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A new job brings excitement, but often also many unanswered questions. Where exactly should I report? What do I need to bring? Who is my contact person? And what can I expect during the first few days?

A good start therefore does not begin only at the workplace. Communication between accepting the job offer and the first day at work can already play an important role in how confident and well prepared you feel when starting your new position. Clear information, reliable arrangements and a personal contact person help reduce uncertainty and make you feel welcome from the very beginning. This also applies when the onboarding process takes place partly or entirely from home.

Good preparation provides security

After a successful application, there is usually a period of waiting and organising. At this stage, it is particularly helpful if the most important framework conditions are clarified at an early stage.

These include, for example, the exact starting time, the meeting point, required documents or information about appropriate work clothing. Details about how to get there, parking options or company access regulations can also make the first day much more relaxed.

If the new position begins from home, additional technical and organisational questions should also be clarified. These may include the provision of a laptop and login details, the installation of necessary software and information about the first virtual meetings.

If individual points are still unclear, you should feel free to ask. A brief conversation with your contact person during the application process can prevent misunderstandings and give you additional security.

You should know this information before your first day at work

Ideally, before starting your new position, you already know:

• when and where your first day at work begins,

• whether the onboarding takes place on site, from home or in a hybrid model,

• who you should report to in person or online,

• which documents or certificates are required,

• whether special workwear or protective clothing is necessary,

• which technical equipment and access details you need,

• how the first few working days are expected to proceed,

• which working hours and break arrangements apply,

• whether there are any special safety, access or data protection regulations.

Not every detail needs to be confirmed several days in advance. What matters is that you know who you can contact with your questions and that any changes are communicated to you in good time.

The first impression works both ways

Companies You are not the only one who wants to make a good impression on the first day. For the new employer, the onboarding process is also an opportunity to demonstrate reliability and appreciation.

A prepared workplace, a personal welcome and a clear introduction make it easier to find your way around. They help you become familiar with initial processes, make contacts and settle into your new role more quickly.

When working from home, functioning technical equipment, clearly scheduled video meetings and easily accessible contact persons serve the same purpose. Especially during virtual onboarding, it is important that new employees do not feel left alone with unanswered questions.

If everything does not run smoothly on the first day, this does not necessarily have to be a bad sign. New situations almost always involve smaller questions. What matters most is that communication is open and that you receive support when problems arise.

Asking questions is part of a good start

Especially at the beginning, many new employees want to appear as independent as possible. As a result, they sometimes hold back their questions. However, it is completely normal for work processes, responsibilities or technical systems to still feel unfamiliar at first.

Asking questions does not show that you are unprepared. Instead, it helps you understand tasks correctly and avoid mistakes. Use introductions, handovers and brief conversations to address uncertainties at an early stage. When working from home, regular video or telephone meetings can also be helpful for this purpose.

Regular feedback during the first few days can also make the onboarding process easier. A brief conversation about what is already working well and where further support is needed helps everyone settle into the new situation.

You can also prepare for your start

Not every aspect of good onboarding is the responsibility of the company. With a few simple steps, you can also help ensure that you start your new job as calmly as possible.

Check your route in good time and allow some extra time for the first day. Prepare any required documents and clothing the evening before. It can also be helpful to write down important questions that arise before or during the onboarding process.

If you are starting from home, you should test your internet connection, camera, microphone and login details in advance whenever possible. You should also set up a quiet workspace where you can concentrate on introductory meetings and your first tasks.

It can also be useful to review the job description or the information from the interview once again. This will remind you of your future responsibilities and the framework conditions that were discussed.

If you are still looking for a new professional opportunity, you can already consider what kind of onboarding and support is important to you when choosing a position. A targeted job search based on your personal preferences can help you find not only a suitable role, but also the right working conditions.

Conclusion: A good start begins with clarity and trust

Successful onboarding helps you find your way around your new job more quickly and focus on your responsibilities. Clear information, personal contact persons and regular feedback provide a reliable foundation, regardless of whether the onboarding takes place on site, from home or in a hybrid working model.

Even if some questions remain unanswered before the first day, you do not have to resolve them on your own. Good support does not end with the job offer, but continues during the transition into your new professional role. In this way, a successful application process can lead to an equally successful start.

For questions about your job search, the application process or starting a new position, you can find further information on our candidate page. Alternatively, you can contact us directly via the contact form to discuss your individual enquiry.

When a position remains vacant, the next step initially appears obvious: the existing job profile is updated, published and promoted through different channels. However, not every vacancy arises for the same reason – and not every staffing bottleneck is best solved through traditional permanent employment.

Sometimes, a specific qualification is needed on a long-term basis. In other cases, companies need to cover peaks in demand, seasonal fluctuations or short-term absences. The required skills may be difficult to find in the region or may only be needed for a limited project.

Before searching for a specific person, companies should therefore clarify which operational problem actually needs to be solved. A traditional job profile then becomes a bottleneck profile that considers tasks, skills, duration and suitable employment solutions together.

What is the difference between a job profile and a bottleneck profile?

A job profile usually describes a specific position. It contains tasks, requirements, desired professional experience and qualifications. In practice, however, such profiles are often strongly based on existing roles. When a position becomes vacant, the previous description is reused with only minor changes.

A bottleneck profile starts from a different point. Instead of first asking, “Which person are we looking for?”, it asks:

• Which tasks must be completed reliably?

• What are the consequences if capacity is missing?

• Which skills are required immediately?

• Which knowledge can be developed during onboarding?

• How urgent and how long-term is the staffing need?

• Is a new permanent position genuinely required?

A structured analysis of the actual staffing need helps companies consider these questions as a connected whole. In addition to the required skills, it takes urgency, assignment duration, regional availability and possible employment models into account.

The focus is therefore no longer exclusively on replacing an existing position, but on finding the right solution for a specific operational situation.

Why traditional job profiles can limit the candidate pool

Many requirement profiles contain long lists of degrees, years of experience, industry knowledge and personal qualities. Not all of these criteria are equally important for daily work.

The more extensive the requirements are, the smaller the potential candidate pool becomes. Suitable candidates may be excluded even though they could perform the central tasks and quickly acquire the missing knowledge.

It is therefore helpful to make a clear distinction:

Essential skills:

Qualifications or authorisations without which the work cannot be carried out safely or professionally.

Knowledge that can be learned quickly:

Company-specific processes, systems or procedures that can be taught during structured onboarding.

Desirable experience:

Knowledge that is helpful but should not determine a candidate’s general suitability.

This distinction does not make a requirement profile less demanding. Instead, it focuses the recruitment process on the criteria that are genuinely relevant to success in the position.

The staffing need determines the suitable solution

Not every bottleneck has the same time horizon. The selected staffing measure should therefore match the cause and duration of the need.

Permanent key positions

If a skill is required in the long term and is central to the company’s development, permanent employment may be the appropriate solution. This applies particularly to key positions, management responsibilities or functions in which long-term company knowledge needs to be developed.

For specialist and management profiles that are difficult to reach, targeted permanent recruitment can be useful. It extends access to candidates who are not actively searching on job platforms and combines the search with a structured preselection process. At the same time, companies receive a more realistic assessment of which requirements can be met in the market.

Temporary capacity bottlenecks

Peaks in demand, holiday periods, seasonal fluctuations or sickness-related absences do not automatically create a permanent staffing need. Immediate permanent recruitment may be insufficiently flexible in these situations.

Flexible staffing solutions such as temporary staffing or employee leasing allow companies to add capacity for a limited period. This enables them to remain operational at short notice, relieve existing teams and observe how the actual staffing requirement develops.

Project-related specialist requirements

Some skills are only needed for a specific project, a technical transition or a temporary growth phase. In such cases, it may be more suitable to deploy specialised professionals for the required period instead of creating a permanent role.

The more clearly the tasks, skills and project duration are defined, the more targeted the search for suitable professional support can be.

Skilled workers who are not available regionally

In certain regions or occupational groups, the local candidate market is not sufficient to fill open positions realistically. In such cases, publishing the same job advertisement on additional platforms is often not enough.

Companies can expand their search radius and include international recruitment solutions in their workforce planning. In addition to professional suitability, language skills, recognition procedures, residence and work permits, and organisational integration must also be considered.

A structured process can relieve companies by coordinating these steps and supporting international professionals until their planned start. International recruitment is therefore not a short-term standard solution, but it can become a useful part of a long-term workforce strategy.

Which questions lead to a reliable bottleneck profile?

A detailed needs analysis should not begin only after a position has remained vacant for several months. Before publishing a job advertisement, companies should assess the following questions together with the relevant department:

1. Which tasks are currently not covered sufficiently?

The actual work situation, rather than the previous job title, should form the starting point.

2. What are the consequences of the bottleneck?

Are projects delayed, are employees working overtime or are orders left unprocessed?

3. How urgent and how long-term is the support required?

A short-term operational gap requires a different solution from a permanently required key position.

4. Which skills must be available immediately?

Safety-related, legally required or professionally essential knowledge forms the core of the profile.

5. Which skills can be developed?

This may also make career changers or candidates from related professional fields suitable.

6. Is the required profile available in the regional labour market?

A realistic assessment prevents companies from spending months searching for a qualification that is hardly available locally.

7. Does the task necessarily require a permanent hire?

Internal development, flexible staffing models or international recruitment may also be appropriate.

A bottleneck profile improves more than recruitment

Analysing the actual need can also reveal internal structural issues. Tasks may be distributed inefficiently, highly qualified employees may be occupied with less demanding activities or substitution arrangements may not be sufficiently organised.

A strong bottleneck profile can therefore lead to different outcomes:

• A position is advertised with more realistic requirements.

• Tasks are redistributed within the existing team.

• Employees are trained for additional responsibilities.

• Short-term capacity is supplemented flexibly.

• A difficult-to-fill position is recruited internationally.

• Recurring bottlenecks are covered through a staffing pool.

Workforce planning therefore becomes more than a reaction to an individual vacancy.

Why labour market knowledge matters

A bottleneck profile should not be developed solely from an internal perspective. Companies also need a realistic assessment of whether the desired qualification is available in the region, which working conditions the target group expects and how long the recruitment process is likely to take.

A profile may be professionally justified and still fail to reflect the candidate market – for example, when the salary range does not match regional conditions, shift patterns are unattractive or a rare combination of skills is required.

An external perspective can help align internal expectations with market realities. Companies can then decide at an early stage whether to adjust the profile, expand the search radius or select a different staffing solution.

Conclusion: Successful workforce planning begins before the job advertisement

An open position is not automatically the actual problem. Behind it may be a permanent skills requirement, a temporary capacity gap, an inefficient distribution of tasks or a regionally limited candidate market.

Companies that first analyse the bottleneck can decide more precisely which skills are genuinely required and which staffing model is best suited to meet the need. This leads to more realistic requirement profiles, broader candidate pools and more sustainable hiring decisions.

The central question is therefore not only, “Who do we want to hire?” The more important question is, “Which task do we need to solve – and which form of staffing support is suitable for it?” Companies that define the actual bottleneck before beginning the search can formulate more realistic requirements, broaden the candidate pool more effectively and make better-informed decisions between permanent employment, flexible staffing models, internal development and international recruitment.

Would you like to find out which staffing solution best fits your current needs and your long-term staffing strategy? Then get in touch with us for a no-obligation consultation.

Job searching has changed significantly in recent years. Job offers can be compared online, applications are submitted digitally and many steps can now be completed faster than before. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to identify the right job among the many available opportunities.

More choice does not automatically mean better orientation. What matters is that the information that is truly important to you personally is considered early in the job search. This makes the path to a suitable position more precise without making it more complicated.

A suitable job is about more than a job title

Whether a position is right for you depends on many factors. Professional experience and qualifications are important, but they do not tell the whole story. Working hours, location, mobility, personal interests and desired development opportunities can be just as decisive.

Practical skills that are not immediately apparent from your CV also play an important role. You may have experience working with machinery, enjoy coordinating processes or remain calm and organised even in stressful situations.

The more precisely you describe your expectations and strengths, the easier it becomes to identify positions that genuinely fit your everyday life and professional goals.

Your skills make the difference

Good matching does not simply mean comparing individual terms from a CV with a job advertisement. Instead, it is about gaining as complete a picture as possible of what you can do and what a particular role requires.

In addition to specialist knowledge, the following skills may be relevant, for example:

• technical understanding

• organisational skills

• reliability

• communication skills

• physical resilience

• experience with specific machines or software

• teamwork

• willingness to work certain hours

Many of these skills are developed in everyday working life and are not always reflected in a degree or certificate. A well-structured talent profile can therefore help you present your experience and skills clearly.

Digital support can make suitable jobs visible faster

Modern matching technologies can evaluate information from a talent profile in a structured way and compare it with the requirements of open positions. This means that the aim is not simply to display as many opportunities as possible, but above all the most relevant ones.

Digital assistants can help you record your experience, for example via chat or voice recording. Based on this information, your skills can be captured clearly and suitable positions can be suggested without requiring you to work through long forms first. The solution currently available makes it possible to create a talent profile in exactly this way, via chat or voice memo, and then compares the recorded skills with open positions.

Technology should reduce the effort involved and provide better orientation. However, it does not replace personal conversations, as professional aspirations, motivation and individual life situations cannot always be fully understood from data alone.

Simplicity remains essential

The more precise an application process becomes, the more important ease of use is. You should not have to provide the same information several times or complete unnecessarily long forms.

A good process therefore does not ask for everything that might possibly be of interest. Instead, it focuses on the information that is genuinely relevant to the job search. This often includes:

• your previous experience

• your key skills

• preferred tasks

• possible starting dates

• preferred working hours

• preferred work locations

• existing qualifications

This information not only helps with the initial search. It can also prevent you from being shown positions that are unsuitable because of the location, working hours or other conditions.

Good preparation improves matching

To make it easier to find suitable positions in a targeted way, it is worth taking a moment before starting your job search to think about your own expectations. Consider which tasks you enjoy, which experience you would like to use more in the future and which conditions are important to you.

Helpful questions may include:

• Which tasks do I particularly enjoy taking on?

• Which experience would I like to use more in the future?

• Which working hours fit with my everyday life?

• How far am I able or willing to travel to work?

• Which skills would I still like to develop?

The more clearly you can answer these questions, the more precisely you can narrow down your job search. At the same time, you remain open to professional opportunities that you may not initially have considered.

The human perspective remains important

A digital system can identify similarities between your profile and a position more quickly. However, whether a professional opportunity also feels right on a personal level often only becomes clear through further discussion.

Questions about the working environment, the team, specific tasks or long-term prospects should therefore still be discussed openly. Good personal support helps you assess suggestions and make an informed decision.

The strongest job search therefore combines both sides: technology provides a fast and structured overview, while personal conversations create space for questions and individual expectations.

Conclusion: Search more precisely, apply more easily

The future of job searching does not lie in longer forms or more complicated selection processes. It lies in making better use of relevant information and making your skills visible at an early stage.

When modern matching technology and personal assessment work together effectively, suitable career opportunities can be identified more quickly. This saves time, provides orientation and makes the application process easier to understand.

At Trenkwalder, you can create your talent profile in just a few minutes via chat or voice memo and clearly record your skills, experience and professional preferences. Our matching AI identifies your strengths and connects you with jobs that genuinely suit you. This allows you to plan the next step in your career in a targeted way.

New markets, international projects and shortages of skilled labour are changing workforce planning for many companies. The right qualification is not always available in the company’s own region. At the same time, business opportunities often arise faster than new structures can be built.

For companies, this increasingly raises the question of how international employment can be organised sensibly. Companies that want to employ staff in another country do not only need to find suitable candidates. Labour law, taxes, social security, payroll, contract design and administrative processes must also be considered.

Why International Employment is becoming more relevant for Companies

International employment usually results from a specific business need. Companies want to test new markets, support customers locally, implement international projects or gain hard-to-find qualifications outside their own country.

Especially in tight labour markets, looking beyond national borders can significantly expand the candidate pool. At the same time, international employment can help companies respond more quickly to market opportunities.

The challenge, however, is to combine speed with legal certainty. A fast hire is of little value if labour law or administrative questions are only clarified afterwards. International workforce planning should therefore not only be understood as a recruitment topic, but as a strategic decision with several interfaces.

The most Important Challenges in International Employment

1. Local Labour Laws differ significantly

Labour law requirements vary from country to country. Notice periods, holiday entitlements, working hours, probation periods, reporting obligations or special payments can differ greatly depending on the market.

What is common in the home market is not automatically permitted in the target country. Companies should therefore check early which local requirements apply to the planned employment.

2. Payroll, Taxes and Social Security are complex

International employment does not only affect the employment contract. Payroll, tax withholding, social security contributions and possible reporting obligations must also be implemented correctly.

Especially when only individual employees are based abroad, companies often lack internal routine to manage these processes efficiently and reliably. Mistakes can lead to delays, additional payments or uncertainty among employees.

3. Your own Branch Office is not always economically sensible

Setting up your own company or branch office can be an important step if a company wants to operate in a market on a long-term and larger scale.

For individual positions, short-term projects or initial market tests, however, this step is often associated with considerable effort. Company formation, administration, local consulting, accounting and ongoing compliance require time and cost. Companies should therefore carefully assess whether their own structure is already necessary or whether a more flexible model is initially more suitable.

4. Internal Responsibilities are often not clearly defined

International employment affects several areas: HR, legal, finance, the specialist department and management. If it is not clear who checks which questions or makes which decisions, delays arise.

This can become a problem, especially in recruitment. In-demand specialists often make decisions quickly. Long approval processes or unclear employment models can cause suitable candidates to withdraw.

5. The Employee Experience begins before the first Working Day

International employees need clear information: Who is their legal employer? How does salary payment work? Which local regulations apply? Who is the point of contact for administrative questions?

The more transparently these points are communicated, the more professional the entire hiring process appears. International employment is therefore not only a compliance issue, but also part of employer attractiveness.

What Companies should specifically check before International Employment

Companies can manage international employment better if they clarify key questions in advance.

1. Define the Staffing Need precisely

Not every international employment case has the same objective. Is it a permanent position, a short-term project assignment, local market expertise or the first step into a new market?

The clearer the objective is, the easier it is to decide which employment model is suitable.

2. Analyse the Target Country early

Before candidates are approached or offers are made, the most important framework conditions in the target country should be known. These include labour law, contract type, salary components, taxes, social security and possible reporting obligations.

An early review reduces the risk that processes have to be redesigned or offers adjusted later.

3. Assess your own Resources realistically

International employment requires internal capacity. HR, legal and finance have to answer questions, coordinate processes and handle ongoing tasks.

Companies should therefore check whether the necessary resources are available internally or whether external support could be useful.

4. Consider Costs and Effort holistically

International employment is not only about salary and recruitment costs. Administration, consulting, compliance, payroll, internal coordination and possible delays should also be part of the overall view.

A model that initially appears cheaper can become less efficient in the long term due to high administrative effort.

5. Think about Scalability

Many international activities start with a single position. Later, this can develop into a larger team.

Companies should therefore check early whether the chosen model is also viable with growing staffing needs. What works for one person? What happens with five or ten employees? When does your own branch office become sensible?

What role an Employer of Record can play

An Employer of Record can be an option for companies that want to employ staff in another country but do not yet have their own legal entity there..

The external partner typically takes over legal employment in the respective country as well as administrative tasks such as the employment contract, payroll, tax and social security topics and compliance with local requirements. The company usually retains operational management in day-to-day work.

Such a model can be particularly useful when companies want to test a market, integrate individual international specialists or respond to staffing needs at short notice. At the same time, it is not a universal solution for every situation. For long-term, larger-scale workforce development, having your own branch office may be more strategically sensible.

A realistic assessment of the specific need, the target country, the planned duration and the available internal resources is therefore always decisive.

Practical Checklist for Decision-Makers

Before international employment, check these questions:

• Why do we want to employ staff in another country?

• Is it a short-term, project-related or long-term position?

• Do we already have our own legal structure in the target country?

• Which local labour law requirements apply?

• Who takes over payroll, taxes and social security?

• Which internal resources are available in HR, legal and finance?

• How quickly must the position be filled?

• Is our own branch office economically sensible or still too early?

• Which flexible employment models are possible?

• How do we ensure a professional candidate and employee experience?

• How scalable is the chosen model?

• Which risks arise if we act too late or without structure?

Conclusion: Those who Plan International Employment in a Structured Way gain more Room for Action

Employing international specialists is a major opportunity for companies. At the same time, it is more than a recruitment decision. Labour law, payroll, social security, taxes, internal responsibilities and administrative processes must be considered from the very beginning.

Companies that plan international employment strategically gain a clear advantage. They can test new markets faster, reach suitable specialists across borders and use internal resources more effectively. Flexible employment models can help implement international workforce planning in a pragmatic and controlled way.

The most important recommendation is therefore: do not only examine international employment options when a position remains vacant or market entry is already under time pressure. Analyse early which countries, profiles, legal requirements and internal resources are relevant for your workforce strategy.

Would you like to find out more about international employment without having your own branch office? Then please get in touch with us for a no-obligation consultation on the right solutions for your business.

Many applicants ask themselves whether their CV is “good enough”. Maybe there is a gap. Maybe they changed industries. Maybe certain qualifications are missing or their career path was not always predictable.

However, a less-than-perfect CV is no reason to give up on suitable opportunities. What often matters less is whether every stage looks seamless, and more which skills, experiences and strengths you bring with you.

Especially in a dynamic job market, practical skills are becoming increasingly important.

A CV does not tell everything?

A CV shows positions, time periods and qualifications. It provides an overview, but it does not always show what someone can really do.

Many skills develop in everyday working life, through responsibility, teamwork or personal challenges. These include, for example:

• reliability

• organisational talent

• resilience

• communication skills

• willingness to learn

• practical experience

• technical understanding

These qualities are not always prominently shown in a CV, but they are crucial for many jobs.

Gaps can be explained

Career breaks can have many reasons. Further training, caring for relatives, illness, relocation, reorientation or looking for a suitable position are all part of real CVs.

It is important to classify such phases openly and objectively. A gap does not automatically have to appear negative. Often, it even shows that someone has made conscious decisions or mastered challenges.

Applicants should therefore not focus solely on hiding supposed weaknesses. It is much more important to clearly name your own strengths.

Make skills visible

When you apply, you should consider which skills are relevant for the desired position. Concrete examples help with this.

Instead of simply writing “team player”, you can describe the situations in which teamwork was important. Instead of naming “resilience”, you can explain which tasks were successfully completed under time pressure.

This makes skills more tangible and easier for companies to assess.

For organisations, this means that securing skilled labour is not only about recruitment. It is also about succession planning, upskilling and retaining existing employees.

A career change can also be a strength

Not every professional development follows a classic pattern. Career changers often bring experience from other areas that can be valuable in new jobs.

For example, if you come from retail, you often bring customer experience, strong communication skills and organisational talent. If you come from gastronomy, you know shift work, team coordination and high-pressure situations. Such experiences can be an advantage in many industries.

Conclusion: The right job starts with your strengths

A perfect CV is not the prerequisite for a good career opportunity. It is much more important to know your own skills, describe them clearly and connect them with suitable tasks.

Applicants should therefore not let formal uncertainties hold them back. If you know what you can do, you have a good foundation for your next professional step.

In the candidate portal, you can create your talent profile and find suitable jobs that match your skills, experience and career goals — even if your CV does not follow the classic pattern.