HRM Essay Sample: Finding the Right Manager for Product Advertising

In finding the right manager to lead product advertising team, it is very crucial to find an individual who is best placed to lead and motivate a dynamic sales team. One of the ways of finding such a person is by following a certain procedure. This procedure includes identification of the position and the qualifications of the person needed for the position. The vacancy to be filled is already identified, and it is that of the manager: product advertising. Next process is advertising and recruiting. This is followed by interviewing the candidates. After interviewing, potential candidates are then screened. Finally, a candidate is selected and given an offer. This discussion is going to focus on the interview part. Five questions will be asked of the potential candidate to help the panel know more about the candidates leadership skills.

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Interview questions

The following questions will be asked the candidates who will apply for the job.

Give us an example of a time you have had to address concerns regarding a sales member of the team who consistently failed to meet his/her goals. Describe not only how you handled the situation but also the outcome.

One of the goals of the position holder is to improve organisational performance by increasing sales. It will require the position holder to motivate his/her team. Assuming you are in this position, how will you motivate your team? Which strategies are you going to employ and why bearing in mind that every department is expected to run on a lean budget?

Have you ever participated in a team? What was your role? If you are to be a team leader, which strategies are you going to employ to ensure that your team is effective and efficient in product advertising?

This position requires a lot of communication. Assuming that you are the manager, how will you ensure that you set up an effective communication channel for your team?

In your previous leadership roles, what do you think contributed to your success and failures if any?

Best Hiring Practices

Evidence suggest that there is a significant positive relationship between human resources best practices and organisational performance (Kehoe & Wright, 2013). Previous investigations show that organisations which employ the best HR practices record better performance in aspects such as market and firm-level financial outcomes. According to Collins and McLean (2013), the best organisational outcomes are achieved when there is a good match between best HR practices and a charismatic leader. The authors further pointed out that voluntary turnover is at its lowest when commitment in HR practices and charismatic leadership is high. It has been said that a termination of an employees relationship with the company is a result of poor hiring. While hiring, it has been suggested that employers can avoid legal challenges by being well-conversant with legislation and other guidelines which protect employees and potential employees on aspects such as background checks, pre-employment testing, non-discrimination, and religious accommodation (Dwoskin, Squire, & Patullo, 2013). This is because the consequences of not following the law are very costly. It is, therefore, important that organisations consider formulating best human resources during employee recruitment which take into consideration legal implications of their decisions.

Sharma (2013, suggested nine best hiring practices. To her, there is a need to network even when there is no vacancy. Talking to everyone recommended by trustworthy people will make hiring when the right time comes. Another idea is to keep a record of the traits common among successful employees. These traits will be useful during a screening of employees during the interview. Thirdly, the author suggested that if time allows during the interview process, the candidate can be asked to simulate day-to-day task. This will allow the panellist to find out the soft stuff the candidate brings to the job. The fourth suggestion is to note communication via email. Apart from indicating interest in the job, email communication also shows candidates communication style. Communication style is hard to change, and it is best that the candidate best fit the business communication style in place. Fifth, the interview panel should consider asking about the current challenges in the workplace so that they can see how the candidate offers solutions. Sixth, all interview team members should be involved in the hiring process from screening the candidates, interviewing them, post-interviews, and also conversations with each member have a different view of the candidate. Seventh, the team interviewing the candidate ought to create an agenda. This clarifies each members role in the interview process. Eight, checking references is a crucial part of the hiring process. Obtaining information from previous bosses and colleagues would help unearth information which might not have been verified easily during the interview. Ninth, Sharma pointed out that one should be careful about giving candidates a benefit of the doubt. In such cases, the panel ought to be candid and inform the candidates areas in which they need to see them improve in case they offer them the job. According to Chamorro-Premuzic (2015), another method is to use IQ and personality tests which are in the form of games which make the testing more enjoyable than the traditional methods.

References

Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2015). 3 Emerging Alternatives to Traditional Hiring Methods. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2015/06/3-emerging-alternatives-to-traditional-hiring-methods

Collins, C. J., & McLean, E. (2013). Can Firms Perform Without Good HR Practices and Inspiring Leaders? Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=cahrs_researchlink

Kehoe, R. R., & Wright, P. M. (2013). The impact of high-performance human resource practices on employees attitudes and behaviours. Journal of Management, 39(2), 366-391.

Dwoskin, L.B., Squire, M.B., & Patullo, J.E. (2013). Welcome, Aboard! How to Hire the right Way. Employees Relations Law Journal, 38(4), 28-63.

Sharma, G. (2013). How to Grow a Small Team: Nine Hiring Best Practices. Forbes, May 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gaurisharma/2013/05/21/how-to-grow-a-small-team-nine-hiring-best-practices/#4d30da3612ec