Recruiting Knowledge for Job Seekers

Incl. Bonus – Criteria of applicant selection & procedures, writing unsolicited applications, recruitment tests & references, online reputation & interviews

Simone Janson

• Publisher: Best of HR – Berufebilder.de®
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9783965962378
• Edition: 8
• Topic: Economics
• Subtopic: Financial Accounting
• Index: Economics

Also in the 8th revised and improved edition, published by a government-funded publisher involved in EU programs and a partner of the Federal Ministry of Education, you receive the concentrated expertise of renowned experts (overview in the book preview), embedded in an integrated knowledge system with premium content and 75% advantage. At the same time, you do good and support sustainable projects.

Because what do personnel managers pay attention to when selecting applicants? How exactly do common selection procedures in recruiting look like? Is it worthwhile to apply unsolicited? And how seriously do HR professionals take data protection? Applicants regularly have these and many other questions - this book helps to answer them and thus helps applicants to present themselves optimally as a personal brand to potential employers during the application process and to gain experience. If you then know what HR professionals really look for in a job interview, there's almost nothing standing in the way of the recruitment process.

Knowledge that makes a difference: With its "Information on Demand" concept, the publisher was not only involved in an EU-funded program, but also received several awards. So when you buy the book, you are also doing good: The publisher is financially and personally committed to socially relevant projects such as tree planting campaigns, scholarship foundations, sustainable living, and many other innovative ideas.

The goal of providing you with the best possible content on topics such as career, finance, management, recruiting, or psychology goes far beyond the static nature of traditional books: The interactive book not only imparts expert knowledge but also allows you to ask individual questions and receive personal advice.

In doing so, expertise and technical innovation go hand in hand, as we take the responsibility of delivering well-researched and reliable content, as well as the trust you place in us, very seriously. Therefore, all texts are written by experts in their field. Only for better accessibility of information do we rely on AI-supported research results to a limited extent to make information easier to find, which assists you in your search for knowledge.

You also gain extensive premium services: Each book includes detailed explanations and examples, making it easier for you to successfully use the consultation services, freeky available only to book buyers. Additionally, you can download e-courses, work with workbooks, or engage with an active community. This way, you gain valuable resources that enhance your knowledge, stimulate creativity, and make your personal and professional goals achievable and successes tangible.

That's why, as part of the reader community, you have the unique opportunity to make your journey to personal success even more unforgettable with travel deals of up to 75% off. Because we know that true success is not just a matter of the mind, but is primarily the result of personal impressions and experiences.

Publisher and editor Simone Janson is also a best-selling author, was a columnist for WELT and Wirtschaftswoche, and, according to ZEIT, one of Germany's most bloggers on success – find out more about her on Wikipedia.

What Personals Really Look For: 10 Don'ts When Applying
// By Simone Janson

Some applicants cancel redemption. But it is not always the lack of qualification: Often enough, banal formal reasons are due to the fact that the application is sorted out equally. But what do people really care about?

Application 2go: It's not that easy

Especially at StartUps and young internet companies, applying is easy and easy. Twitter, for example: While other companies are styling themselves up, emphasizing cool ideas for a recruiting video that seem to outsmart the wit and esprit, but cost enormous sums of money, Twitter's emphasis was simple and simple: with a home-made low-cost Budget video and partly in 80er years of aesthetics, which makes fun of the recruiting videos of other companies.

Of course, this can only be afforded by a company that is already considered cool by its target group. And where the employees are completely convinced of their work. Then you can also take your own acting talent on the slip. Motto: Authenticity is key. And the success with the target group was not long in coming, as the well-known blogger Michael Seemann (@mspro) said on Twitter: "You really want to work on twitter".

The first impression counts - even when applying in StartUps

Sounds super easy for applicants, doesn't it? Not even close. Because who now thinks: “Maybe that's already the new, short Twitter application? You don't really need much more - do you? ” is wrong. Because even if such videos suggest that advertising can be done on the side, especially in start-ups, hip tech companies and new work companies, HR staff still pay attention to quality. Especially there, because in these companies it is even more important that every employee really fits the corporate culture.

And how is this desired quality expressed? Mostly by the first impression. And that is often the first impression of formality. What Personaler really bothers in most cases, are for example spelling mistakes: annoying but true. In fact in every fifth application they occur. More about that right now.

Typos often mean the end for applicants

But while applicants often believe that does not matter, for the majority of companies, they are a knock-out point because they suspect that they are either uninterested in the business or generally sloppy. Only in the cancellation these reasons are not - and therefore the mistakes happen again and again.

Therefore, no job candidate should allow more than one typing error. Otherwise, his application will be filed immediately with many personnel on the cancellation batch. From three errors, most of the application documents are sorted out. It is particularly embarrassing from the point of view of the personnel departments, if the contact person is misspelled. Surveys show that only very few people were spelled wrong in the application.

Applicants: Requests for cancellations allowed

Candidates often have the problem that you are waiting for a respite or cancellation as if sitting on glowing coals. In her eyes only one thing helps: ask. But beware: A person could feel annoyed by too early an inquiry.

Surveys show that many HR professionals recommend a wait of at least two weeks, and some even wait three to four weeks for a reasonable time. Only a handful of people think that you can inquire after just one week, while others think it better if you do not ask.

Energetic or modest?

A few years ago, applicants learned to act as confidently as possible in order to impress potential employers and gain respect. "Pad instead of spill" was the motto. Today it looks different: Modesty is required in times of crisis.

"I wrote to them fairly forcefully what I think you could improve and get the job," says an applicant in a guide about his recipe for success. It sounds logical at first: In this way, the applicant shows technical expertise and convinces with the appropriate manner. And the company knows right away that it will get a dedicated employee.

Who likes to be criticized?

But the thing has a flaw: apart from the fact that in times of crisis and job cuts modesty in applicants is welcome, contraband applicants disregard something quite different: no potential boss is often criticized.

For example, if you write in your application: "The spelling mistakes on your site show volatility, only I can help you" will usually say several negative things about the applicant:

What does the application say?

Anyone who appears to be “self-confident” quickly loses all options. In any case, it is better to proceed more moderately and, for example, to explain why you really want to work in the company and what you noticed positively. Applicants can only be noticed negatively with these 3 points:

1. He is opinionated, overestimates himself and thus makes an unpleasant impression per se - nobody with whom one likes to work together.
2. The applicant also overestimates his market value: Correcting spelling errors (or a comparable mundane activity) is not a specialized knowledge that only he masters (otherwise this may look different in the technical field). Such activities are often replaced in companies with cheap labor or even free interns.
3. The applicant shows that he has no idea about the operating procedures. Volatility, for example, is often not caused by ignorance that the applicant intends to supplement - but the sheer lack of time. Anyone who shines with such an ignorance of the realities of a company has already lost.

Make a positive impression when applying - do not stand out unpleasantly

The emphasis is on positively standing out. Not noticeable at all costs. There are also a number of examples for this. What was the oddest thing an applicant did in a job interview?

A few impressions? To fall asleep? Disappear? In fact, an online study by Harris Interactive in Germany was commissioned by CareerBuilder. 269 interviewed German managers and human resources experts.

Here are the current Top 10 of absolute No-Go's:

The study published a list of the most serious mistakes in job interviews - from the point of view of executives and HR experts.

• Bringing his mother to talk with 43
• Escape to the toilet and never come back.
• Rush the chaplain because you do not have time for a long job interview
• Proximity attempts to the discussion leader.
• Go to his mobile during the call.
• Drill in the nose during the conversation.
• In sports or Schlabberklamotten come - and then say that you feel better in it.
• Specify with competencies where there are none - at a position in IT support you should at least know what "hard disk" and "memory" are.
• Smoking in the middle of a job interview.
• Drunk to talk.

The worst mistakes in the application

In addition to the most unusual gross errors, employers should also specify the most common and most harmful to the job candidate during a job interview.

• 73% of employers cited apparent disinterest as the most damaging mistake an applicant could make during a conversation.
• In second place with 63% were negative comments about the current or previous employer.
• In third place, arrogance ended up with 46%.
• Other mistakes were inappropriate clothing (25%).
• The lack of good and meaningful questions (24%) as well as inaccurate answers (12%) were among the grave minus points.

Keyword Active Sourcing: Use social networks

Even if this is always recommended: The majority of personnel are urgently advised against seeking to justify the rejection. By contrast, in times of active sourcing and social recruiting, applicants are well advised to integrate social networks into the application process and to keep them up-to-date and error-free as well.

Of course, there are those who have not yet used the Internet for research. They either have no time and no staff for it, or they believe that personal conversation brings more. However, some decision-makers use the Internet only for the narrowest possible range of candidates.

10 Don'ts: What do people pay particular attention to when applying?

What do HR specialists pay particular attention to? What should you pay attention to when applying, not to be sorted out right away? The 10 main don'ts

1. Formalities: Formal sloppiness, eg if date and signature are missing.
2. Form: Many decision-makers are disturbed by a non-uniform character.
3. Gaps in the CV: It is also a no-go for many when there are gaps in the curriculum vitae.
4. Missing attachments: Many people sort out if you have to search for attachments in vain because they have been forgotten.
5. Too detailed: Many HR managers do not want to read novels in the office, but want applications that come straight to the point.
6. Photo: A bad photo catapults the applications to many recruiters.
7. Multiple use: If application documents were reused, this shows disinterest - and quite a few reject the application.
8. Spelling mistake: Many decision-makers interfere with spelling mistakes in such a way that the applicant falls through.
9. Linguistic style: Not a few people are disturbed by an inappropriate language.
10. Wrong contact person: Many recruiters put the application aside immediately if the contact person is spelled wrong or the wrong person!

What recruiter and HR do not tell: The perfect candidate
// By Petra Barsch

There are many criteria for the rejection of job search, which are nowhere to be read. Responsible persons generally gave precise ideas about who they want to hire, and also regarding age, gender and origin. I will tell you nothing new?

Clear ideas of the desired candidate

While I was working as a mediator, I got a call from an entrepreneur who was looking for an assistant with reception tasks. He expressed his ideas clearly:

• Training is clear,
• Knowledge of English,
• blond,
• no piercings, tattoos or anything,
• no dialect,
• and as close as possible to 90 / 60 / 90.

His reasoning was that his demands were closely tied to his clientele with whom he was working.

Reasons for special needs?

Customers are not always the rationale for such claims; experience, the existing team or personal preferences play a role.

Imagine, you have a team in which everything is very harmonious, everything runs smoothly, there are no clashes and no rifts, also not in professional terms.

Fresh wind in the team or rather stability?

The team result shows that these have settled at a consistently medium level. They decide that fresh wind must come in here. In the selection process, therefore, pay attention to an applicant who brings these skills.

Or: In a department is always a high fluctuation, because the boss is a rather choleric leadership style. In the selection process, you will pay more attention to applicants who leave a stable impression that you can trust with this boss.

What nobody tells you

You see, in the selection process, considerations also play a role that you can not see from the outside and will never see.

I myself have been invited to talks for various reasons, which have not always had something to do with my professional life.

What you can do to influence the selection positively

Once it was because I lived in the same street as the decision maker. Often because of my Crimean passion, which I describe in my CV. But there are also a number of choices that you can influence.

A decisive criterion for the selection of applicants is still the photo. As soon as a photo is on the application, the viewer is strongly tempted to make a hasty judgment. Because “a picture is worth a thousand words” is not just a phrase.

Look into my eyes…

Everyone can be guided by external characteristics, of which a personnel decision is not released. Whoever has to make a decision in the shortest possible time is more likely to look into the face rather than the text, at least in the first step.

Even though many people now deny the importance of the photo, the practice speaks a different language. So if you think that the photo has lost its meaning and the selection is made solely by notes and expertises, that is naive.

Photos get more attention

When evaluating user behavior, the job board absolventa has determined that profiles with a photo are clicked three times as many as profiles without a photo. If personals receive an application without a photo, they ask themselves, whether consciously or not, why the applicant has omitted the photo. It's not about beauty or perfection. Sympathy, competence and personality are the decisive factors.

Actually, in times of imminent skills shortages, one should assume that the selection criteria would be reconsidered. Yes, I agree with you, but experience shows that it is far from being the case everywhere.

Prejudiced prejudices

I remember a case, I call it Harald J. As soon as a boss got his application on the table, it said: independently, who can not say anything more, who is stuck in his views - reject.

And how did the applications of another case, I call him Matthias? If he was in another industry, the statement was: no industry background, what would our employees do if he did not know what it was for us? In the same industry he was known and had experienced his gradual decline - so no interest.

Then the applications came below his former position: if he applied under his position, then there was something lazy, too far away from the operative business, we can not pay - thank you no.

What have you done?

CV and cover letter also offer the employer a lot of attack surface. If he does not know what you have to offer him, he will reject you. No info about activities - refuse. No common thread - reject.

It is expected that you will be in the company, recognize and show what you can contribute to the success of the company. He does not want to know everything about you, but only what is important for his company and the place to be assigned. Through extensive essays or multi-page CVs, he is basically not t...

Table of contents

• Imprint
• Introduction: How this book supports you
• How the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) makes life difficult for applicants: The madness of ordered anti-discrimination // By Florian Vollmers
• Avoid applicant standard answers and socially desirable behavior in the job interview // By Uta Rohrschneider
• Recruiters and HR managers convince in the job interview: Success through objectives // By Dirk Ohlmeier
• Job advertisements that really make a difference: Polarize and be honest! // By Axel Haitzer
• Recruiting Leaks from Job Interviews: The Top 10 of the nastiest questions // By Simone Janson
• 4 truths about job references: job hunting without secret codes // By Tanja Merkens
• Questions in the discussion talk from hard to bizarre: The Top 10 in the job interview // By Simone Janson
• What Personals Really Look For: 10 Don'ts When Applying // By Simone Janson
• What recruiter and HR do not tell: The perfect candidate // By Petra Barsch
• Artificial Intelligence in Human Resources: How Recruiters Use Bots and Robots // By Joachim Skura
• Nasty questions in job interview and job interview: 5 tips for perfect applicant storytelling // By Ute Blindert
• Job Interviews for Recruiters: 7 Criteria for Top Candidates // By Marco De Micheli
• Interview and job interview: 5 tips for perfect preparation [+ checklist] // By Dr. Job
• Match Applicants and Jobs: 5 Basics for Job Search // By Simone Janson
• Write application letters from a personal point of view: 10 tips for more empathy when applying // By Simone Janson
• Data Security in Recruiting: Paperless Personnel File - 9 Tips // By Regina Mühlich
• Cultural Fit and Self-Image of the HR Industry: The End of HR? // By Simone Janson
• Curriculum vitae or competence profile? Personal Branding in Recruiting Application and Job Search // By Simone Janson
• Recruiting vs. professional reorientation: When Barbie and Ken make personnel decisions // By Simone Janson
• Cultural fit in the recruiting process: motives and personality of the applicants decoded // By Benjamin Schulz
• Closing Remarks
• Authors Overview
• About the publisher Best of HR - Berufebilder.de®
• Notes on translation