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210 SNAKES IN SUITS
make the right choice. During this screening process, the company
is trying to determine if the candidate is the best one for the job,
and the candidate is also deciding if he or she really wants to work
for the hiring company. The hiring process is actually a series of
screens or hurdles through which the candidate must pass before being
offered a job.
In general, once someone has vacated a position, the hiring manager
reviews the work to be done and possibly redefines some of the
requirements contained in the job description. Job descriptions are
almost never meant to cover all of a person’s duties, but they do include
the most important. While formats vary considerably from
company to company, the basic elements include a title; statement of
role played in the organization; a list of duties or responsibilities; a list
of the basic knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes (called KSAs) required
for good performance; and sometimes a list of goals and related
measurement standards. Writing a job description can be a
tedious process, but it is critical to making a good hire and to weeding
out those who are unqualified. Based on the job description, the
hiring manager typically prepares a requisition that is a formal request
to hire. At this point, many other people get involved, including
compensation professionals, who decide the starting salary range;
finance staff, who review the budget and head-count constraints;
and, finally, members of upper management, who review and approve
the hire.
The next step is to advertise the open position on a company jobposting
board, or, more frequently, through ads in the newspaper, in
professional magazines, or on the Internet. If the job is at a sufficient
level, such as a senior manager, or requires very specific expertise,
such as a high-level chemist, a professional recruitment firm may be
retained to prescreen candidates.
Before the advent of the Internet, advertisements would lead to
perhaps ten résumés being received. Today, Internet advertisements
can lead to stacks of résumés or letters of interest from candidates.
The purpose of any résumé, from the candidate’s perspective, is to