| Managers often over rely on the Human | | | | through resumes for jobs posted and would have |
| Resources Department especially during the hiring | | | | difficulty in completing preparations for the |
| process. | | | | interview process. Is that fair to the HR |
| Why do I say that? Because too often today, I | | | | Department? Of course not. Nor is it fair to the |
| meet managers and executives who admit they | | | | people already working with any manager. |
| have no clue as to what each and every person | | | | Working effectively with the HR Departments, I |
| does in their department! It's surprising. Their | | | | believe, means knowing what each person on |
| excuse is that they are too busy in meetings all | | | | your team does, how they do what they do and |
| day long to have the time to understand what | | | | how they connect with everyone else in their |
| everyone does and how each one interacts to | | | | own department and the company as a whole. |
| produce the end product. Huh? That's what I said. | | | | Also, I believe it is absolutely necessary for the |
| However, it's quite common today. | | | | manager to review every single resume which |
| The facts: no one in the HR Department can | | | | arrives for a job that has been advertised; do not |
| possibly know a particular managers' operation, | | | | let the HR people pre-select. Why? I've hired a lot |
| how team members engage and what each | | | | of people and sometimes, I see things or |
| manager's needs are. How could they? It would | | | | interpret things in the cover letter or resume that |
| mean that an HR person would have to work in | | | | I would not have thought of looking for in the |
| each and every manager's department and tell | | | | search or sometimes, a resume is not that well |
| the manager what to do. In that case, why would | | | | done but there is something I find in it which |
| you need a manager? | | | | peeks my interest. Often I have found people |
| Each manager has a unique style of management | | | | who fit very well because I took the time to read |
| and a unique personality. Some people will work | | | | each and every application. I knew what my team |
| well with a particular manager and others won't. | | | | members did and how they worked together so I |
| There's no good or bad. However, during the | | | | could spot nuances that an HR reviewer can't |
| hiring process, if the manager is not intimately in | | | | possibly be expected to understand. For the |
| tune with what each of team members does, | | | | interviews, I could work with the HR Department |
| when it comes to hiring the manager may give | | | | in devising appropriate questions asked in the right |
| off the wrong impression to potential candidates. | | | | way. |
| Candidates will expect one thing and find another | | | | I know - the next reaction from managers would |
| on the job. | | | | be "How can I review all those applications? 200 |
| One MBA and Director in his organization said to | | | | come in at a time!" There are always a lot of |
| me one day, "I don't really know what she does. I | | | | resumes and cover letters and always have been. |
| don't know what anyone really does in my area". I | | | | Most cover letters and resumes can be dismissed |
| was shocked. So I asked him, "How do you | | | | in seconds and to review the few left, skip an |
| supervise them if you don't know what they do? | | | | unnecessary meeting - this is more important |
| And how do you hire new people if you don't | | | | than anything you could possibly find out at one |
| know what they are suppose to do in the first | | | | of those types of meetings. |
| place?" His response was something to the effect | | | | The pay off? There are many for all concerned - |
| that they know what to do and they do it. He | | | | the manager, the HR Department and the |
| only got involved if a problem arose or his boss | | | | manager's team members. There is an |
| told him there was something amiss. He was just | | | | involvement by the very person who should be |
| too busy in meetings all day long to pay attention | | | | the most involved and the people hired will more |
| on something that was working! How would he | | | | than likely fit better. Does it mean that everyone |
| know if it was working or not if he didn't know | | | | hired will always be perfect? Of course not. During |
| what each person did, how they support one | | | | any interview process, the masks people wear |
| another and how each role supports the overall | | | | can be quite deceptive especially from candidates |
| purpose of the department and the company? | | | | who are especially skilled at reflecting the "right |
| They may all be surfing the net most of the day! | | | | response". However, there is a much better |
| In this case, HR people would have a very difficult | | | | chance of selecting the right candidate when the |
| time producing appropriate job descriptions, sifting | | | | manager is fully tuned in. |