Situation

GEMA, one of the largest collecting societies in Europe, planned a targeted expansion of its tech teams, seeking:

• 6 Full Stack Engineers

• 1 Cloud Engineer

The challenge lay not only in the number of roles to be filled but also in the high requirements for candidates:

• Location: Berlin or Munich

• At least 5 years of professional experience

• An agile mindset for interdisciplinary projects

• Fluent German skills

• Low employer attractiveness as a tech brand compared to start-ups

The aim was to fill the positions with qualified talents as quickly as possible.

Approach

With access to a Java developer network built over years and active use of:

• LinkedIn Recruiter

• Xing

• MeetUps

• Direct recommendations

suitable candidates could be identified quickly.

Quality & Process Advantages

• Pre-qualification through a one-hour interview with us before introduction

• Presentation of suitable profiles often within 24 hours

• Direct contact with the hiring manager: interview processes actively supported by us

• Personal contact with candidates throughout the entire process

• Result: 100% offer acceptance rate

Results

• All 7 positions were successfully filled within just 8–12 days:

  • 20 candidates presented

  • 15 interviewed

  • 7 offers

  • 7 hires

  • 100% retention after 6 months

A senior cloud engineer would not have engaged in the process without us - today she is a central part of the team, has already passed the probationary period, and is responsible for new areas of responsibility.

The candidates were able to integrate quickly and are both a technical and cultural asset to the teams.