Morals from a Corporate Finance Expert to an HR Executive

When I first read the LinkedIn post  by an HR executive who by professional training is expected to show empathy, diligence, and high display of emotional intelligence in the discharge of her duties, I was ‘shook’ like we say in the local parlance.

The first thoughts that crossed my mind was to type an equally savage response to the rather egotistical, unprofessional rant. But on a second thought, I choose to read through the replies to the post. Then booooommmmmmm!!!, step up Eliud M Njeri, Head of Corporate Finance expert at Sterling Investment Bank, Kenya, with a very intelligent and humane response to a rather unfortunate post.

I have had lots of interactions with headhunters on and off this platform. Their professionalism, empathy, friendly disposition and matured handling of the recruitment process has left indelible marks on me. Permit me to appreciate Martyns Consulting, Abisola Badara, Onwuatu Joy and a host of others whom at one point or the other made my job interview processes very interesting

Here is Eliud M’s brilliant response to a rather regrettable post.

”This post encapsulates the problem with most HR practitioners i.e. ATTITUDE and EGO.

When was the last time you took some time to throw in some words of advice to the ‘audience’ you purport to lecture on this post? As an HR practitioner, you must know how to deal with millennials especially – this generation tends to look at everyone like their peer that’s why you’ll see them addressing you as Chi and so if your company is still in the old school age, in that case then you could just reply to them with some tips on how to address demigods like you formally (Dear Sir/Madam) while appreciating their CV.

On the issue of ZERO EXPERIENCE, did you know that the greatest experience a candidate can have is their attitude to learn? Did you know that a fresh university graduate with the right attitude can do exactly what you’re doing and even better in say 3 months! It’s all about attitude to work and not actual experience or even tonnes and tonnes of academic papers that HR might place a lot of weight on.

Next time you think of using such language as ‘your CV will end up in trash’, take a trip down memory lane and think of that time you were hunting for your first job? Maybe you were lucky like I was to land a job a month after graduating but what if it took you one, two, three years? Don’t you think desperation would set in? It’s all human and that’s why you see all these applicants trying their luck everywhere – it’s not that they don’t know they aren’t sufficiently qualified, maybe they just want to capture your attention even for a second that ‘hey, I know you’re looking to recruit for a managerial role but I’m here should you have openings for a lesser role in future’. Have you thought of it along that line? Now picture how that applicant would feel knowing that instead of grabbing your attention, you trashed their CV. At times all the applicant needs is hope to keep going; that’s why serious recruiters have autoresponders to make sure that every unsuccessful applicant is responded to; at times they tell the applicant that their CV will be saved in the database for future positions – maybe they don’t even save the CVs but that message serves to keep hope alive.

I could go on and on but to cut the long story short, drop your patronizing attitude; cease acting like a demi-god just because you occupy a ‘head of HR’ position. Try and offer some guidance to this generation you seem to look down upon. I’m sure you’ve got a lot of messages on LinkedIn from job seekers; take time and respond to them too (it won’t hurt). I can also bet you get lots of unsolicited applications – just respond even with a one-liner just to offer some hope.”