Need your opinion
HR in NY
74 Posts
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-06-04 AT 09:48AM (CST)[/font][br][br][font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-06-04 AT 07:36 AM (CST)[/font]
For the last five years we have been posting all open positions in the company to the employees first with the exception of Sales Reps. We have had a lot of success with this program and have promoted from within a number times. This program has greatly improved morale and the sense that the company truly wants to better their employees and it's stated in the employee handbook that we will post all positions except for Sales Reps (another story). We now have a situation where we are going to have a newly created, highly technical position. A couple members of Management do not want to post this position because they feel no one internally will be qualified. The other side says we have always posted every position, why stop now. This could create some dissention among the employees. There was a two hour debate on this yesterday. I would like to get some thoughts from you guys. Do we post or do we not post??? Thanks as always for your help.
For the last five years we have been posting all open positions in the company to the employees first with the exception of Sales Reps. We have had a lot of success with this program and have promoted from within a number times. This program has greatly improved morale and the sense that the company truly wants to better their employees and it's stated in the employee handbook that we will post all positions except for Sales Reps (another story). We now have a situation where we are going to have a newly created, highly technical position. A couple members of Management do not want to post this position because they feel no one internally will be qualified. The other side says we have always posted every position, why stop now. This could create some dissention among the employees. There was a two hour debate on this yesterday. I would like to get some thoughts from you guys. Do we post or do we not post??? Thanks as always for your help.
Comments
On another note, 2 hours is WAY too long to debate this item, in my opinion.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman
Just post it. I post open jobs company wide in 5 states internally. I've had out of town employees apply for jobs here at corporate.
I think to not do so will cause more controversy than actually posting it. Like others said, no brainer!
Lot's of unutilized talent out there that lies beneath (or above) the scope of the current job.
PORK
We frequently post internally and advertise externally at the same time. It's a compromise that works pretty well.
As I read your post and the replies to date, there does not appear to be a strong reason not to internally post.
We often have positions open, such as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, that we know cannot be filled internally. We still post the jobs, but as suggested above, we also recruit from the outside at the same time. If we receive internal interest, we scrutinize the qualifications just like we would an outside resume and application. If they do not meet the qualifications, we let them know and move on.
But do not assume that because your ees are not doing that type of work that they may not have some hidden talents you may be unaware of and surprise you and the other dept heads.
Besides..... You never know who your employees know. They may know a friend who is the exact right fit for the position in their circle of friends and acquaintances.
On another note, regarding some of the replies above, I don't get those that advise to post internally and externally at the same time. Doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of an internal posting? I mean, are there situations in which an internal applicant CAN'T apply when the job is open to the public? To me, the purpose of an internal posting period that precedes the general posting is to give current ee's the chance at a promotion without outside competition, but there may be another angle on this I'm not aware of.
The only thing that concurrent postings has done is save time. IE we have to post for 7 days. If a supervisor is really in a crunch and we don't think there will be anyone inside I will do both and then at the end of the 7 days if there are no internals, there will already be some applications for them to look at. This has back fired tho. Evidenced the time they were SURE there would be NO ONE inside. There were 3, one was hired and I sat looking at 45 useless resumes.
I would prefer to do this than to explain to a qualified internal candidate who has in good faith prepared their resume and themselves for an interview that it was basically a sham.
We have had similar issues, but have ALWAYS posted internally, regardless if we know we might go "outside" the company for a prospective employee