There has always been debate in Human Resource circles about whether it is best to hire an internal candidate for promotion, or to bring in an external candidate. Pro’s and con’s abound for each of these circumstances. But as Kim Thomson notes in her article ‘So you’ve passed someone over for a promotion – now what?’, the fallout of internal hiring can present more than a little awkwardness.
While the article notes that some businesses shy away from hiring internally, there are ways of avoiding isolating the individuals passed over for promotion opportunities. Some are intuitive, while some require a conscious effort on the organisation’s behalf. In essence, the article puts forward points such as the need for fair and consistent protocols and clear selection criteria, which are seen as crucial, as is the need to be clear about what technical capabilities, as well as professional or interpersonal capabilities are required in the role. A consideration may need to be given regarding the formality of approach taken – some businesses now suggest mirroring the external recruitment process, in that internal candidates still apply, interview and experience the same feedback processes as would an external candidate.
Additionally, being upfront and honest is seen as crucial, while still demonstrating care and compassion for the individual, but importantly, do not fall into the trap of sugarcoating the feedback or providing vague feedback in the circumstance of unsuccessful candidates. This may mean having the courage to explore with the candidate areas in need of improvement to be a successful applicant. This places importance on the mode of communication. It is recommended to go into such conversations with a plan of what needs to be said and the outcomes you hope to achieve – this will improve the quality of the feedback and minimise the likelihood of being caught up in the emotions of the conversation.
The article emphasises that when providing feedback, timeliness of feedback is crucial. Absolutely ensure the successful or unsuccessful candidate hears the news first from HR or a senior manager – not the rumour mill. A key aim is to set people up for success, if you knock back a candidate, consider making a time to meet with them to help develop a plan to assist them realising their ambitions, and where possible put plans in place to help them develop their capabilities.
Lastly, avoid putting candidates forward who are not yet ready for the role, instead, be open and honest with them about their not being ready, but again, be looking to have conversations around how the organisation can assist the candidate developing towards such roles, perhaps considering elements such as mentoring or coaching.
So while it can be difficult to let someone down in an internal hiring process, there are ways for the parties involved to ultimately benefit. After all, in-house hiring can be an effective and efficient option for organisations, and can assist in staff retention by incentivising staying with the employer.
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