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