The selection process begins with recruitment. If the recruitment is adequate, the selection will be very close to achieving success goals: linking the best possible prospects to the company.
In more than 25 years of business life and specifically in the area of Human Resources, I have known the pitfalls of recruitment, and when I refer to pitfalls, it is that: true pitfalls.
The norm establishes, in organized companies, a procedure for this part of the selection process, more or less the same.
The hiring of personnel is due to a need for human talent, originated by new positions, replacing people who began to enjoy the retirement pension, resignations, etc.
In the case of a new position, the need for this talent must be duly justified and approved by the division director, department or section head, and finally by the company's management.
There will be no new charge that is not justified. The justification requires the elaboration of the Job Profile: objectives, functions, obligations, hierarchical level, etc.
From the previous “justification” it will be obligatory to work on the Candidate Profile: studies and experience of the applicants, in addition to other washers, not so important, but that in the end will be part of the profile.
With these two documents duly approved by management, after studying a "committee", the recruitment will be carried out.
Logic would tell us that vacancies must be filled in principle, by members of the same company who are waiting for a promotion or opportunity to move up the hierarchical scale. This leads us to establish that the first step in the recruitment process must be done internally.
If we do not find people with the requirements demanded by the position and clearly established in the candidate's profile, then we will resort to carry out the recruitment process, externally.
Externally translates that, depending on the position and its requirements we will make contact with Universities, Institutions
Technological or technical, trade schools, job boards, professional associations, talent scouts or specialized agencies, press announcements, the Internet, etc.
Done in this way, we are surely on the right track.
Before continuing, I want to explain that my experience in the Industrial Relations - Human Resources activity as it was called then, goes from companies with 100 workers to others with 1000 or more, and from limited companies to public limited companies. What I am going to omit for obvious reasons are the names of the companies.
Procedure is truncated
Some of the companies, full of manuals and written procedures, stick to them, because management or directives must be shown that we are attached to the regulations and we well resist an internal audit.
The procedure is performed, but only as such. From now on the circus begins. There will always be "preconceived" candidates, godchildren of some internal boss, a relative, the Bank manager, a great friend, etc.
And the show begins. And the function tends to choose the "preconceived".
Some preconceived ones turn out to be capable. And in this sense we are right in the process, but in most cases, they have shortcomings, either in experience, or in knowledge, and they are even possessors of knowledge that have nothing to do with those required by the position.
The result in a high percentage: poor selection and fruits in time far from what was expected.
Establishment of filters:
There is no filter that is valid when there are impositions and although the term does not exactly obey pressure, if it has to do with accepting the superior criterion a little, or you will see them.
Incredibly, in the face of so much unemployment and lack of opportunities, people must look for a “godfather”. These are the circumstances, some will say, to justify what has been done by secula seculorum.
Participation of the immediate boss in the selection of his direct reports
It is interesting to think that this is a logical, smart and timely practice. If someone is going to collaborate with me, I must be sure of their capabilities and, in fact, I will do the necessary tests to reliably achieve that security.
Well No. As a Mexican buddy would say. Many times, this practice, which is logical, healthy and necessary, is used to disqualify those who may endanger “my position”. It is that easy. If the candidate offers some type of trait that could disturb my permanence in office, by law of "labor survival", it must be ruled out.
Then we find mediocre subordinates, ordered by mediocre bosses, supported by mediocre managers and the scale of mediocrity, strengthened.
The final product: selection of personnel far from quality standards, which is only part of the problem. The other part has to do with the possibility of paying salaries adjusted to the demands of the position and above all to the inherent responsibilities.
On one occasion, I talked to a group of students about the concept that " quality is relative ". Let's see how to understand it.
Every product is a quality holder. The quality will be high or low, in consideration of the people who rate it. But the quality, regardless of the qualification of the evaluators, will be relative to the product itself.
Let's look at it this way: The quality of a shirt I purchased for $ 100,000, "won't be the same" on the shirt I bought for $ 30,000.
Obvious, my youngest daughter would say. But we cannot ignore that each one of the shirts has a "relative" quality at its price.
What is this comparison for? Simple. Many times companies demand exaggerated knowledge, experiences, etc. (sometimes, nor are they required), from aspiring candidates to fill the vacant positions, far, far from what they can offer economically as compensation. And here comes into play the concept that "quality is relative": We get what we can afford.
Let's be optimistic and think that someone agrees to occupy a position, fulfilling the company with the required requirements, but this in turn, for not having the financial means, or not to cause a salary and organizational disorder, assigns a salary, far from the aspirations of the candidate (that this is something else), or what marks the scale of the market for the position, what future awaits the company in time, permanence and delivery, by this new collaborator?
On the subject, there are innumerable answers: some optimistic and others pessimistic. Recommended: stick to realistic guesses.
The selection of personnel must be serious, formal, fair and impartial. Serious, in adherence to procedures and in respect for applicants.
Formal, in strict compliance with each and every one of the steps required in the procedure. Without cheats.
Fair, in the final definitions and in the choice of the candidate or candidates for the different positions.
It's never too late. The commercial and financial projection of the companies will always depend on the quality of the staff of collaborators, who are the ones who are going to be laying the firm foundations for the growth of the organization. As entrepreneurs, you should think about the initial duality, but having as a final objective, the expansion of the company, which will only be achieved with committed people, faithful to its principles, values that have “reinforced” their trajectory in the company, observing and living the correct application of the same.
