Could You Hire This Man?

By Michelle Malay Carter on October 17, 2007 

College Dropout?Imagine?your luck.? Bill Gates has applied for the open project manager position within your division.??

During your interview, he?explains that he’s a little bored with the philanthropic life so he thought he’d head back into the corporate world.? Thrilled with your luck; you ask very?few questions before offering him the job.? You agree to a Monday start date, and whistle a happy tune as you submit his paperwork to HR.

Friday afternoon you get the call.? Mr. Gates is not eligible for the role for which you have hired him.? No college degree.? Find another candidate.

Although you know Bill could run circles around the job, your hands are tied.? You call Bill and tell him the news.? Now that he’s no longer a viable candidate for the role, you ask the question you wanted to ask when he applied for the job in the first place.? Bill, why don’t you go back to Microsoft???

Bill replies, “There aren’t any executive level positions open.? In?my eagerness to?get my head back into the?technology world, I did apply for a Business Manager role back at Microsoft, but they wouldn’t hire me – no degree.”

Have you ever found a perfect candidate and then couldn’t hire him?

Does the tail wag the dog when it comes to hiring decisions in your organization?? Who decided HR is better qualified to define the qualifications for a role than the manager of that role?? If organizations are looking for managers to?be accountable for?their direct reports output,? they must start by giving them the authority to hire whom they choose.

Requiring a college degree is a safe move, but it’s not risk free.

I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.

Filed Under Accountability, Corporate Values, Employee Engagement, Executive Leadership, High Potential, Managerial Leadership, Talent Management

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One Response to “Could You Hire This Man?”

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