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HR Issues

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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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