Aren't the images in the rear view mirror clearer than those seen through the windscreen?
It is amazing how comfortable people are -doing things the way 'it has been always done'! So much so, that the willingness to give up the old ways of thinking and adapting the new -seems to be a trait that is akin to taking risks and sticking one's neck at the chopping block!
In one of the books, Execution, by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan the authors point out:
"Most leaders are too busy thinking of how to make their companies bigger or more global than those of their competitors. What they are overlooking is that the quality of their people is the best competitive differentiator."
"Developing leaders begin with interviewing and assessing candidates. I'm not talking about overseeing the HR department and interviewing finalists; I am talking about hands-on hiring. Most interview processes are deeply flawed. Some people interview well, and some people don't. That's why it is important to probe deeply, know what to listen for, and get supplement data. It takes time and effort to drill down further, but it's always worth the trouble"
In the hey days of the booming industry, everyone played the game of hiring more than necessary-as one was used to the concept of 'having a bench" but also to account for a 20-30% "dropouts"- euphemisms that helped hide the inefficiencies of hiring under the carpet.
Whoever had the time to farm and track talent? Poaching is the name of the game. Little realising that it ain't a one-way street!?
Yet, if one were to look around in the industry-recruitment is a task -the execution of which is delegated to an entry level HR professional -even as she/he is eyeing those coveted roles in OD, training, C&B, HR operations !! Job descriptions seldom are the KRAs that hiring managers are looking to evaluate prospective employees. And as ease or convenience -it all boils down to those vital 'keywords' in the resumes that get parsed by an automatic resume management system. (Of course the same is used to check 'duplicity" of resumes -when the scores of third party recruiter pump them in- from the ubiquitous active job seeker-as a method of reducing 'cost of hire" :-)!!).
The past year has given all of us the breather-to think, review and plan for the future. If 'top line' is vanity-bottom line is sanity? Time for us to invest in the right processes-in order to get the right people for the right jobs.
Business is all about connectivity-right? Connect with customers. With employees. With potential jobseekers. With the other stakeholders.
Imagine if the recruitment exercise of any company were to incorporate social media tools to reach out to all those in the ‘catchment area’, and find reasons to engage them on a regular basis, would they not have access to a pipeline of talent?
Here is an interesting job description of a Community Manager!! Will this be the person spearheading the recruitment drive for identifying the new leaders of tomorrow?
We are at the crossroads. The recession has got over. The 'yellow' light has come on. Can we look at the future and drive?
1 comment:
I follow your blog and find it's great that you are bringing out these topics which sadly gets ignored in indian media/blogs ('these' includes the other one about MBA salaries).
Liz Ryan initiated a great discussion the other day about how the hiring process is broken in majority of the companies (sorry I can't find the link). And when we talk about Indian companies they are more than broken.
First the mindset gives undue imporatance around degrees, as if education degrees mean everything. Quick, easy and cheap MBAs come dime a dozen. It's already too much using screening softwares and asking candidates to fill up lists. I have many emails from hiring consultants where the emails sent out reads very unprofessional - one more fitting for texting among teenagers. It's a long way when majority of HR or recruitment agencies can do the singular work they are meant to do - spotting talent.
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