[IPAC-List] closed-end recruiting

[Gene Carmean]

I recently had a conversation with a client about the practice of 
closed-end recruitments.  That is, limiting the population of 
available applicants to those who already work for the 
organization.  The client was lamenting the fact that a recent 
recruitment had yielded no qualified candidates and the organization 
was forced to hire an individual now failing at the job.

I asked how it was that the employer could believe that the best 
qualified person for the new job had already been hired for a 
different job by the organization.  I didn't really get a direct 
response.  There are no union agreements that would prohibit a robust 
recruitment effort.

I was told that an important consideration was that the new hire be 
fully adapted to the organization's culture.
I immediately thought (white upper middle class culture?). I wondered 
about artificial barriers and whether there is any legal path toward 
overturning such common practices.  I noticed there was not a single 
word about the organization's culture in the job description.  One 
would think if this attribute was so important, that it would have a 
prominent place in the description.

I recognize that some organizations might have a legitimate reason to 
limit the job to insiders.  This would be especially true where there 
is a large candidate pool of workers to draw upon.  However, I find 
it most likely that these practices are followed by organizations 
that are on the smaller size with the least capable HR personnel.

Doesn't this practice seem like the HR department is shooting 
themselves in the foot before they start?  Does anyone know of a 
legal reason how such an arbitrary barrier could be struck down?

I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter from the group.

Thank you.

Gene

Gene Carmean
MED-TOX Health Services
3350 Shelby Street, Ste. 200
Ontario, California 91764

909 944 3181 Tel

www.med-tox.com