Which person would you employ?

[Rossita]

Which of these two people would you employ? For a bit of background they both started at the company at the same time and they’re both currently doing the same job. The vacancy they are both applying for is a promotion and will involve managing the department that they currently work in. The role does not require any professional qualifications.

Person A:
Highly qualified to PHD level in an unrelated field.
Has some experience from a previous role that helps in her current position.
Works very well alone and produces some really good work.
Is very committed to the department
Does not work so well as part of a team.
Can sometimes act a little ‘superior’ and has upset every other member of the team at some point.
Does not accept any constructive criticism and believes that her way is the only way to do things.

Person B
Qualified to GCSE level
Has previous experience that helps in her current role.
Is committed to the department.
Produces some really good work.
Sometimes struggles to work alone as she can lack in self confidence and needs to ask advice from other team members.
Is very much a team player, she is good at building professional relationships.
Has on several occasions managed a project which showed she was a good leader.
She is not always great at delegating so ends up taking on too much work herself.

I’ve posted here so people could vote because it makes it easier to see the overall opinion.

YABU Person A
YANBU person B

Neither

Neither.

I’d look for C.

B, as someone upthread said. With A, people would leave because of her superior attitude, annoying people, and because she can’t take criticism, and feels her way is the best.

I’d choose A as I like people to be self starters. So it depends what you need. Do you need someone to be able to work autonomously? If not, and you are prepared to spend more time around developing them, building them up then B. If you need someone to start on the ground running and take on challenges without bothering you too much, choose A.

I feel a bit like it’s penalizing someone with a PhD the way you have described them!

A might not like ‘constructive criticism’ from people who lack the same level of critical thinking skills. It’s possibly A would eject the weakest staff over time and build a much stronger team. I agree employ the strongest candidate not the nicest candidate!

Doesn’t matter if they have offended other staff. Matters if they have offended clients!

If you can't go external, I would pick A. Management requires tough decisions and assertiveness that B is not ready for. I'd recommend working on your staff development to get B ready for such a role. If she can grow in confidence and learn to delegate, her people skills would make her an excellent candidate at a later point.

The fact that A has managed to upset everyone in the team at some point is no reason to consider her unsuitable, unless it happened by A behaving inappropriately. Otherwise there are many reasons why one may upset others and do so legitimately. If I have to point out someone's work is insufficient, I upset them. If they behave inappropriately and gossip about colleagues and I ask them to stop, I upset someone. If I ask for support on an important deadline and the other person has to cancel personal plans, I upset them.

Also you say A believes her way is the only right way, but you do not say whether she delivers subpar work because of it. Some people can be insufferably smug and act superior and deliver great work nonetheless. And be annoyingly right. I'd still rather have that person than a lovely one who gets things wrong.

Neither.

@Standrewsschool

B, as someone upthread said. With A, people would leave because of her superior attitude, annoying people, and because she can’t take criticism, and feels her way is the best.

But it might be a good thing if A is appointed and the weakest leave.

Maybe A is superior because she’s better. Weak people are often threatened and ‘annoyed’ by stronger people. Maybe A doesn’t like being criticised by people who aren’t as bright. Maybe A’s way is the best.

People who can’t make recruitment decisions without asking MN for help need to consider their position.

I’m cheering for A.

Maybe her way is better.

If there is no C option I would pick A. B is missing 2ket requirements for effective management and lack of confidence is only likely to get worse in a position of management.

However, I would make it clear to A that they need to address their relationship with other staff.

But really neither sound ideal.

Person B has successfully managed projects before. Her personality seems a better fit too. Who would you rather work under, someone who takes on more than their fair share or someone who acts superior?

I’d advertise externally and choose C

B

100 % B. Team players are key and B will likely be happy to progress

Are you for real, OP?

If these candidates knew you were sharing their profiles on an Internet forum and getting people to talk about them, and compare their suitability for a vacancy, they'd be disgusted in your lack of judgement. How unprofessional.

I've said B but is there any option to do it as a probationary/secondment to be reviewed type of thing?

I was a bit like B and didn't delegate things until I became a manager - now I do it all the time .

Neither.

If those are the only 2 choices, B.

But managers may unfortunately go for A.

You favour Person B. You have written sympathetically about B's shortcomings, thus ensuring majority of responses favour Person B. When you interview, you will see Person B with a halo - cognitive bias. You are asking here for confirmation that you are right. We can't possibly know.

Another way to look at is that A is confident and assertive; B is unable to prioritise or delegate.

You have already given Person B a head start in the selection process.

@Cocklepops

People who can’t make recruitment decisions without asking MN for help need to consider their position.

This. Bloody hell, op 🙄

DEFINITELY B!!!! This person can grow, gain confidence and sounds like she wouldnt push staff away to a point they leave. Ive encountered people like 'A' and that ran the business down and lots of people left. Ive been in a situation like this where i was chosen as a 'B'. I worked hard, gained confidence and done so well in my job so i was promoted to supervisor, and then person 'A' arrived as manager and pushed me (aswell as quite a few others) to walk out of my job as a supervisor because all the power went to her head. Please choose 'B'. You wont regret it!

B. Being a team player is crucial. Confidence will grow.

If this for real? I'd think (hope) HR would come down like a ton of bricks if we started discussing job candidates on mumsnet. Are you sure you have the necessary skills? And for what it's worth, B isn't ready for the job, and A isn't suited to the job. So neither.

I didnt know how to delegate and was anxious meeting new people aswell as very shy, but i went from shop floor supervisor, to actually hiring and being a recruitment supervisor in the same company (Toys r us) where i conducted interviews with lots of people, aswell as my initial first nightmare of group interviews lol, so it can be done lol