THE EDITOR, Sir:
Since last year April I have been studying the job vacancies in the career section of The Sunday Gleaner and I am very concerned about the practice of human resource management in Jamaica. There are a few companies who, in my opinion, have poor human resource practices. This is evident from the recurring job vacancies in The Gleaner.
There is one manufacturing company that has a permanent advertisement for drivers, a regional health authority from October last year has failed to recruit the parish personnel officers and administrative assistants they so badly need.
A prominent hotel's continual search for engineers, entertainment co-ordinators and sous chef, and last but not least, the demand for account executives, otherwise known as sales representatives, islandwide.
Based on these recurring advertisements I must enquire of their recruitment policy and procedures. What do they do with the numerous applications that come to them daily? Are applications that are placed on file ever resurrected and do trained personnel go through to identify the matches based on the job specifications?
Companies that operate without clearly defined policies and procedures as it relates to human resource management are guilty of contributing to poor employment practices. In my opinion, recurring advertisements from the same company every three to six months says that:
These companies do not have an active succession plan or have a weak one.
Cross-training and development of the human resource are non-existent.
No recruitment and selection policy exists.
The interviewing skills and acumen of the human resource practitioner to find suitable matches for job openings are poor.
It is time human resource practitioners do their jobs and stop acting as rubber stamps. If you are not trained for the job but have the aptitude, go out and get the required training.
Cost
There is a cost attached to recruitment, and from the applicants side, there is the cost of postage, to send applications to P.O. Box numbers in this age of improved technology when there are fax machines and e-mail service; not to say that these are inexpensive, but at least they are quicker and it gives you an option.
There is also the cost to "dress up" for an interview. Grooming and attire. In addition to that, there is the cost of transportation to attend an 8:30 a.m. or 9 a.m. interview and have to wait until 10 a.m., because the interviewer is late for work.
Then there is the telephone cost again to do follow up. This is, after attending two or three consecutive interviews at the same place and no one calls to advise you of the progress. Whether the vacancy has been filled, or a hold has been placed on employment.
The cost to companies include money to print advertisements, stationery to receive fax, print e-mail and application forms. Then last and most important of the company's cost, is that of the loss of production time to conduct interviews, especially if more than one section head is involved.
With so many unemployed and under-employed trained and highly educated professions in Jamaica, there is no reason for companies to be running repeat advertisements every three to six months, unless companies do not know who or what they are searching for.
I am, etc.,
JANICE GREEN
St. Catherine
