Commando Consulting May 2007 - Does Your HR (Human Repression or Human Remains) Department Keep Talented People Out Of Your Firm?

Well, the answer is 99.9% "yes."

Conventional wisdom says that consulting firms should rely on their HR departments to hire talented people, but they hardly ever do. What they do, with amazing accuracy though, is bringing in people with impressive resumes who look great on paper, but when the rubber hits the road, that's all they most often have: Impressive resumes.

Now imagine if you will...

The Courageous Coffin Carving Corporation, a premium consulting firm helping funeral homes to be more profitable, is looking for a marketing manager. The company's current annual revenue is $45 million and the purpose of hiring a new marketing manager is to bring in new clients and help to take the firm's profitability to the next level. The forecast is to increase sales by $20-25% in the first year of the new marketing manager.

Joe, the VP of business development, following protocol and conventional wisdom, contacts Pam the HR manager: "Pam, we need a new marketing manager."

"Fine Joe, I'll hire one for you." - says Pam.

With that, Pam puts a normal ho-hum ad in the local paper. Marketing manager wanted: You must have an MBA in marketing and must be familiar with the Maximizer contact management system.

And here's where the first flaw lies... I could even say, this is the wasp's nipples...