Case Study

HLL is a reputed multinational company. It considers selection as an event in the total process of acquiring and developing managers. The company believes that the selection process must be consistent with other events in the total process for it to be effective. Hindustan lever has been one of the most favored companies by the prospective candidates for managerial position. The selection process of the company can be broken into three steps: such as- Screening of application forms, preliminary interview, and final selection.

Screening of Applications Forms:

In the first step the company usually receives a large number of applications for the positions advertised or through campus interview. Thereafter such applications are screened. Such applications usually contain brief information about the candidates. The selected candidates are then required to fill in a detailed application form. This form is quite elaborate and seeks factual information about the candidate and also about his attitudes and personality. A more strict screening of applications is made in this step. The company believes that to select a candidate it will not be enough to see the application forms only which may not be very reliable measure to select or reject the candidate. This calls for a brief preliminary interview to be held by company to get the best talents. So such interviews are conducted to interview as many candidates as is administratively possible.

Preliminary interview:

Preliminary interview is conducted for about ten to twenty minutes usually by one manager. During this brief personal contract, some time is spent in discussing the nature of the job, the future career possibility of the applicant and the company’s policy in this regard. Often a second interview is conducted before the applicant is rejected or selected for further consideration.

Final Selection:

Final selection process is quite elaborate. This stage consists of two aspects-groups discussion and final interview. Group discussion is conducted in two stages. In the first group discussion, the chairman of the panel of selectors requests the group to select a subject which can be economic, political, social educational or even a lighter subject. The subject is decided by the group itself out of the various topics given to it. When the topic is finalized, the members of the group discuss it. In the second group discussion, a case is given. The case is distributed in advance. The evaluation of the group discussion is done by a board consisting of the personnel director, the director of the division in which the applicants have to be absorbed, a senior manager of the same division, and a senior manager of other division. The board evaluates the candidates along the following factors: Style of self-introduction by the candidate, his general knowledge and knowledge of his subject, clarity of thought and logic, lucidity of expression, tolerance of others views, persuasiveness and leadership qualities. Each selector is given a blank sheet to evaluate the candidates. He evaluates the candidates individually.

After the group discussion, personal interview is conducted by the board. On the completion of the individual interviews, the board members held discussion among themselves and then arrive at a consensus.

Question:

1. What type of selection should be adopted by the company?

2. What is considered in time of screening the application forms?

3. What is the basic objective of the preliminary interview?

4. What should be the size of groups for final selection?

5. Why is a case distributed in advance amongst the candidates in final selection?

6. What is the information on the basis of which the personal interview is conducted?