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Interview with Stefan Messerknecht:

Stefan Messerknecht, Managing Director (Spokesperson) of hmmh multimediahaus AG has firmly set about providing top training for young, talented trainees himself, and consistently pursues this plan. Because resources are tight, even for specialised agencies like his company. Speaking with the HRmarketingblog, he briefly and succinctly outlines his recruiting plans for this year.

The competition is tough: Are you ready for the "War for Talents"?

Stefan Messerknecht: We don’t talk about war. And we also don’t think the situation is worsened by the stronger pressure from other agencies. The digital industry is growing, and with it also the interest for specialists. The number of applicants is limited – it always has been. So it’s important to score on other levels.

Is there a lack of employees everywhere?

Messerknecht: We are looking for talents in all areas. This year, we’re developing the Account Management field, as our customers want more intensive consultancy. In addition, we want to strengthen our Hamburg, Berlin and Munich offices – in order to service customers on location.

Recruiting, employer branding – personnel marketing – how do you approach your personnel marketing?

Messerknecht: We invest in recruitment, training and staff loyalty. We offer interesting positions which are more than just a job. We give people the opportunity to get involved and further develop themselves in sophisticated projects. The mobility of our locations enables our colleagues to work from Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich or Oldenburg. Investment in internal communication and numerous activities and events pays off with lower fluctuation!

What are the measures you have planned?

Messerknecht: We train our specialists ourselves – over 20 apprentices and 6 trainees in 2012. University marketing, trade fairs for job starters, and our staff members’ personal contacts are also important recruitment channels for us.

Are other, non-SM channels also part of the plan?

Messerknecht: We utilise all channels in order to overcome this challenge. Whether it be an event, online marketing or social media. At our company, recruitment marketing is a separate area, based within the Corporate Communication team – meaning we rely on all marketing channels, even those which the team uses for other purposes.

Could associations or other initiatives do more for the industry?

Messerknecht: We have to realise that the online industry has come of age. The “young savages” from times past now have their own families. This is where compatibility is important. So we offer flexible models for working hours and childcare. We must also invest in education and training. Without trainers, there will be no specialists for the future!

Three of your trainees have been blogging on our HRmarketingblog for the last three months. What did you learn from this and is this engagement recognised by the industry?

Messerknecht: Our young colleagues take great responsibility here and adopt a bold position. That becomes apparent externally, and our applicants can gain an initial impression of the training and atmosphere at hmmh. We don’t have measurable results – it’s more of a subjective feeling.

*Source: W&V HRmarketingblog