Start-up experience as a career booster- 49% increase in professionals working for start-ups

25.05.2022 - Data research from recruitment specialist Robert Walters shows that the number of German professionals working for a start-up rose by 49 percent in the space of just one year. 

Robert Walters researched the size and hiring activity of more than 100 German start-ups in a private stage and with a focus on tech. In the biggest hubs, Berlin and Munich, headcount grew with 41% and 47% respectively when comparing Q1 2021 with Q1 2022. Other regions with a remarkable growth in headcount were Karlsruhe (+73 %) and Frankfurt am Main (+113 %) and Cologne (+47 %).

People are open to switch to start-ups for their career growth opportunities, flat organisational structure and company culture, says Thomas Hartenfels, Director at Robert Walters Düsseldorf. Nonetheless, talent shortages on the German market pose a challenge for the start-up scene.

In-demand talent

With around 3,668 advertised job positions in March alone, recruitment activity is soaring in the start-up scene. In addition to IT and engineering professionals, some of the most in-demand profiles are roles such as sales director and customer success managers. Hartenfels: “In order to market the company and product, and in order to attract new talent, we also see a high demand for content specialists and talent acquisition specialists.”

As popular as working for start-ups seems to be, it’s still a big challenge to attract the right talent on the currently tight German labour market, says Hartenfels. “Working for a start-up requires a specific set of skills. Being a CFO for instance, is not just about doing the numbers, but also about financial modelling and making financial predictions, and knowing how to present those numbers in order to attract and convince investors.” Hartenfels advises start-ups to work on their employer brand to reach the right candidates.

Working for a start-up is more than a job, it’s like a challenging and dynamic training programme that will help you build a great career.

Candidates also recognise that working in a start-up will give their technological skills a boost that is valuable in their career. Start-ups should emphasise these unique selling points strongly in their employer branding.”