The illusion of power in human resources hiring

Illusions of Organizational Power

There he or she sits, as if in a fortress behind her impressive door, guarded by her secretary. The individual in question holds one's fate in his or her hands. One must please this powerful individual with one's voice, demeanor, and general attitude. One must never be negative, even when describing one's past employer. One must be decisive enough to express an opinion, but not so opinionated one is apt to alienate the aforementioned individual.

The individual is not the CEO of a powerful organization, but merely the person in charge of hiring, namely the head of human resources of any company, large or small. On the corporate totem pole, human resources persons are usually considered of middling importance, in comparison to the financial, technical development, and executive areas. Often it is relegated to its own division. This is not to minimize its importance -- no company can run without a competent staff. But quite often, the hiring process is so uncomfortable and intimidating, it is easy to confer more power to the HR department head than the department actually possesses over one's everyday fate at the company, simply because it has the ability to hire one as an individual. But performance reviews and other, more crucial matters regarding one's advancement are not in the HR department's sphere of influence.