It’s a truism that when the economy is booming, or at least on an upward trend, the demand for the right people rises. At times such as these, the ‘company’s most important capital’ is in short supply. It’s as much as a human resources department can do to keep every position filled, or quickly replace anyone who leaves. Employer branding is put to the test, and employer marketing is in great demand. But what if the economy takes a break from growth and companies start cutting down employee numbers rather than expanding? Does the personnel market ease off? Not at all, in my view. Even when there is a reduced demand for personnel that is no reason for either human resources departments or external personnel consultants to slacken their efforts.

Even though the number of vacancies may be declining and the supply of candidates increasing, recruiting is not about numbers. Quantitative criteria say nothing conclusive about recruitment success, in either good times or bad. What matters in each case is how well the position is filled, whether the optimal solution to the personnel problem has been found. And from my personal experience I can say that especially in times like these, nobody can afford to let their standards of quality drop the slightest bit. Today’s challenges can only be overcome by even greater rigour, better networking and more intensive cultivation of markets.

Jutta Hagenmüller