Do qualifications matter anymore, or is it tribe?

Do qualifications matter anymore or are HRs afraid to say they don’t? Instead it seems like it’s someone’s tribe, relations, religion, that matter. Leilah

Dear Leilah,
Qualifications matter and a good Human Resource (HR) practitioner will advise the same. The biggest challenge is the assumption that because someone has the qualification, they automatically qualify for the role.

It is important to note that having qualifications is not enough, applicants must also have the relevant work experience.
Hiring people based on religion, tribe, and relationships, is called nepotism. It is known to exist and is a bad practice. Most orgnisations have values and ethics policies that clearly state that all recruitments and promotions are based on merit and competence.

If you are applying for a job, you need to make sure that you have thoroughly researched the company and then determine whether you want to work in a company where it is known to exist.
There are orgnisations that prefer hiring certain types of people and this is openly communicated in their values, adverts, and websites.

You will find this is a common practice in orgnisations that are strongly founded on specific principles, for example, if you wanted to work for a religious institution. In such instances, one’s religion may be a key criteria for hiring.
You should also bear in mind that sometimes nepotism can be perceived to exist. It may just be that the best qualified people in an organisation come from the same tribe or have the same religious beliefs. The key is to do your research before applying for a job.

Caroline Mboijana
Managing Director
The Leadership Team (U) Ltd
[email protected]