Dear All,
Please find below a case study on the recruitment process. I would like to hear your comments on the same. Also, if possible, please do answer the questions at the end of the case study.
Sneha was just another girl who decided to become an HR Professional, though her journey wasn't a smooth one. She was a graduate in HR, but that did not get her through to becoming an HR professional. Most of the jobs available for a fresher were in the field of recruitments, and she was not very comfortable with the same.
Sneha was from a well-to-do family, staying in Mumbai. She did her schooling in Delhi and got a job in a small-time firm as an executive – HR. Her first few months were not very easy, but with her commitment and dedication, she rose to a level which most people in the organization would only dream of. But soon she realized that her learning had stopped, and she tried her luck with another company which promised her the learning she was looking forward to. Soon she quit her job and joined another company. Months passed, and she was pushed into administration work which wasn't really the job she was hired for. She waited for a few months, but soon she made another bold move. She quit her job again. Now she was all by herself, looking for a job.
She went to consultants and got her profile updated with them. Since she was qualified, she soon started getting calls from consultants for various job opportunities. But by now she had become a little choosy about the companies she applied for and what the job responsibilities would be.
One such interview call which met her expectations was from an organization of repute. The interview date was fixed and communicated to her. On the day of the interview, she was told that due to the hectic schedule, the interviewer would meet her over coffee and interview her. She did not hesitate, but what happened next was something she was not prepared for.
During the first 10 minutes of the interview itself, the interviewer started making advances on her as if he was not there to conduct the interview but something else altogether. Sneha couldn't take the change in the interviewer's intentions, and so the interview did not go any further. What bothered Sneha was the fact that the interviewer was at a very senior position in this organization, and the way he behaved was least expected from a professional of that stature. But then, she had to look for a job, and she went on looking for better opportunities. She did not report this experience to the consultant or anyone else.
Another interview was scheduled for her with another firm at a prime location in Delhi. When she reached the venue, there were many candidates waiting. She waited for her chance. She did not realize that male candidates were given preference and the female candidates were kept waiting.
By 6 pm, almost all male candidates were done with, and only female candidates were due for their rounds, and Sneha was scheduled last.
At 7:30, the interview started for Sneha, and to her surprise, the interview was conducted in a hotel room. The interviewer was a man of 45, with nearly 15 years of experience in HR and surely a known name in the industry. But he wasn't really interested in conducting the interview; his interest was more on the person sitting in front of him. Sneha was tense during the interview and couldn't realize that the interviewer was making advances on her until she came out of the room. When she realized what had happened, she called the consultant and told them about the interview. The consultant was surprised but could not offer much help as the interviewer was representing a company of repute. Sneha connected with the other candidates who attended the interview on the same day. To her surprise, the interviewer had made similar advances to all female candidates.
1. Was quitting a job without having another job in hand a wrong move by Sneha?
2. What should Sneha do to ensure that interviewers like these don't take advantage of the candidates?
3. Does the consultant have any responsibility towards the candidates he/she sends to companies? Or is it just a replacement in case the selected candidate quits?
4. Is sexual harassment only applicable within the organization and not during interviews?
5. Isn't “CASTING COUCH” becoming a reality in the recruitment business? How do the corporates handle this issue?
6. From a consultant's perspective, what can be done to blacklist such interviewers/companies?
Regards,
Arun
From India, Bangalore
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3Please find below a case study on the recruitment process. I would like to hear your comments on the same. Also, if possible, please do answer the questions at the end of the case study.
“CASTING COUCH” EXISTS IN RECRUITMENTS TOO
Sneha was just another girl who decided to become an HR Professional, though her journey wasn't a smooth one. She was a graduate in HR, but that did not get her through to becoming an HR professional. Most of the jobs available for a fresher were in the field of recruitments, and she was not very comfortable with the same.
Sneha was from a well-to-do family, staying in Mumbai. She did her schooling in Delhi and got a job in a small-time firm as an executive – HR. Her first few months were not very easy, but with her commitment and dedication, she rose to a level which most people in the organization would only dream of. But soon she realized that her learning had stopped, and she tried her luck with another company which promised her the learning she was looking forward to. Soon she quit her job and joined another company. Months passed, and she was pushed into administration work which wasn't really the job she was hired for. She waited for a few months, but soon she made another bold move. She quit her job again. Now she was all by herself, looking for a job.
She went to consultants and got her profile updated with them. Since she was qualified, she soon started getting calls from consultants for various job opportunities. But by now she had become a little choosy about the companies she applied for and what the job responsibilities would be.
One such interview call which met her expectations was from an organization of repute. The interview date was fixed and communicated to her. On the day of the interview, she was told that due to the hectic schedule, the interviewer would meet her over coffee and interview her. She did not hesitate, but what happened next was something she was not prepared for.
During the first 10 minutes of the interview itself, the interviewer started making advances on her as if he was not there to conduct the interview but something else altogether. Sneha couldn't take the change in the interviewer's intentions, and so the interview did not go any further. What bothered Sneha was the fact that the interviewer was at a very senior position in this organization, and the way he behaved was least expected from a professional of that stature. But then, she had to look for a job, and she went on looking for better opportunities. She did not report this experience to the consultant or anyone else.
Another interview was scheduled for her with another firm at a prime location in Delhi. When she reached the venue, there were many candidates waiting. She waited for her chance. She did not realize that male candidates were given preference and the female candidates were kept waiting.
By 6 pm, almost all male candidates were done with, and only female candidates were due for their rounds, and Sneha was scheduled last.
At 7:30, the interview started for Sneha, and to her surprise, the interview was conducted in a hotel room. The interviewer was a man of 45, with nearly 15 years of experience in HR and surely a known name in the industry. But he wasn't really interested in conducting the interview; his interest was more on the person sitting in front of him. Sneha was tense during the interview and couldn't realize that the interviewer was making advances on her until she came out of the room. When she realized what had happened, she called the consultant and told them about the interview. The consultant was surprised but could not offer much help as the interviewer was representing a company of repute. Sneha connected with the other candidates who attended the interview on the same day. To her surprise, the interviewer had made similar advances to all female candidates.
1. Was quitting a job without having another job in hand a wrong move by Sneha?
2. What should Sneha do to ensure that interviewers like these don't take advantage of the candidates?
3. Does the consultant have any responsibility towards the candidates he/she sends to companies? Or is it just a replacement in case the selected candidate quits?
4. Is sexual harassment only applicable within the organization and not during interviews?
5. Isn't “CASTING COUCH” becoming a reality in the recruitment business? How do the corporates handle this issue?
6. From a consultant's perspective, what can be done to blacklist such interviewers/companies?
Regards,
Arun
From India, Bangalore
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Very good article. It can be used to assess a student's ability to tackle problems and come up with concrete solutions.
Example 1: Sneha's Career Decisions
Sneha left her job without anticipating the future. Plan yourself, or you are planning to fail. Sometimes, we should have a job before we quit. That is why emotional intelligence (EQ) is so important these days. To me, it was a wrong move. I am presently in middle management in a very good Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). I was offered double the salary, but I anticipated my success in that condition and did not quit. However, I will quit even if less salary is offered because you are the right person to know your potential.
Self-Worth and Workplace Dynamics
See and work. No one can belittle us without our permission. But whether I am allowing it or not, sometimes a deep desire to get the job is used by crooked people for their undesirable and indecent proposals.
Regards,
Sanjay
From India, Bhilai
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Example 1: Sneha's Career Decisions
Sneha left her job without anticipating the future. Plan yourself, or you are planning to fail. Sometimes, we should have a job before we quit. That is why emotional intelligence (EQ) is so important these days. To me, it was a wrong move. I am presently in middle management in a very good Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). I was offered double the salary, but I anticipated my success in that condition and did not quit. However, I will quit even if less salary is offered because you are the right person to know your potential.
Self-Worth and Workplace Dynamics
See and work. No one can belittle us without our permission. But whether I am allowing it or not, sometimes a deep desire to get the job is used by crooked people for their undesirable and indecent proposals.
Regards,
Sanjay
From India, Bhilai
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