Get off your high horse about hobby horses

I have to take issue with disciple Penny’s note to Guru (Personnel Today, 20 June) about not shortlisting an applicant because of her hobby [horses].

Paddington has rail links to the South West – lots of fields, stables, etc – so if the applicant wants to get up at the crack of dawn to look after horses before work, or spends evenings after work doing it, then what the blinking heck has that got to do with whether or not she is suitable for the job advertised?

The sooner HR colleagues start using robust and objective job descriptions, person specifications and selection criteria for shortlisting and interviewing that are directly related to the post concerned, the more chance they have of getting the best person for the job.

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Jo Metcalf
Corporate learning & development facilitator
Human resource service,
Wokingham District Council