UK 
United States
The Secret HRD has worked for some of the world’s largest organisations. Each month our undercover operator will speak out on the biggest issues in HR that many in the industry would rather sweep under the carpet. This month irksome interviews are on the agenda, with drawn out recruitment processes, grand standing board members and skepticism of transferable skills all falling under the microscope.
As an HR Director, I’ve been party to a fair few selection processes. But I’ve also been the victim candidate at the other end. Just how much time do organisations waste with unimaginative or wasteful recruitment practices, and how can HR influence this?
There are some things that I find particular irksome...
Sector closed shops
HR is clearly such an arcane and specialised skill, somewhat akin to neurosurgery, that it can only be practiced in the same sector that you’ve worked in for the past ten years. Transferable skills? Pah! Flexibility and rapid adaptation to change? Forget it. Are you already in Financial Services HR? Fine. You can join us.
Recruitment processes with the gestation period of an elephant
Yes, I appreciate it’s difficult to co-ordinate diaries, but when I hear of processes that take 6 months, I wonder if a – they need that position really and b – has the best candidate already taken off for another role?
The 13 stage interview
When a candidate is at interview number 11, meeting the next door neighbour’s cousin of the bloke on the fourth floor for “fit”, are they really testing for resilience/tenacity/staying power, or just having a bit of a laugh? No company needs to have that length of recruitment process and you’ll still hire the odd turkey anyway.
Board members who grandstand at interviews
Ah, the poor candidate, meeting the CFO, who begins his introduction and elaborates on his philosophy. Thirty minutes later, you offer the candidate a hot towel and a glass of berocca. Still it continues, as the HRD smiles and nods sagely, because the CFO is going through bonuses at the moment and you can’t upset them...
Of course, I’m sure most organisations aren’t like this… but each candidate is a brand ambassador for you, and we, as a profession, need to think more carefully about this before embarking upon filling that next role…
