For those who think that there is a skills shortage, let me tell you about my Google job interview

[TahitiNut]

40. HR serves the hiring managers. Their "job" is to PROTECT the company.

The typical HR staff is domestic. They "network" with other HR departments to get 'under the radar' feedback on hiring. That is a very small part of what they do. ALL the rest is defensive.

Afterthought: HR has changed from the "olden" days. Eve in more traditional, non-high-tech companies, HR may still resemble the days when they did all the work of finding employees when requisitioned. For manufacturing companies, the shop floor manager just didn't want to take the time to do that sjit. He needed "bodies" and HR provided the supply. Even then, however, their "top job" was to protect the company. Part of that was preventative and part was damage control. Today, especially in high-tech, they do what they're told, not vice versa ... and 90% is damage control. They have a close working relationship with their legal staff, and probably have an outside firm on perpetual retainer.