May 1st, 2009
The Bad HR software demo
Am I too sensitive?
The other day I took a demo from an HR vendor – and – one aspect of that demo really bothered me. When we got to this point in the demo where a user could craft the requirements for a new hire, I went cold.
The software executive showed how a firm could identify key selection criteria like college degrees and vertical industry experience. Then, this executive showed how a recruiter could specify that the candidate must have graduated from an Ivy League school and rowed for a Division I school. And, this was for a banking job. I understand those requirements for a summer camp worker in Maine but for a banking job?
I have a problem with this as these characteristics are not indicators of future performance nor can they be correlated with actual career success. Just today, in this week’s Fortune is this interesting statistic about Fortune 500 firms: “It’s a tie between Harvard and the University of Wisconsin, both of which have 11 CEO alums on the 500.” Personally, I believe you can find great talent in a lot of places. I do not believe that all of the world’s greatest talent is concentrated in a handful of schools in the U.S. northeast. Likewise, we should watch for the reverse thinking. Just because someone attended one of these schools doesn’t mean the person will be a good worker.
Recruiters can make really bad hiring decisions when they:
- hire people just because they have similar backgrounds as the department heads who are requesting new/additional personnel
- hire people like themselves
- fail to understand the skills and personal characteristics that create the most successful people in given positions
At this point in the demo, I almost wanted to ask the software executive if his software would screen for people who also:
- summer in the Hamptons
- have siblings named Biff and Buffy
- own a custom made three piece suit
- drive a BMW
- shop at Tiffany’s
- speak with a Boston accent
These profile characteristics almost smack of elitism or prejudice – they certainly seem prejudicial to me. I know some great leaders of companies who never graduated college. I know lots of people who didn’t go to Ivy League schools and have run Fortune 500 firms. I know people who attended schools in the desert states of the U.S. – universities that couldn’t offer rowing because there’s no navigable water within several hundred miles. Yes, great people do go to Ivy League schools and some great people also row. But, not all great people are found in these sources nor are all the people that row great people.
Great people can be found anywhere. You just have to know where to look and how to look. The best practice is look for specific behaviors and proof of prior achievements. Honestly, who would you hire: the person at the top of their class at a major business school or the bottom of the class at Harvard? Or, would you want to hire someone because their dad endowed a building at your alma mater or the person who has successfully outsold everyone in your firm? I look for proven results and people who have demonstrated value delivery.
The software executive compounded my frustration by then explaining that he was only offering customers what they want. AAGH! That sounded like the “I was only following orders” defense that war criminals use.
I countered that his firm should be advising these users as to the best practices in recruiting and not supporting the continued use of bad practices. I don’t think I prevailed on that point. Shouldn’t we expect more of HR vendors that a reguritation of yesterday’s out of date practices? Shouldn’t HR vendors offer their users insights into better practices that would deliver better results for the firm? And, shouldn’t those using these systems be held to a standard of excellence for their employers? Recruiting personnel, in my opinion, should deliver the best possible talent and not people who happen to belong to the same club, went to the same school, etc. as one of the managers in the firm.
What do you think? Is this vendor’s approach acceptable or is my concern misplaced? Your thoughtful comments would be most appreciated.
This blog explores the intersection set between services and technology. If it impacts either space, it will be covered here. Brian Sommer is a former Accenture partner. He did an 18-year tour of duty there and ran three small practice units (Finance Center of Excellence, HR Center of Excellence and Software Intelligence). He’s sold service projects in almost every continent and remains just as current on both services and technology today as ever before. Brian is currently CEO of TechVentive, a strategy consultancy servicing technology providers, and a research analyst with Vital Analysis. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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