Recruitment Of A Star Case Study Sample

Recruitment of a Star- Boris Groysberg, Stephen Balog and Jennifer Haimson

If you were Stephen Conner, who would you hire, and why?
One out of four potential candidates and a current employee has to be chosen because a star Semi-conductor industry analyst Peter had resigned from his post in RHS. If I was in Stephen Conner’s position I would go about eliminating the choices one at a time with their deficiencies in mind. Firstly, Sonia Meetha is a problematic candidate because of her familial obligations and her unavailability at times. Also given her long tenure at a much smaller firm it will take her longer to get accustomed to the environment and culture of RHS and she will also have to put in greater effort in forming contacts and customer relations putting her at a disadvantage. Secondly, Gerald Baum is a less ideal candidate because of his critical attitude and inconsistency in his career. Baum had changed several jobs before his current employment and even now he was looking to switch. Baum also came across as someone highly concerned about his salary as it was the first issue he raised with Conner. RHS competes on its positive and nurturing culture instead of compensation and hence Baum will be likely to remain dissatisfied and leave at the first opportunity. David Hughes is a very good candidate primarily because of his extensive experience. But his age and his experience are also a negative point as by now he will have developed fixed habits and work routines which will be at odds with the culture of RHS. He could be of great value as a mentor but given the dynamic and demanding nature of the job a younger person will be better suited to fill the available position. This leaves Seth Horkum as the ideal candidate. Throughout the interviews he has presented himself as a very enthusiastic and capable analyst and this will help RHS with the upcoming deal and the semi-conductor industry in general. Horkum’s contacts and recent ranking also count in his favor. He makes it clear in his interview that he is not an opportunist and takes commitment seriously while also being more interested in the culture of RHS rather than compensation.

What problems does Stephen Conner face?

Stephen Conner is in a tight spot because of an analyst’s departure. There is pressure on him to fill the position at the earliest because of the industry’s importance. Also the pool of available candidates is very small and the available candidates make choosing difficult. He has to weigh multiple variables including experience, enthusiasm, attitude and availability against the demands of the vacant position.
The negative publicity of RHS because of Peter’s departure and the resignation itself are problems that require thought and revaluation from Conner. Peter’s resignation brings in to question the policies of RHS and their commitment to their employees. This resignation will have sent negative signals in the industry as well as in the company and these signals will have to be somehow countered by subsequent initiatives and policy amendments.

What should Peter's replacement look like, and which of the candidates best fit this description?

Peter himself was a star performer and had ranked at the third spot in the last II rankings. According to Conner he had incredible intelligence, superior analytical skills as well as great motivation. This made him a high achiever but also made him overly competitive which was somewhat inconsistent with RHS’ culture. So the ideal candidate should have a high degree of intelligence and analytical skills as well as a collaborative attitude. David Hughes would have been the ideal candidate had it not been for his age and so Seth Horkum presents the best alternative to replace Peter.
Put yourself in the place of each of the five candidates (including Rina). What should each person highlight during the interview process? How could each person differentiate him or herself from the other candidates?
David Hughes: He can put forth his extensive experience and consistent excellent performance as his strongest points. To counter the perception that he is growing old and his abilities are declining he should highlight any extra activities or initiatives he undertook in the recent past.
Gerald Baum: He should be less critical of his past employer as it makes him look like a generally negative person and also be more considerate of punctuality. On the positive side he should highlight his generally excellent performance and his rapid progress in the semi-conductors industry.
Seth Horkum: Seth should stress on his desire to achieve top results in the semi-conductor industry while also taking on a collaborative rather than competitive attitude at RHS. Horkum could also highlight some specific instances from his past employment where he tried to get what he wanted through diplomatic means but failed to show why he is dissatisfied with his job and why he thinks such instances are not likely to occur at RHS.
Sonia Meetha: She should explain her domestic situation better and convince the interviewer how she will perform her motherly duties well without letting her performance get affected. She should also mention any alternative caretaking arrangements she has made for her children without neglecting them and her ability to multitask efficiently.
Rina Shea: Ideally she should have been asked for an interview and in that she should have demonstrated how she is overcoming her shortcomings and how she plans to be an effective senior analyst in a short span of time if she is given the opportunity. She should also stress her familiarity with the RHS culture and which the other candidates lack.

Analyze the selection processes being used. What are the strengths and weaknesses, and how could any weaknesses be mitigated?

In the selection process Conner has first contacted an external head-hunter and asked him for assistance. This is a good strategy as head-hunters are better aware of the available candidates and the search time is reduced considerably. Stephen Conner himself and with the help of a senior analyst, made a profile of an ideal candidate and this helps narrow down the pool considerable and makes the search more goal oriented. The interviews that followed, first with Conner himself and then with other senior management are goods means to get multiple evaluations of the same individual and see what pros and cons are consistently found. After these evaluations have been gathered a decision can be made keeping in mind the specific requirements of the job.
Overall the succession planning of RHS seems to be weak and there should be strategies and options available prior to a situation like this when it becomes a sort of crisis. With preplanning recruitment could be done with a lot less hassle. Also on an individual level Conner made a mistake in not addressing the concerns and situation of Peter when he first became aware of the problem. In the two months between becoming aware of the problem and Peter’s resignation Conner seems to have made no effort to retain him or address Peter’s issues with other employees neither did he initiate any attempts of replacing Peter.

How would the organizational entry and socialization process differ between Rina and one of the other candidates if chosen?

Rina is already aware of the organizational culture and what is expected from its employees. Other candidates will have to make adjustments to settle in RHS. The entry and socialization will be most difficult for Sonia Meetha because she had been working at a smaller outfit with considerable autonomy and individual initiative while RHS is a much larger organization and require and promote collaboration. David Hughes is also likely to find it difficult to shake off his previous experience and habits and move into a less rigid organization than his previous one. Gerald Baum generally comes across as a critical person and is likely to have problems regarding his compensation at RHS. He also might find it difficult to adjust in the collaborative environment given his past problems with co-workers and juniors. Seth Horkum will have to shift from medium sized clients to bigger ones and this will require some adjustment. The autonomy present at Horkum’s previous workplace will be somewhat missing at RHS and Horkum will have to adjust into a more interactive structure.

Works Cited

Groysberg, B., Balog, S., & Haimson, J. (2007). Recruitment of a Star 407-036. HBS case collection, 1-27.