HR SPECIAL.................... BEST, BUT NOT REALLY RIGHT?

BUT NOT REALLY RIGHT?





According to experts, in a good number of hiring cases, the best talent is not necessarily the right talent. So, how does one avoid hiring mistakes and get the right talent on board?

In spite of putting together the best processes in place and doing rigorous checks and balances during hiring, many a times, hiring decisions go wrong. According to a research report by DDI, 56 per cent of managers follow their gut, but 50 per cent of the hiring decisions don't work out! The numbers are startling. Why do such a huge number of hiring decisions go kaput?
Hiring for and attracting talent is not a decision that one can hope to rush into, states Anu Zachariah, MD, DDI India. “One of the key reasons for decisions not working out could be lack of transparency in the hiring dialogue and misaligned expectations on both sides the hiring or ganisation and the new hire. Hence, `know' more and guess less,“ she says.

Kishore GR, senior VP and head ­ global staffing, HR operations and C&B at Mphasis, points out, “More often than not, hiring managers are under the pressure to fulfill positions to meet the immediate needs. “Hence, it re quires a framework across the organisation, which is dynamic enough to meet the hiring needs at different levels, such as first level, middle level managers, etc. This should include having enough checks and balances to help hire the right individual with both technical and behavioural competencies.“

According to Seema Arora Nambiar, VP ­ people resources, McDonald's IndiaWest & South, there is a typical mistake job recruiters tend to make, which is to round up the most accomplished applicants available and expect them to seamlessly align with the organisation's goals and values by virtue of their talent alone. She says, “In my experience, this is rarely the case. It is far better to seek bright, flexible and driven people and develop them into senior resources within the organisation.“

Talking about why the best talent may not necessarily be the right talent and how can one spot the difference, Piyush Mehta, SVP global human resources, Genpact, avers, “That really depends on the operational definition of `best' talent. For us, the right talent is the best talent. In fact, I would go a step further and say that it's the “right talent at the right time“ that's important for us for the bulk of operational work. That said, for the niche and high-end work we do, those jobs require the `best' in the traditional sense of the word and for that we hire amongst the highest numbers of professionals in the country .

There is a thin line between the best and the right talent. Kishore GR further avers that typically, there can be an individual who is best in hisher field, but it is important that heshe can be aligned to the culture, values and the ecosys tem of the organisation to bring out the best in them.The right hire would have a combination of the expertise required along with the soft skills.

And finally, mastering the art of talent identification is an extremely tough discipline and something that managers really need to work at.

ANU ZACHARIAH,MD, IMAGESBAZAAR DDI INDIA ENLISTS A FEW NON-NEGOTIABLE RULES WHILE HIRING:

>> Do your homework and know what you're looking for when you hire;

>> Understand the business strategy and translate it to talent management through well-defined `success profiles';

>> Ensure that your selection system meets all of your requirements.(High-quality hires + legal defensibility + efficiency + brand representation + integration);

>> Recognise that the hiring decision is equally a candidate's choice to make.

Hence, provide candidates with the information they need to make the right decisions about whether to accept the offer;

>> There are no shortcuts ­ hence, give the hiring conversation the time that it deserves!

Yasmin Taj

TOI1JUL15