I came here from the “stupid interview questions” post. I have long resolved to walk out of any interview where such questions get asked — and over time, came to the conclusion that interviews with questions like those invariably happened where HR handled the interviewing.

Fortunately, in my line of work (visual FX for TV, film and now games), I have always been interviewed by those who would be my immediately supervisor or department head — and sometimes by my potential colleagues. These interviews always focussed on the two things that mattered: my job skills, and my personality, *only* to the extent that it might affect how well I would fit into the team.

One place had the *entire* team of about 15 people interview me in groups of three, and I could tell that everyone had been asked to come up with just a few questions of their own. It took a long time, but the interview was extremely thorough as a result, and I still felt good about it afterwards — as there weren’t any of those stupid sort of bullship interview questions, I came through it all just fine.

So, without exception, I haven’t dealt with HR until after the interviewer(s) have given the thumbs-up (except for things like arranging for travel to and from the interview, and related reimbursements, where applicable), and such interaction usually pertain to the nitty-gritty of the compensation package and checking for any remaining possible “gotchas” before the official offer comes.

I have many reasons to love what I do; this is one.

HR should not be involved in recruiting and hiring. As Genesis suggests, HR should handle all the necessary compliance functions. I’m not saying this to knock HR. I think this would be a huge boon to HR.

But managers have to be put on the recruiting, interviewing and hiring line. http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/crocs41managersjob1.htm

Every manager should spend 30% of his or her time on these functions. I know, I know — they don’t have the time. They’re too busy.

So corporate management needs to step up and change the typical corporate structure so PEOPLE really DO become OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET.

Right now, HR in general permits people to be treated as a fungible commodity, and it shows.

Time for HR to get out of the people business, and into compliance. And it’s time to change the “title.” Human resources is a joke of a name. HR should just be renamed COMPLIANCE and tacked onto the legal department.

@scotthekyhrguy, I’m not saying HR is not necessary; it is. A business needs HR to make sure that it is following the law, all the right forms and documentation are filed and people are terminated in a way that will minimize risk to the company.

That being said, there is NO REASON (except laziness) why HR should be involved in the hiring decision, except at the very end, when all the forms must be filled out. Any company where HR commands so much power that all candidates must go through them to be “interviewed” or pre-screened (as if anyone from HR could ever competently interview anyone) is losing good people.

Absolutely, let HR do the “drug test” and “background check” dance so those two boxes can be checked off on the form. Let them fill out the I-9 and all that other junk.

Guess what? These tasks can ALL BE OUTSOURCED.

I hear ya – I agree, if I ever run a company, there will be no HR dept. I seen dozens of instances where layoffs are done and the highest performers are let go (not necessarily the most expensive, either!). HR makes decisions completely detached from the business.

And to G’s point, yes, I have seen some very poor hiring processes, and years later when companies try to recruit those folks, they tell them no thanks. It’s still very hard for companies to understand why someone who not work for them. Often, the way you treat people on the way in and way out is more important than what happens in-between.

Now the company is looking for people. I am extremely well matched to their current requirements and am even happy to do the 100% travel they require, but I’m damned well never going to go anywhere near their HR department again.

I wonder if their management knows the real reason why they can’t find good people.

I once worked for a large Fortune 10, we hit hard times. I was a product manager and of the 6 of us, I was one of two still making money. They decided that they had to lay people off, HR made the decision, not our managers. I got the ax, not because of performance, not because of profitability but because I was the politically correct one to lay off. I have to say it was the first and only time I ever had a boss cry while letting me go, she knew she was kind of screwed because I was also one of two people who had a background in marketing, the others didn’t and it kind of showed.

HR trying to make decisions based on political correctness so they can’t get potentially sued rather than who makes the money, great example of how HR doesn’t contribute. When I run my own company, HR won’t exist in my firm.

I could read it 100 times, but the fact is HR can be “trained and functioning” and it makes no difference.

I’ve seen 100s of HR depts. They run the spectrum of horrible to severely mediocre. There are no “good” HR depts in mid to large companies. (Please go ahead and name one.)

I really hate to burst the bubble of all the HR folks out there, but the HR function is a drag on most companies out there, and there is ZERO tie back to the bottom line.

A thoughtful reading of my note said . . .

“. . . when an HR department is trained and
functioning in a professional manner…”

Hope some day you will have the opportunity
to work with an HR department like that.

Unfortunately, there are stereotypes that can
be very difficult to overcome (for all of us!)

Have a great week!

HR, in my experience, should be fully outsourced. All their tasks can be done by other, more effectively and
Managers should hire their team. There is a case for “talent acquistion” folks, who can smell a success/failure, but other than that, they just slow down the works. It can takes months and even years to hire people…it’s insane. If you can’t close the deal in 30 days, you just don’t have an organization that is dedicated to getting talent and success.