LEARNING NOTE

Whether selection criteria matched Job requirements?

The selection criteria corresponded with the requirements of the job listed. Given that Kirana Stores
was hiring for the position of Senior Sales Manager, the criteria included a 3-5 years’ work
experience in FMCG sector. It also listed basic technical requirements needed to perform the job as
well as soft skills like ability to manage and work with cross functional teams, creativity and
innovation.

The weightage of 60% given to interview performance is quite prudent decision since a CV does not
guarantee that the candidate would be the best fit for the company. In our current situation as well,
C2 was the last to be interview but yet proved to be the best match for the job, and hence proving
that selection on basis of CV is not enough, evaluating a candidate in person is equally necessary.

Process of interview/Relevancy of questions

While the interviewers asked several relevant questions that evaluated the candidacy of the 3
prospective employees, there were several issues that interfered with having a smooth and efficient
selection interview process:

1. Given that the interview was for hiring for a position that was of technical in nature, there
was no bifurcation between the HR interview and technical interview. The usual industrial
practice is to first have a HR interview to check the compatibility of the candidate with the
organization, and then later have a technical interview that assesses their technical
proficiency. Had this practice been adopted by the interview panel, they would have
understood in the HR interview itself that candidate C3 was not compatible for their
organization given his divergent long-term goal.
2. Since the interview included a panel of four people, there were often instances where they
interfered each other. This could result in a candidate, who is already in a high stress
position, to feel intimidated and unwelcome at the organization. For example, when
candidate C5 was being interviewed, the different department heads kept asking different
and unrelated question, making the former uncomfortable at time.
3. Finally, the questions being asked by the interviewer were not always relevant, which might
give the candidate a negative impression about the culture if the company itself. In case of
candidate C2, one of the interviewers asked them if they were reading the answers from
some – this is something extremely unprofessional in the given setting and might turn away
ideal candidates from accepting the job offer.

Opinion on selection

The selection of candidate C2 seems to be the most appropriate given the selection criteria. The
candidate not only had 36 moths of work experience in sales but also possessed technical knowledge
requirements of the job. They have also portrayed excellence throughout their academic and
professional career, showing consistency in their work, which would prove to be beneficial to Kirana.
They also portrayed confidence throughout then interview process – even when put in a tough
position – showcasing leadership qualities that Kirana was looking for.