Page 7 - CCCA 247020 Magazine Spring 2016

interviews and references Perez strives to be as transparent as pos-
“Meet people and talk to them,” advises sible about the position in question and
Hacker. “When hiring people important what Air Canada has to offer. He is look-
to you [such as senior positions], you ing for people who want to be there, con-
need to invest a great deal of face time.” fdent they can make a meaningful differ-
For the Games, the frst interviews were ence in the organization, enabling them to
run by an HR colleague trained in tech- advance their careers as well.
niques to discern skills and work ethic— When it comes to references, “it is not a
Hacker mostly listened. Subsequent inter- check-the-box exercise,” says Adam Pekar-
views were led by her with one or more sky, Founding Partner of Pekarsky & Co.,
members of the legal team to get their opin- a specialized legal recruitment frm. You
ion on whether the candidate was someone want to fnd out how they respond to criti-
they could work with and whether he or she cism and how they react under pressure, he
was a good culture ft. This did not mean explains. Equally important, you want to
hiring people who are all the same—people know whether they treat subordinates with
who share a strong belief in the value of co- respect and if they are good mentors. In ad-
operation, for example, can come from any dition, references from opposing counsel
number of backgrounds and experiences. can tell you how they are to work with and
Whether it is project work or a perma- support that they have the skillset required.
nent position, a sense of team within the At the end of the process, the goal is
legal department is essential. While you satisfed employer and employee. If you
may have an area of speciality you need invest in the hiring process, you will be re-
to fll, you also need people who can work warded with a highly skilled and engaged
outside of that area when necessary. “We legal team, committed to helping each
have to all work together and help each other get their jobs done well. ❚
other out,” says Perez.
An applicant’s motivation is also very
important. It cannot only be about money. Lynne Yryku is the Managing Editor of the CCCA
Magazine.

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