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HR is a funny profession

I am interviewing for Director HR for my company these days and meeting people form Bangalore and a few others from Chennai. A good mix of XLRI grads (yes, the PM&IR 2 years on-campus course) and other B-schools, known and unknown. I do not want to grade them as non-premier or low rung or C rung or non-ranked, etc as I am not a firm believer in grading system.

2004 pass out has done only recruiting and has only recruiting 'success story' to talk about. From Microsoft to Fidelity to O*** International. Now Heads HR. Great guy to talk to, good for coffee table discussion but hardly any tested competencies in L&D, C&B, OD, OE, change management or Succession planning. Draws 35L.

Another Head HR from an unknown MBA college, Heads HR form a leading global Healthcare software product company, manages 12 member team, reports to Head-HR, Global. Again has done only recruiting and has some bit of brush with PMS, reading Salary surveys, and conducting Open House meetings. Could not answer basic questions well on C&B, campus hiring. Has not heard of term, MBTI, Does that surprise you. He passed out MBA in 2002. Draws 20L base.

One more HR Director candidate, comes from a known MBA college in Mumbai (No, it is not SP Jain, of Shailesh J mehta or not even NITTIE). Claims to have done every thing in HR but recruitment. Interesting! Shallow answers to all questions that panel interviewers asked. All Business Heads interviewed. Could not get some questions, and answered what she understood. All english, no content. Greatest example came to the question of, 'How did you manage senior management conflict situation, when 2 senior management executives had a big conflicting situation?'. Example came from organising the "Beer bash" and conflict cited was, they were not agreeing to the event date the other guy proposed and they were debating.?
Huh! first of all, is a debate a conflict situation, which is so serious a blocker?
Draws 21 L base.

God only can save HR!
Long live HR.

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