HR Application: Leadership and Ethical Practice

HR Application
A government organization has two interns serving limited terms of one year each, and the internship periods are coming to an end. The organization now has one open permanent position. Organizational guidelines do not require the position to be announced. Both interns are qualified, and one of them could be selected with limited outside competition. The interns have performed at equal levels while assigned to sections in compensation and benefits and training and development. Both interns have applied for the open position on the recruiting team. The responsible in-house HR professional has determined that both have passed the needed qualifications to become candidates. The director of HR has shown some preference in terms of giving special assignments and short-term, individual opportunities to one of the interns. During these absences, the other intern has been split between HR sections to perform both sets of duties. In doing so, he has become highly proficient with the tasks of a specific area of training and development, as well as his assigned work in compensation and benefits. This occurred at the same time that the other intern was observing upper-level meetings and accompanying the director of HR to other events.

As the human capital development HR professional who leads a small cell of other HR professionals, you are now serving on the selection panel for the recruiting position to which both interns have applied. The director of HR is not on the panel, but the recruiting chief and a member of the employee relations staff are. During the interviews, the recruiting chief tells you that she feels both candidates are good but that the director has a personal interest in the intern he mentored. While conducting the interviews, it became evident to you that the intern who was left to do the work has a much stronger grasp of the organization’s mission. He also knows how to do the work he was assigned and has developed the knowledge and skills of the other intern when he filled in for her. Your vote would be for that intern and not the one favored by the director of HR. The employee relations staff member agrees with you but said he could be swayed because the other intern was favored by the director of HR.
Using this HR application, draw on your knowledge and experience to respond to the following:

What would you do in this situation?
What is the most important consideration?
What might the panel expect in terms of reactions for each candidate by the director of HR?
How might the actions of the selection panel affect the perspectives of other organizational employees?

Your initial post should be succinct, have at least 150 words, and demonstrate clarity of thought and precision in writing.