Three Hiring Lessons From the FDA

Posted by in Healthcare


Resumes are powerful things, carefully crafted by the actual person or by a highly-paid career consultant. There’s a lot of information on a resume about experience, education, accomplishments and personal interests. There are also some subtle things that can trigger interest in one candidate over another.

 

Recruiters and hiring managers are supposed to make decisions on an applicant’s qualifications. But if you’ve been in the recruiting game, or looking for a job lately, you know that’s not always the case. Where you went to school, an interesting hobby, association with a company or individual can make an otherwise average candidate look much more interesting. There is a saying, “You’re known by the company that you keep.” These associations can be helpful to a candidate and, at the same time, become pitfalls when it comes to choosing the best candidate.

This predicament was illustrated by a recent article in Forbes Magazine. While it isn’t about recruiting, it has some important lessons for hiring managers and job seekers alike. The article, "A Drug Recall That Should Frighten Us All About the FDA," told the story of the FDA’s recall of the generic version of Wellbutrin XL. Why did they pull the plug on this drug? The 150mg version was working just fine, and since the 300mg version was just a modification of a previously approved drug, the FDA didn’t test it. Shocking, yes! A case of approval by association?

What happened with the FDA could have had serious – even dire – consequences. But a bad hire can have serious consequences as well. Hundreds or thousands of dollars and time can be wasted when a candidate rises to the top because of some association and gains a manager’s approval without going through the usual vetting process. She may have gone to the same school, have the same interests, or played professional sports. Or maybe the candidate looks like Jennifer Lopez or Brad Pitt. With so many applications crossing a recruiter’s desk, sometimes these attributes leap off the page and make a candidate instantly attractive – for the wrong reasons. Like the FDA, taking the proper steps to test a candidate will help avoid a potential disaster.

  1. Look past the superficial. It’s difficult to ignore outward appearance or someone who is a member of your old college fraternity or went to your high school. Or a woman who played on the Olympic soccer team. But hiring isn’t about finding someone just like you (or like you aspire to be). The ability to do the job is all about qualifications and fit. 
  2. Test everyone. The FDA relied on association instead of testing and came up short. When you’ve come down to the final group of candidates for a position, each candidate should go through the same testing, background checks, number of interviews and reference checks. To avoid a charge of discrimination in hiring, use the same set of questions for each candidate as well. This may help prove you gave each candidate the same consideration without prejudice.
  3. Consider the consequences. You may have a personal connection with the candidate, but the rest of the team is going to have to work with him. Hiring someone less qualified can become a drag on the team’s productivity and morale, and it can hurt your standing as a leader. If he is a poor fit, you may be faced with a lengthy review and disciplinary process resulting in termination. 

Don’t fall in love with a candidate based on personality or life experiences if the candidate doesn't have the background and experience to do the job. Be sure they pass all the tests before making an offer. 

 

Photo Source:  Freedigitalphotos.net

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  • Mary Nestor-Harper
    Mary Nestor-Harper
    In a perfect world, candidates would be assessed on qualifications.  Unfortunately, too many "personal" preferences get in the way.  The world of work is changing dramatically, and with so many jobs being replaced or eliminated because of technology, competition for jobs will only become more intense.  I am struck by the passionate responses to this article.  I hope it starts some discussions with leaders and managers to examine how they select candidates and make some changes to be fair and equitable in their hiring practices.
  • Rodrigo P
    Rodrigo P
    Attention: Mary Nestor-Harper Enclosed please find comments to your points of view.The ability to do the job is all about qualifications and fit.             The resume must be in consensus with the requested needs.  Any mismatches should be considered, if any of the skills needed can be learned swiftly or with proper training.Training should be given to the chosen candidate.When you’ve come down to the final group of candidates for a position, each candidate should go through the same testing, background checks, number of interviews and reference checks. To avoid a charge of discrimination in hiring, use the same set of questions for each candidate as well. This may help prove you gave each candidate the same consideration without prejudice.Equity is extremely important.  Your check on the candidates should have the same filters so that a reasonable decision can be made.  Fairness in the selection process is properly applied justice.Hiring someone less qualified can become a drag on the team’s productivity and morale, and it can hurt your standing as a leader. If he is a poor fit, you may be faced with a lengthy review and disciplinary process resulting in termination.Hiring the best fit should be the goal.  If this is not possible for some reason or reasons flash training, also if possible, should be given to the selected candidate.Sincerely,Rodrigo
  • Joaquina C
    Joaquina C
    This writer agrees that the selected candidates for employment should be based on qualifications; and fair and impartial.  In addition, there will always be an underlying current of discrimination, especially racial discrimination. My experience as a state employee involved heavy persecution, harassment, and retaliation for rightstanding.  The fact that I am an intelligent woman of color made matters worse for me.  My former state employer is still retaliating by "blackballing".  I have not been able to find a job since submission of my resignation in July 2010; as a result, I was denied unemployment benefits and community resources including the services of DHHS because I have no dependents and no source of income.  I do not wish to become a part of the system, a statistic.  I have always been independent.  I have been homeless since June 22, 2011 and still being turned down for every job applied to.  I have no family and obviously no friends, am starving right now and often sick due to malnutrition.  Now who cares about it?  No one, because of my race.  White people are quick to dismiss these truths due to fear and guilt.  I am beyond sick-and-tired of being lied to when applying for employment just because the jobs are being saved for whites.  Something has to be done about this.  No one can help what race they are; however, I am very proud to be a black woman, for all the other races strongly desire to be black in everything they do (styles, speech, actions).  They even get tanned to look like us and stealing all of our men too.  Yes, I am an angry black woman.
  • Tracy C
    Tracy C
    I think that your topic was well rounded, however, not so true.  It all sounds well and good, thus employers hire employees based not at all on if they are qualified for the job, but for the fact that who they know or as a favor to somebody.  Experience is not at all what people are looking for.  I spent 15 months daily hitting the pavement for a job. I finally landed one, and was fired after 3 months.  Why?  That is simple.  Because I was showing up the workers who have been there for 7-8 years.  The other employees don't like when the new kid on the block knows what she's doing.  Bosses then go with the employee who has been there the longest.  Its all such a game.  I am so disgusted.
  • Mary Nestor-Harper
    Mary Nestor-Harper
    Hi Eileen,Wow!  I never dreamed my article would have that result.  I'm glad it was of help to you.  Good luck in your job search as well.Mary
  • cecilia c
    cecilia c
    I think is not always how the candidate looks like, sometimes candidates are nervous or not good talkers, but this doesn't mean that they are not qualified to do the job.  I've seen managers hiring the wrong people and thus at the time of performing the job, they were a failure! Also depends on the company's policy for hiring.  If the person hiring is just favoring an individual and not the company, which is in most of the cases, then is when the environment of the company becomes vicious and the productivity is not good at all. Institutions or companies should not allow relatives or friends of a friend working for them since this creates a conflict of interest and the environment becomes toxic. I know it is difficult to get rid of politics but if things were different, people would never move from one company to another.
  • Eileen J
    Eileen J
    Dear Mary Nestor-Harper, Thank you for your article and informing us about the recall of Wellbutrin XL generic version, which my husbands Doctor just put him on. I was in the middle of updating my job information on Healthcarejobsite.com and decided to read your article. Sincerely,Eileen

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