I have just been pondering over the case of hiring the right guy for a position. I faced the problem as a corporate HR guy, and I see others facing similar situation every other day.
Let’s say, your HOD for customer service needs to hire a vertical head for his/her function. Ideally you should be having a well-defined JD – that clearly documents the position, expectations, job holder’s specifications, etc. As an HR resource or a recruitment person, your effort would be to get the best talent for the position. And your search partners will also align with you if they understand the position.
Now, the problem is – even if you are able to line up the best of the breed – your functional head doesn’t ever seem to be in a mood to close the position. Every time it’s a rejection – despite outstanding academic as well as professional credentials of your candidates. And if you ask a reason for rejection – it’s some random babble without any sensible reasoning. The statement – “let’s look for some more good candidates”, gets heard.
You as the recruitment SPOC is in soup as usual – your open position list keeps on swelling, your hiring partners stay pissed off – and well your boos and even the lost case HOD has reasons to show their displeasure on your inability to close the position.
Why does this happen ?
Some reasons that comes to my mind:
The simplest reason, it could be that the HOD is not clear on what he wants. It may be that he has some personal biases and specific expectations, which don’t get captured in the Job Description.
It could be that the HOD is genuinely not convinced about the candidates, and wants to look at some more candidates.
The other simple reason, may be the HOD wants to delay hiring and till the time hiring is pending the HOD can easily blame his functions failed targets on in-efficiency of HR and delayed hiring. It happens, ask your HR head about the scene during the business review meeting where the HR function gets bashed up for contributing to miserable functional performance clearly attributed to delayed hiring’s.
May be he does not want people who are “smart” and “capable”. There are some bosses who would love to hire smart and capable people yet there are others some who are happy with the “borderline” variety. It could be that the candidates you are recommending are genuinely good and are high potentials, may be the HOD does not want “high” calibre people. He may be actually looking at average or borderline people so as they are always aligned to his way of thinking. This may also happen if the position to be hired is adequately senior, and the HOD does not want the organisation to have a strong bench for his position.
Suggestion for the recruitment guys ..
Experiment. See what works. Get them good talent and get them borderline talent, let them recommend their preferred candidates. Ask directly, and try to get reasons.
If you have a similar or related experience write to us, we would love to hear from you.
Praveen is the Founder & Principal Consultant of KHEdge, a boutique HR & Business Process Advisory firm. Over last 15 years he has advised & worked with promoters, founders, business leaders, HR leaders in areas of - Business Strategy, HR Strategy, Organisation Design etc.