Failure to fill vacancy - despite three months of job advertisements on all channels

Insights and stories from HR consulting.

It was advertised between March and June 2025 - a key position in the public infrastructure sector.

And everywhere: Stepstone, Monster, Interamt, bund.de, Jobware, Stellenanzeigen.de, ingenieur.de.
Plus a large print ad in the trade magazine "Straße und Autobahn" and a regional ad in the daily newspaper. Three months, more than a dozen channels, five-figure expenditure - and the result? Hardly any applications. Even fewer suitable ones.

The cause is not in the market - but in the system

The reflex was typical: more visibility, broader distribution, "the right people" should see it. However, the right people just don't see it - or they are already taken, have already been approached or simply have no motivation to change due to an anonymous advertisement. What was missing was not a presence - but a well thought-out personnel marketing strategy. The focus was purely on passive reach. And when this fizzled out, the next supposedly "active" step came: the image film.

Bouncing young people, lively music - but no one with management responsibility applied

The image film was professionally made. People are on first-name terms, skip through corridors, look meaningfully into the camera. The aim was to show modernity, signal activity and emotionally appeal to young target groups. However, they weren't looking for a young professional with jogging bottoms - but an experienced expert with management experience. Someone who would take responsibility for planning, personnel, allocation and quality.

Misconception 1: Visibility replaces approach

The fundamental mistake: Everything was done except ask directly. No active sourcing. No direct approach. No comparison with the real existing candidate market.

And when the need was finally recognized, the request came to us - Kontrast Personalberatung GmbH - with a clear objective: Now it has to be done quickly. As efficiently as possible. As cost-efficiently as possible.

The problem: the budget was effectively exhausted. Three months of advertising, five-figure expenses - and nothing in hand.

Misconception 2: Direct approach is a luxury

In reality, it's exactly the opposite: targeted direct approach is the most economical method when it comes to key positions.

But this is only the case if it is integrated into the HR strategy at an early stage - and not activated as a stopgap at the end.

What this case teaches us

• Visibility alone is not enough - reach is not the same as impact.
• An image film is no substitute for a tailor-made communication with the target profile.
• Those who rely on passive measures end up paying twice - with money and lost time.
• Personnel marketing is not an end in itself. It must be target group-based, strategic and realistic.

Conclusion

This case is an example of how modern personnel marketing can fail if it offers more appearance than substance.

If you want to fill key positions today, you need more than campaigns - you need clarity, an understanding of your target group and the courage to address them directly.

Otherwise, not only will the applications fail to materialize, but also the right people.

And yes: even a direct approach is not a miracle cure. It does not immediately produce the perfect candidate.

But - with realistic expectations, professional preparation and persistent patience - it brings exactly what job advertisements alone cannot: genuine access to suitable people.