Hiring and HR Practices

“Communication is what is needed.”

The HR department may as well be a chimpanzee picking through a pile of bananas.

Let me tell you about the disaster that is most HR departments. I’ve seen the process from both sides – as someone who’s hired people and as someone who’s watched HR departments fumble through what should be a straightforward process. The result? Companies missing out on great talent while complaining they can’t find good people.

Here’s what typically happens: HR wants to fill a role quickly. They post an ad that’s either so vague you don’t know what the job actually entails, or so detailed with responsibilities that it reads like they want to hire Superman for minimum wage. Then they sort through resumes like they’re picking through a pile of bananas, hoping to find that perfect candidate.

But here’s the thing – when all this sorting is done on paper, you’re going to miss incredible people. A salesperson who can sell you anything in person might be terrible at writing resumes. Someone with amazing potential might not have the exact keywords your automated system is looking for. You might pass over your next star performer because their resume doesn’t fit your narrow criteria.

Clear Guidelines!

The real problem happens after the sorting. HR departments often don’t have clear guidelines about who they’re actually looking for. If it takes months to find someone, that’s not because there’s a shortage of workers – it’s because you don’t know what you want.

Communication is what’s needed, but most HR departments have forgotten how to actually communicate with human beings. Everything is automated, impersonal, and rushed. Where’s the human in Human Resources?

I’ve sorted through resumes myself, and while I try to be fair, I know we all fall into the same trap of quick judgments. But I also know that the best hires often come from actual conversations, not just reviewing paperwork. You need to talk to people, understand their potential, see how they communicate.

Here’s my approach: pick the one that has potential and nurture them if needed. Don’t look for the perfect candidate who can do everything from day one. Look for someone who has the right attitude, the ability to learn, and the communication skills to fit with your team.

But then comes the ultimate failure – the complete lack of aftercare support. You hire someone based on “this is the best we’ve got,” knowing they’ll need guidance, and then you abandon them. It’s like an inexperienced photographer who takes 1000 shots hoping one will be perfect, instead of learning how to take good shots consistently.

Most companies have no support system to bring new hires to the next level. They throw people into the deep end and then wonder why they’re struggling. Is your company filled with envy, jealousy, and mean people? If so, even the best hire will become bitter and disengaged.

The hiring process should be about finding people who complement your team and have the potential to grow. But it needs to be followed by proper onboarding, clear expectations, ongoing support, and a work environment that actually wants people to succeed.

Stop treating hiring like a lottery where you hope to get lucky. Start treating it like what it is – the foundation of your team’s success. Communicate clearly about what you need, look for potential rather than perfection, and then invest in helping people reach that potential.

Your HR department should be building your team, not just filling positions. If they can’t tell the difference, you might as well have that chimpanzee picking through bananas.

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