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by queuebert 8 days ago
As we enter this era of far more qualified candidates than jobs, HR will die eventually the equivalent of index funds is for hiring. Just as most money managers didn't beat the market and lost out to Bogle's low-cost index funds, people will figure out that HR doesn't do any better than any other random criteria for hiring and firing employees, since most of the applicants for most jobs will be able to do the job sufficiently well. Probably the answer is some sort of AI, but I bet you could do just as well rolling dice.

If most of us are honestly with ourselves, we'd realize the marginal return on difficult hiring decisions is extremely small.

As for the CYA aspect of HR, an AI can definitely do that cheaper and more callously.
2 comments
fontain 8 days ago
That’s a very simplified view of HR. Human Resources does a lot of things. During the cash rich days a tech company HR department might end up doing a bunch of nonsense[1] but the fundamental value of the department is there and will continue.

HR is rarely involved in hiring decisions, that’s the responsibility of the hiring manager which is typically the new hire’s manager. At a very big company you might have HR screening applicants but that’s to save time for hiring managers.

[1] just as engineering ends up doing a bunch of nonsense when the money is flowing.

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queuebert 8 days ago
"What would you say you do here?"

"A lot of things."

You still gave zero concrete information about why HR is necessary. Which is exactly the problem here.

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MagicMoonlight 8 days ago
What do they do then? Because that’s a hell of a lot of empty words. Very HR thing to say…
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jmye 8 days ago
Very “junior developer who’s actually definitely the smartest person in the building” thing to say in response.

If you don’t know, perhaps it’s best to approach with curiosity, and not smarmy, teenage condescension.

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neutronicus 8 days ago
They're the people I talk to when I'm about to have a baby, I know that
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rogerrogerr 8 days ago
I would have assumed hiring / screening resumes is a relatively small fraction of what an HR department does?
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