Changing application processes: A look at DAX 40 and Unicorns
- CV remains relevant, while cover letters and certificates are becoming less important
- English dominates as the language of application, especially at Unicorns
- Salary expectations are required by less than half of the companies
The application is becoming increasingly streamlined: for most companies, only the CV is now mandatory. The Gisma University of Applied Sciences (www.gisma.com) has examined the application processes of the DAX 40 companies and 28 emerging unicorns and shows in its study that cover letters and certificates are increasingly losing their importance.
The CV as the centerpiece: cover letters and references are becoming less important
The CV is still the most important document in the application process. Of the 68 companies surveyed, 56 require the CV, while only 12 companies consider it optional. There is no difference here between the established DAX companies and the emerging unicorns: for six companies in each category, the CV is optional, but overall it is still central to the application evaluation.
The classic cover letter, on the other hand, is rapidly losing importance. Only three DAX companies – Symrise, Heidelberg Materials and Sartorius – require it, while for 65 of the companies, including all unicorns, the cover letter is optional. This trend reflects a shift towards leaner application processes, in which supposedly superfluous documents are increasingly being dispensed with. There is a similar development in the case of certificates and references: only three DAX companies (Mercedes-Benz, Heidelberg Materials and Sartorius) require these, while for 65 companies they are optional. By comparison, although three Dax companies also requested these last year, Commerzbank, Rheinmetall and Siemens Health were not yet DAX40 companies at the time and were therefore not included in the study. Among the Unicorns, on the other hand, three companies still requested references and certificates last year, whereas now none of them require these documents.
Of the companies analyzed, a total of 18 offer one-click application, including nine unicorns and nine DAX companies, while 50 companies do not provide this option. Eleven companies allow applications via LinkedIn, four companies via XING and six via the platform Indeed. Commerzbank is the only company that also offers applications via Facebook.
Disclaimer: A one-click application allows applicants to apply for a job with just one click, without having to fill out an extensive application form. For example, a user can link their LinkedIn profile to a job portal and thus have all relevant data automatically transferred to immediately submit an application.
English as the dominant application language
A clear trend can be seen in the choice of application language. Of the 68 companies analyzed, 44 offer their application processes mainly in English, including 27 unicorns and 17 DAX companies. German is used by a total of 29 companies, 28 of which are DAX companies and one of which is a unicorn. Six companies offer their application processes in both English and German, while only Rheinmetall and Siemens Health provide additional language options.
Salary expectations and transparency
28 companies, including 12 unicorns, require applicants to state their salary expectations. 32 companies, including 15 unicorns and 17 DAX companies, do not require this information at all. Eight companies, including one unicorn, consider salary information to be optional. Volkswagen is the only company that itself publishes salary information in job advertisements.
“Our analysis highlights the significant transformations in application processes in the context of the digital age. The predominance of English, particularly within Unicorns, underscores the increasingly international and diverse nature of the tech industry. Simultaneously, we are witnessing a progressive shift toward more flexible and streamlined application procedures, where traditional documents such as cover letters and certificates are becoming less central. While the CV remains essential, this shift reflects a broader openness to innovative, more efficient recruitment practices, particularly in dynamic, fast-growing sectors.” comments Prof. Dr. Sara Ravan Ramzani, Professor of Research and Quantitative Methods and Expert of HR and Business Management at Gisma University of Applied Sciences.
About the study
The application processes of all DAX 40 companies and 28 selected unicorns were examined for the study. The focus was on job advertisements in the tech sector for positions with professional experience. The required application documents, their binding nature and the options for digital submission were analyzed.
About Gisma University of Applied Sciences:
Gisma University of Applied Sciences is a state-recognized private university. On its campus at Jungfernsee in Potsdam and Berlin, it brings together students and teachers from over 80 nations around the world. In its 14 programs, it trains students to become sought-after talents for the global business world, in management, leadership, data sciences, AI and software engineering. Students learn from research-focused lecturers as well as from top executives and founders. The university cooperates with a network of global companies from business and education, such as Zalando, Ebay and Vattenfall, and is a member of “SAP University Alliances”. Its goal is to provide innovative impetus for business and society by preparing its students for management practice in a world characterized by constant change and increasing complexity. All of Gisma’s degree programs are state-recognized and are reviewed by the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) and the German Accreditation Council. In addition, Gisma is part of GUS Germany GmbH (GGG), a dynamic network of higher education institutions with more than 15,000 students at locations in Germany, Europe and beyond.