Don't lie on your CV

Looks like Yahoo's Scott Thompson has become one of the biggest ever casualties of lying on his CV. He apparently put down he had studied Computer Science at a college in 1979, but back then the course didn't exist.

Thompson is CEO at Yahoo and only joined in September 2011, after a spell at PayPal.

It is worth noticing that in The Apprentice UK, eventual winner Lee McQueen was less than honest over his own college days when he had put down he was at college for 3 years when in fact he had only started the course and left after a matter of weeks.

Despite this he was still hired, something that perhaps shows a rare lack of judgement by Lord Sugar. Embelishments are probably part of the game, but making things up or taking credit for other peoples work should not be rewarded at all.

I will look to see if I can find some other high profile cases of people being undone by their own CV.

Higher Business Management - The Stages in Recruitment and Selection

This is an often asked exam question which to be honest is not always answered that well, yet as you will see it is throwing away reasonable marks!

1. IDENTIFY JOB VACANCY

Is there a job at all? Reasons for vacancies could be retirement, promotion, people leaving or quitting, or a new job being created.

2. CONDUCT A JOB ANALYSIS

A study of what the job entails will be conducted to see if a new job has to be advertised or whether existing people can take part of the remit.

3. WRITE A JOB DESCRIPTION & PERSON SPECIFICATION

If a job is needed, then we need to write the 2 recruitment documents that applicants will need. The job description outlines what the job entails: the job title, the duties and responsibilities of the said job etc...

Person specification is more about the qualities needed by the ideal candidate. It is divided into essential and desirable qualities.

4. ADVERTISE JOB INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY

Once the recruitment documents are ready to make up the recruitment pack, then you have to decide whether to advertise internally or externally. Both have advanatges and disadvantages, but that is a whole other post!

5. SEND OUT RECRUITMENT PACKS (APPLICATION FORMS and/or CVs)

Potential applicants will phone up or email to receive the recruitment pack. They have to complete and return by a certain deadline.

6. FILTER APPLICATIONS AND PREPARE THE LEET

The panel will go through the application forms and quickly filter out the useless ones and select the ones that show potential. The leet is prepared - this means the candidates being invited for interview.

7. SELECTION METHODS (INTERVIEW MOST COMMON!)

Normally most jobs are decided upon by interview.

Though make sure you know all about:
TESTS (IQ, Psychometric, Attainment, Fitness, Aptitude)
ASSESSMENT CENTRES (for Graduate or Managerial jobs)
GRAPHOLOGY (ridiculed in the UK and US, but big in France and Poland!)

8. INFORM SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES

Letters are sent out informing the lucky person who got the job, and also to all the people who will have to try again.

Recruitment Day

On Friday Higher Administration pupils underwent our annual recruitment programme but with an added twist!

Pupils had been given a job advert with the job description and person specification for a position as an Administration Assistant for an ICT company. Pupils then had to fill in an application form and then were divided into 2 separate pools.

They were given a list of possible questions they could be asked by the 2 seperate interview panels (who were made up or Mr MacLeod and 2 seniors, and Miss Boag and 2 seniors).

During the interview process the pupils were filmed using FLIP cameras. Once it was over, the panel typed up their notes and we will edit together the footage so the pupils can watch everyone's performance along with the feedback.

Hopefully this will give them some insight into the recruitment and selection process and also develop skills as interviewees and even interviewers.

Next week it will be our Int 2 class's turn, which will give some of the Higher pupils who were interviewed an opportunity to be the interrogator!

Congratulations to Emma and Hannah who were the two selected by the interview panels to get the job!