Even though it began in 2013, the idea is still completely new. Blind Applying is a unique and mysterious professional adventure. So what is it? This "blind” recruiting technique sounds like an anonymous resume where the employer doesn’t receive the candidate’s name. Except it’s the exact opposite. The candidate isn’t anonymous; the recruiter is.
Blind Applying is a large-scale campaign that involves many companies. The first round was run by Deutsche Telekom on an internet platform for Entrypark students and recruiters. The basis is simple: each company offers an internship but doesn’t say where. Candidates upload their resumes to the Blind Applying website but have no idea what internship they are applying for. They only find out the company name during the interview process.
Besides creating an original recruiting campaign that people will talk about, what’s the point of Blind Applying? There are actually two. The goal of this initiative is to introduce applicants to the many positions within each company. In fact, a group that works with insurance doesn’t just hire insurance agents, but also marketing managers, mathematicians and attorneys. Basically, Blind Applying allows candidates to apply to companies they might not have previously considered. And recruiters can look at candidates that they wouldn’t normally see. The initiative also helps them improve their image with Generation Y applicants, who are always open to innovative recruiting techniques.
The fledgling concept of Blind Applying is meeting with success. During its first round, 10,000 candidates applied. It also won the HR Excellence Award for the Best Campaign and the Marketing Trends Innovation Award for the year. In fact, the initiative has been approved for a second round. It is currently underway and 21 large companies are participating, including Siemens, Daimler, Bayer, Coca-Cola and Bosch. They are offering all-expenses paid internships in the UK, China, Japan and the United States.
Christelle Genier
