heres a chance to flaunt your knowledge

[soNasty]

Hmm... a little bit messy! Have clearer paragraphs and make sure that each paragraph has a key point.

Remember that you have to discuss three major things in this 10 mark response:
1. HR managers' roles - recruiting, managing, terminating, etc.
2. HR objectives - eg. 'best practice', graduate programs, recruiting the best.
3. HR strategies/processes - job advertisements, observable symbols of culture, etc.

You need to continually draw the link between objectives, roles and strategies throughout the response. Can't remember if this is the question in the BM exam where you look at the class example/case, but if it's not, it would be wise to bring in some contemporary examples to break away from all the dull and boring theory. As an idea:

Example: Apple

Apple HR managers' role: Apple's HR managers are energetic, lively and dressed in casual clothes in job interviews. Role is to ask questions, make evaluations, draw discussion from the group, discuss the role and company.

Apple HR objectives: Looking for people with creativity and a strong customer-focused mindset. Recruiting from a diverse pool of applicants and choosing only the best. Sell the company and talk about how different and innovative it is, make potential candidates desperate to work there.

Apple HR strategies/processes: Apple does a number of 'cool' things in their interview process, for example. Like I said before, the HR staff are dressed in casual clothing. Applicants are told to come in jeans in their invitation emails. Upon entering the room, the staff turn on some music and cheer/clap as everyone enters. Behavioural question is asked in a smaller group of 4 people, and you answer a question after swiping the iPhone's question database. Then, you can explain how Apple's corporate culture as a fun, exciting and innovative company infiltrates and is mirrored in everything it does, including HR. Draw the link between culture and HR. Main aim is for Apple to filter out who is bewildered or uncomfortable in this kind of culture (anyone who doesn't cheer along, for example, probably isn't the best fit) and to show off the company. Always good to draw a quick link to broader parts of the company and other theories if you can. Eg like I did here - culture intrinsically linked to HR strategies. A more formalised, strict and set-in-its-ways company is unlikely to adopt such HR strategies. We can assume that Apple's objectives and HR roles are what I said before, since they've got what is called a 'transformational' metaphor.

Hope this makes sense and helps you to draw the link between what a HR manager is doing, why they're doing it and how they're doing it. Your response will need to be better structured in terms of paragraphs, and remember to allude to all 3 parts.

Hmm... not too sure about this post above. Personally, for a HR question, you would discuss the 3 main arms - recruiting, maintaining, terminating (employment). Not the POLC management roles... BUT that isn't to say that you can't draw a link between HR strategies and leading, for example.

thank you so much for that
yeah i understand now, i sort of winged that question.. should really focus on the structuring and coherence of my paragraphs more!

[werdna]

To build on what I said, the above is only really relevant to the recruiting arm of HR.

You MUST be precise in your response about which arm of HR you are discussing. I recall seeing performance evaluations and job analysis close to each other in your paragraph - these two strategies relate to different roles!

Eg. if we were looking at the HR role of maintaining, the objective is to retain 'best practice' if applicable, monitor employees' performance, help them to grow and prosper in the company, maintaining their interest/ties to company etc. HR can do this by using strategies such as performance evaluations, annual Christmas parties etc. To explain Christmas parties - you are less likely to 'leave' your job and have a higher sense of job satisfaction if you are involved in (and invited to) non-work-related events that boost your ties to the company and cement your shared understanding of its culture. It's a hidden method of developing a passion for the company.

[soNasty]

To build on what I said, the above is only really relevant to the recruiting arm of HR.

You MUST be precise in your response about which arm of HR you are discussing. I recall seeing performance evaluations and job analysis close to each other in your paragraph - these two strategies relate to different roles!

Eg. if we were looking at the HR role of maintaining, the objective is to retain 'best practice' if applicable, monitor employees' performance, help them to grow and prosper in the company, maintaining their interest/ties to company etc. HR can do this by using strategies such as performance evaluations, annual Christmas parties etc. To explain Christmas parties - you are less likely to 'leave' your job and have a higher sense of job satisfaction if you are involved in (and invited to) non-work-related events that boost your ties to the company and cement your shared understanding of its culture. It's a hidden method of developing a passion for the company.

oh.. ok. I didnt know that! thanks again ill take that into account.