Dear All,

Just out of curiosity I have questions re: this practice.

Does the H R Department in these companies endorse such practices? Can a new job applicant be requested to provide horoscopes legally? What happens if the new applicant refuses? What about communities who do not believe in horoscopes ? Would such an applicant be discriminated in such a company?

I agree with everbody in that horoscopes are a matter of personal faith.

Although I am not a strong follower in this area, in my personal experience horoscopes are more accurate in revealing a person's past and personality rather than a person's future. And although it is an ancient art it is still not scoentifically proven.

A psychometric test such as MBTI would prove more accuracy in revealing a person's career fit.

Regards
Aarti

Dear Colleagues,

If people ask for "Horoscope" along with the c.v.

I think it is "HORROR-SCOPE."

I would shun any such company practicing such a ridiculous hiring policy. This is still an unresloved issue for me for several years now. It is very debateabale whether we should have horoscopes or belive in horoscopes, etc., and now this we should go right away from such blind faith and belief. If this is the pracice of some companies, then they are discriminating against people of religions which do not have a horoscope or belive in one, and have no hesitation to declare that companies that ask horoscope are "fanatics - fundamentals," and I feel shameful to hear that some Indian corporates ask for this.

Cheers

Jim Watson

Hi,

Went through your response.Was really good but i doubt whther we can trust on this practise.Can we count on the astrologer for the horoscope based assesstment of the job suitability of the candidate?Will he/she be able to give the right natal chart assessment?Or we will end up losing a competent candidate just because the astrologer said that candidate would not stay with the company for long or create a bad environment...Even the opinions of the astrologers vary and they do give wrong assessments...So i think a proper recruitment and selection tool should be taken into account while chosing an astrologer as a consultant ......So again....our good old tool comes handy.....Comment

Kashmeera

My response to the query and also the doubts expressed by some others:

1) Firstly, whenever something new is introduced, it has to be validated for reliability and consistency. This is done by running the new thing parellely along with others. So, if you were to use horoscopes, use it additionally and not exclusively. If you find sufficient correlation, then you can choose to use this excusively, provided ofcourse it affords you some convenience that is not otherwise available (may be the time factor, ease of use, cost etc). Therefore the question of playing with some one else's career does not arise.

2) Secondly, how reliable is our current system. The aim of all rects is take the right candidate. We take pride in not recruitng some bright candidates as he may not be the right one though bright. And this right candidate factor is based on the longevity concept. Tha is this fellow is likely to stay longer and deliver the goods. Now, tell me honestly, how many of these right candidates have stayed for atlest two yrs in the case of IT companies. Is it posible for our current rect systems to commit a time frame for the right candidate. That is the HR guy must be able to say, that i have used this, this and that system for recruiting the right candidate and therefore he will stay for 18 months. Lets work on this and try to validate. we will know most of the time we are talking in the air. The system appears to be reliable because it has not been tested, using the right measuring tools, in this case a commitment on the length of stay.

3) the question of two astrologers may differ. The reliability aspect. Can we say that two HR guys will concur in their assessment of the candidate. It will certainly vary, depending upon various factors. So, there is an element of moderation, which neutralises the vagaries, which can be thoughtof here also. More importantly no tool is supposed to say that a person is fit or unfit. These are relative factors. A person may be unfit for one industry, one place, one function etc but turn out to be brilliant in the other (how often have we heard about Our dear Abdul Kalam and Amitabh Bachchan having been rejected in the selection of officers to the Indian Army). Any tool must only give an assessment of what is in the person. Then the other person, must see whether for his reqt, the given findings will match or not match. So, no astrologer is supposed to say that a person has Chevvai Dosham (sorry i dont know how this translates in english or hindi), and therefore unfit to marry. He is supposed to say he has Chevai dosham. What it could mean is that he is an excellent fit for marrying another Chevvai Dosham person. So, the choice of making a fit based on the inputs gathered will be with you. Your rejection does not mean that you have played with the carrer of another person. If that were so, in any case you are playing with his carrer on some other pretext. I also want people to to understand that a rejection (on what ever may be the ground)does not mean that that you have ruined some body's life. No. Not at all. It could mean that you have shown him an avenue of looking at where exactly he will fit in. They may turn out to be stars in their own right like Kalam and
Bachchcan.

4) The question of discrimination because some religions dont have horoscope. For making a horoscope all that you need is the exact time of birth, date of birth and place of birth. With these details anyone's horoscope can be written. In any case we are asking for the date of birth and the place of birth (have we ever wondered what is the relevance of asking for place of birth). Similarly you can ask for time of birth. You can make a horoscope and use it as an additional tool. Pl remember as an additional tool and not an exclusive tool. Once we are convinced about reliability and consistency, we can make public the results. Then there may not be any rejection on the ground of religion alone. Even now i know, some muslims are far more involved in astrology, nameology, vaasthu etc than theorthodox hindus. It is merely a matter of faith for some. If it is substantiated with scintific evidence, some more people will also volunteer. Remember even now, many people dont agree to take written test for example. We live with it and evolve a stronger interview process. Similarly, some one will also not agree to the horoscope test. We will have to take that in our stride also. These difficulties like any other difficulty has to be overcome instead of being viewed as a situation of horror scope.

Finally, i reiterate my initial view which propmted me to write. To reject things out of hand is not scientific, unless backed by evidence. All of us are expressing sentiments. Our concerns are are not backed by science but by an over zeal to dismiss this because of the possible religious undertones it carries. I am not suggesting that we all must use it. All that i am saying is lets not ridicule the ones who may use it. We may not want to undergo this process. This is akin to a canididate not wanting to go for an interview where there is a written test. I respect the indicidual's choice. But, if the indivisual were to
tell the world, that all of us should shun such companies, i take objection to that because the matter than is in the public realm, and i have a right to differ and express my differences. This is what i have done.

This is written not so much as to convince any one but merely state what my views are on this issue. I am still open to be proved wrong, and take that lesson with me to move forward.

Professor Mamta