Hiring is indeed a black art. Not only the timing but even more so the recruiting process. The recruitment is outsourced to people who have no idea which candidates to filter only to be eventually outsourced to RIF consultants that are clueless as you said. COVID-19 remote work actually highlighted managers that truly know how to hire and manage from those who are clueless, as the former is able to snag a few talented teams members and put a system in place rapidly to maintain productivity. The latter who rely on 18th century methods were at a loss and doubled the useless meetings. I was fortunate my first formal job was under a leadership who had Sloan school of Management background - hired me before I graduated. Filtration was just to answer 3 technical questions (I was allowed to take the whole day to figure it out) before I was given an offer. I stayed there for 8 years and the alumni from that company still see each other during holidays
I bet there may be a small company vs big company divide on the hiring success rate, including timing quality. Having worked for years in companies that were always smaller but growing bigger (headcount began in the 20s - 100; usually grew by 100% or in one case about 2000%), I always felt we under hired and pulled the trigger when the role was clearly needed. Ownership was closer to managers causing greater accountability, manager-peers were watching too, and cash was more precious.
Completely agree. I have worked for both global companies and smaller companies. Smaller companies tend to be less flush with cash and run a tighter ship hiring people only when they need it. In larger companies, hiring people is sometimes used as a means to gain political influence in the organisation, hiring as many people who will remember that it was you who gave them their job when you are in need.
Exact description of what happens over and over again!
Hiring is indeed a black art. Not only the timing but even more so the recruiting process. The recruitment is outsourced to people who have no idea which candidates to filter only to be eventually outsourced to RIF consultants that are clueless as you said. COVID-19 remote work actually highlighted managers that truly know how to hire and manage from those who are clueless, as the former is able to snag a few talented teams members and put a system in place rapidly to maintain productivity. The latter who rely on 18th century methods were at a loss and doubled the useless meetings. I was fortunate my first formal job was under a leadership who had Sloan school of Management background - hired me before I graduated. Filtration was just to answer 3 technical questions (I was allowed to take the whole day to figure it out) before I was given an offer. I stayed there for 8 years and the alumni from that company still see each other during holidays
I bet there may be a small company vs big company divide on the hiring success rate, including timing quality. Having worked for years in companies that were always smaller but growing bigger (headcount began in the 20s - 100; usually grew by 100% or in one case about 2000%), I always felt we under hired and pulled the trigger when the role was clearly needed. Ownership was closer to managers causing greater accountability, manager-peers were watching too, and cash was more precious.
Completely agree. I have worked for both global companies and smaller companies. Smaller companies tend to be less flush with cash and run a tighter ship hiring people only when they need it. In larger companies, hiring people is sometimes used as a means to gain political influence in the organisation, hiring as many people who will remember that it was you who gave them their job when you are in need.