Employers’ Rejection of Qualified Specialists Despite Staff Shortages: The Case of Kilian Sander

Düsseldorf When Kilian Sander* decided to switch from self-employment to permanent employment, he experienced this again and again: As soon as the IT architect stated his desired salary, companies rejected him. Although this was above average at EUR 80,000, it was not unrealistic for the 26-year-old’s position, references and five years of professional experience. He only found his current job at a company through a friend with good contacts in the company.

Sander’s case shows that despite the shortage of staff, employers still reject qualified specialists. Talents are still urgently needed. According to a survey by the personnel service provider Manpower, every third German company wants to create new jobs in the first three months of this year. The Dax companies alone advertised 27,263 jobs in January.