How does Human Resources work?

[neptoon]

I'm working as a freelancer right now and I once worked for this corporation. My primary client is this corporation. I'm kind of tired of doing the freelancer thing and I heard about a job posting through the grapevine. It spoke to the hiring manager and all was well. I knew the manager in passing when I worked at the corporation. At the time, I wasn't sure if I was going to apply for the job but the manager seemed quite enthusiastic. I told my former manager about it (she's one of my clients now). The got a copy of the job description through some people in the company before the job was posted through someone in the company. I'm not sure how it leaked to them but it did (because the hiring manager had told them to put the word out on the street even before the job description was written).

 

I sent a copy of my resume by email to the hiring manager as a follow up to show that I had thought about it and show my intent on applying for the job. I was under the impression that he thought I was a good fit for the job.

 

Finally, the job posting went up at the corporate website. The final release of the job description had a two very specific things on it that I knew were to my resume and the things I discussed with the hiring manager. I tailored my resume to the job description (it's exactly the same thing as I'm doing now except that I would have a salary and get experience in one or two things I don't have formal experience in right now but I know how to do). I had submitted the formal application to Human Resources through the corporate website.

 

Today, a week and a half after I submitted the resume, I get an email from HR saying that I had been cut out of even an interview...that I hadn't even made the shortlist.

 

Does anyone know if HR screens before the manager even sees the resume? I always get blocked by HR in any company -- I don't know why, HR people seem to really hate me (and I'm familiar with some of the people in HR of this company and I've not had good runnings with them). I do good work and I work well with clients and managers.

 

Can someone advise what I can do or what is happening with HR? It's leaving me really discouraged and I'm really bummed right now.

[HokeyReligions]

It's different for every company. You would have to look at the P&P for that particular company to see how their HR department is set up.

 

In business it's not what you know, but who you know --- some of the time. But if your qualifications do not match the criteria for the job, then you will be out. If their P&P dictates that only people with a degree in a particular area are qualified for a job, then without even reading your resume for details, it will be kicked out if you do not have the degree. Or X# of years experience, or whatever the criteria.

 

Before I went back to college I had worked at a company for 8 years and I was good at my job. My supervisor had been grooming me to take her place when she left and in the last couple of years she was seldom in the office and I was doing her work. She got me some nice raises and bonuses, and she wrote a recommendation for me to take the position and talked with her boss and some other. I thought I had it in the bag, I mean - I was doing the job and recognized for it. Somewhere along the paper-trail some person verified my qualifications and found that I did not have a degree. They hired someone fresh out of college, with less than a year of actual experience, to come in and supervise me! I was able to transfer out of that position -- but it was a lateral move. All because that company's P&P dictated that a specific degree was required.

 

Some companies are not that stringent and will by-pass that requirement. But if a company is audited and they are not in compliance with their own P&P, they can get into some serious trouble. There are always ways to get around it if you are in tight enough with the right people. I also worked someplace as a temporary and I had been there for a couple of months. My manager wanted to hire me, but he was required by the companies P&P to post the job for internal candidates for X-amount of time and if no suitable candidates were found, he could then look outside the company.

 

He posted the job, received a lot of applicants, interviewed a couple and just didn't find any of them to his liking. (yeah, right) and he was able to hire me. We didn't break the P&P, but we got around it.

 

Ask for a specific reason why your resume was not shortlisted. If you know why - you can take steps to change that for the future.

[Paradise]

Only thing HR or the employer will see is your resume to determine who you are. Thus you must have an outstanding resume.

Make sure you have objective on top right below your name and contact information followed by experience and education.

You can get a resume program that’s available at the store or make your own. Just be sure make it simple and key in on important information such as additional certificates and classes you attended.

Some company HR dept screens the applicants to minimize the interview time for managers who will actually be selecting the position if they have too many applicants.

[neptoon]

What's P&P? People and Politics?

[moimeme]

Policies and Procedures