In the sprawling Frankfurt train station, one of the largest in the world, one can find everything. Now he can also find …a job. The German Railways (DB), in its attempt to deal with the huge shortage of staff it has recorded in recent years, has installed a stylish information kiosk, the “World of Work” (Job-Welt), inside the station, where passers-by can to express an interest in recruitment at any time, without complicated formalities.

“Railways offer interesting prospects in more than 500 professions,” says Anna Maria Dahlmann, director of the Agency’s personnel service in the states of Hesse, Rhineland and Saarland. “Those interested can stop by without an appointment to get the information they need. And all this in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, without any pressure».

5 – 10 recruitments are made every month

As early as April 2022, the German Railways had used the space of an old tourist office on the outskirts of the station, opening together with the corresponding German OAED an “information office” for Ukrainian refugees. Would they also be interested in a job?One of the girls who expressed interest at the time, is now working as a consultant for other compatriots who may be looking for work in Germany. “We serve a total of 100 to 150 interested parties every month,” Anna Maria Dahlmann tells the German News Agency (dpa). “Of these, five to ten people are eventually hired…».

Florian Blech, head of DB Job Welt’s team in Frankfurt, says everyone has come through, “homeless people, young trainees, but also business managers or some people who suddenly want to do something different with their lives.” A corresponding information office also operates in Leipzig. German Railways estimates that they need 5,000 new employees in the state of Hesse and 25,000 in the whole of Germany every year to meet their needs.

The German Ministry of Economy estimates that 630,000 workers (but not unskilled) are currently missing. Due to demographic developments, many older workers are leaving without being immediately replaced, and by 2060 even today’s fullness and mobility in the labor market could not be maintained without a significant increase in immigration.

Speed ​​hiring in public relations

Of course, similar tactics are applied by private companies. Steven Hille, founder of the digital platform “Stell mich ein” that attempts to fill positions in the communication, marketing and public relations sector, has launched since 2012 a tactic, which he calls speed-recruiting-events. In Berlin, Frankfurt or Hamburg he organizes evening express meetings in the style of speed dating on online dating platforms. “In one event we have up to 30 young graduates or professionals, who are invited to meet ten companies in one afternoon“, says Hille. Each meeting lasts a maximum of five minutes and then, as happens in speed dating, the person interested must give up his seat to the next person.

But how are those who will come to the event chosen? A specific procedure is provided here, as each interested party is asked, in a first step, to fill out a detailed questionnaire about their preferences, listing possible recommendations. For him, participation is free, but companies pay 1,500 euros to look for future employees. Of course, as a rule, no employment contract is signed on the spot, but, according to Hille, the language of statistics tells us that “1.25 recruitments are made per event, this means that one out of three candidates will find a job».