Manage
HR
It
is the quality and the standard of the human resource recruited
that plays a key roll in differentiating between a successful
organisations and a "run of mill" organisation . In
this section, we will discuss the issues relating to this valuable
resource through a series of articles. And yes, we are
open to contributions from masters of this Art ... Are you one?
Too
close for comfort!
Conducting
a job interview at first glance seems a cakewalk. However now,
there exists a thin line between getting to know a candidate
as a worker and getting too up close and personal. While hiring
a manager it's only to normal to ask, "Are you married?"
"What is you native language?" However, avoid questions
on political leanings, unless it's crucial to your task at hand.
For instance if a candidate is a java programmer, what you need
to know is whether he is good at his job and can he be relied
upon in times of a crisis?
If
you run a Dotcom which is burning through your first round of
venture funding, you want to know whether a candidate will be
able to work an ungodly number of hours. However if you expect
the potential candidate to put in all he has got you must present
a realistic picture of the workload and ask him if he can handle
it. But you cannot assume that married people over 30 years
of age would be less willing to put in that many number of hours
and then ask about marital status during the interview? No way
José!!
What
can you ask your candidate?
Here's a thumb rule for hiring managers: If it's not job-related,
don't ask. Not even in a conversation. Personal information
should be a volunteer act on part of the interviewee. The best
way to hire a manager is to have a list of pre-approved questions.
Or you can opt for a customised set of questions to ask each
individual candidate, based on the resume and other inputs.
What
Candidates must know?
As a candidate, if you face an inappropriate question, deflect
it or change the topic. Potentially offensive questions, which
could be unintentional, must be handled with a certain degree
of refinement. Suppose an employer asks you about children,
instead of directly answering the question, address the issue
behind the question. The employer could well be trying to find
out whether you will be available to work whenever you are required.
You can reply, "If you're concerned about my availability,
I can assure you that I'm available during the times we talked
about as well as overtime,' and then continue talking about
your experience and skills."
Questions
related to work is absolutely legal. It would be a good idea
to set aside pre-approved questions when hiring a manager, so
that there is no question of encroaching on ones privacy.
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