyone's fingers.

And nope it is not the pandemic's fault, the pandemic has only emphasized the problems that have existed for as long as companies have complained about a shortage of expertise and lack of talent. What the pandemic has done is ripping off band-aids that have been put over an ever-growing wound over and over again.

The root cause is what I like to call the 'eierlegende Wollmilchsau' phenomenon. (have fun looking it up 😉)

After "extensive research" in the USA as well as Germany it seems to come down to the following:

Automated resume screening – let's jump right into the next point because that is where the hurdles are buried deep (besides the fact that automation lacks the fine art of nuance)

Convoluted job descriptions – I mean seriously. 

Having written a multitude of job descriptions over the past 20 years, I am simply baffled by what I am reading. Don't get me wrong, I am all for setting clear expectations and setting the bar high. But seriously…if all job descriptions within the company are asking for blue skies why is there any need for anyone else? 

Think about that for a minute. 

What makes it even harder is that many times it reads like it is a want ad for all or nothing, hanging on to what se