Good employees are the backbone of every company - But finding qualified candidates is now like a competition.
Vacancies remain unfilled in many sectors and regions, and demographic change is further exacerbating the situation.
Jetstream members have analysed, optimised and implemented countless recruiting campaigns in recent years. The following eight levers summarise what really works in 2025 - including original quotes from the network.
1. from the employer to the employee market
Job adverts alone are no longer enough. Candidates choose their employer, not the other way round. Companies need to be visible, attractive - and fast.
"More and more specialists are being approached and poached by headhunters... If companies only focus on new hires, long-term employees may no longer feel valued enough."
This insight characterises the entire recruiting strategy: retaining old talent and attracting new talent always run in parallel.
2 ActiveSourcing online and offline
Offline presence that sticks
Our team uses branded outdoor advertising - such as buses or construction banners - to generate regional attention. Such touchpoints are surprising in everyday life and convey the brand and career message at the same time.
Using digital platforms strategically
Portals such as StepStone, Indeed or Workwise remain mandatory. However, initial contacts are now often made on LinkedIn, Instagram or apps such as truffls. Active cover letters, targeted ads and employer content ensure a lasting presence.
"Social recruiting is also about always paying attention to employer branding and setting up a blog on the topic, for example. This provides interested parties with further information directly and allows them to build a relationship with the company."
3. job adverts with sales DNA
An advertisement is not a specification sheet, but a Sales text.
Headline, Value proposition, Benefits - everything must meet the applicant's perspective.
"Further training opportunities are very important for many applicants. Statements like 'We offer free water and fruit' no longer work."
That's why we define a top benefit for each target group - e.g. training budget, remote flexibility or a clear career plan - and place it prominently in the spotlight.
4. speed as a competitive advantage
After receipt of the application maximum 24 hours until the first feedback. After that, commitment drops rapidly.
Already in the incoming mail we communicate the process: initial interview via video, specialist interview on site, taster day with the team.
Digital interviews speed up the appointment process and allow a quick exit scenario if the fit is not right. If the soft skills and culture are right, the face-to-face meeting follows.
5. quality before speed - in case of doubt against
"If you come for money, you go for money. If in doubt, you should rather decide against applicants."
Bad hires cost time, money and team morale. That's why we check motivation, values and willingness to learn more thoroughly than pure expertise.
If it doesn't fit, the door in the talent pool remains open, but the contract is not signed hastily.
6. candidate pooling - cancellations as an opportunity
Cancellations are not an end point.
"Even applicants who cancel on their own initiative during the process can be contacted again at a later date. ...Recruiters should utilise this pool of potential candidates."
All qualified contacts are entered into a well-maintained database. If the situation changes - new location, new role, changed salary expectations - we draw on this pool first. This reduces the time-to-hire.
7 Retention begins after onboarding
Specialists receive headhunter enquiries every week. Those who feel neglected after starting out are quicker to leave.
"An important benefit for our own employees is therefore time. We hold regular feedback meetings in which we highlight development opportunities."
Regular 1-on-1 meetings, individual learning budgets, flexible career paths and transparent corporate goals retain employees in the long term and turn them into ambassadors.
8. recruiting is a matter for the boss - not a secondary task
"Personnel management is essential - only those who invest time in potential and employed staff will be successful in the long term."
This is why Jetstream has dedicated HR roles internally, clear KPIs (time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, retention rate) and a marketing budget specifically for employer branding.
Once a year, we test our own application process as "Mystery Applicant": Can interested parties find all the information? How quickly does feedback follow? Which reviews appear on Kununu or Google? This is how we close gaps before candidates do.
Conclusion - Recruiting as a growth lever
Active visibility, targeted benefits, a fast process, consistent candidate care and genuine employee retention: Those who master these five fields will win the war for talent. Companies that let recruiting run on the side not only lose applicants, but also market share in the long term.
Next step
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Within the Jetstream Membership, entrepreneurs share their most successful recruiting playbooks - from social ads to onboarding frameworks.
