5 HR Best Practices That Never Go Out of Style

Remember when there was no Human Resources Department or HR best practices? There was simply a “personnel department,” often led by a stern person in a stuffy suit (at least according to television and movies). Personnel did hiring and firing and managed the “steno pool.” Now we have Human Resources, but we still use some of those old school best practices — although hopefully, we aren’t unpleasant!

Here are five best practices that never go out of style.

1. Find Qualified Candidates

Hiring has always been a key part of personnel or HR. While we used to run advertisements in the Want Ads and now we post job descriptions on websites — either the business’s or a job board — the purpose is the same: find as many qualified candidates as possible. In addition to posting job openings, recruiters focus on networking and actively seeking candidates. HR today finds the best candidates. They don’t always just show up on our doorstep. (And we would turn someone away who just showed up. Apply online, please!)

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2 thoughts on “5 HR Best Practices That Never Go Out of Style

  1. Oh Suzanne –

    Please say it isn’t so.

    Your #1 tip includes this: “HR today finds the best candidates. They don’t always just show up on our doorstep. (And we would turn someone away who just showed up. Apply online, please!)”

    In my experience and in that of many others – who are much smarter and more experienced than I – applying for jobs on-line, through job boards and company web sites, while it may make HR’s job easier, is possibly the worst way a job seeker can seek work.

    While this is not the place to go into agonizing detail about why applying on-line is not a good idea, I encourage you (and anyone reading this comment) to go to the following video, and watch at least the first 10 minutes. If you do this, you may very well decide to watch the rest of the 70 minutes – which will be time well spent.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSEx9dS9e6A

    Suzanne, I think I’ve been following (and enjoying) your posts for a very long time, at least five years but it seems like more, and really, I was so disappointed to see the advice to apply on line.

    And I also believe that, if HR is depending on on-line applications to find the best candidates, HR will be significantly disappointed.

    1. You’re right, of course. What I meant was, don’t go in with a resume in hand and expect to give it to a human. If they’ve asked for resumes to be emailed, email the resume.

      The best way to find a job is through networking, but at some point, in almost all companies, you’re going to have to submit a resume and you better do that online. Not through the mail, and not through showing up in person!

      I’ll try to be clearer next time.

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