|
 |
|
What You Cant Ask a Job Candidate is as Important as What You Can Ask
As a human resources professional or business owner, you face many challenges during the hiring process, from sorting through stacks of job applicant résumés to making an attractive offer to the one person you believe best matches the specifications of your open position's job description. The whole procedure is more than time-consuming; it can be stressful as well. None of the demands of finding and hiring the best candidate are more complex than those of the interviewing process. Besides spending a significant portion of your time listening to what your final candidates have to say, you must - without violating any of the employment discrimination laws in place - evaluate each applicant's ability to successfully perform the job. You have a responsibility to your company and to all prospective employees to avoid any semblance of discrimination or impropriety in your hiring processes. You must keep your interview questions related to specific job activities; in fact, it's probably a bad idea to ask any question that doesn't deal directly with a specific job's requirements. If you feel any question on your list might lead to an applicant's perception of discrimination, eliminate that question from the discussion. You can't possibly read the minds of job seekers now or in the future, especially when the ones who ultimately weren't offered the job might try to convince themselves that the reason they weren't hired was "discrimination" - rather than their level of skills. The result could be an unfounded and unnecessary legal action that would, at the very least, distract you from your current job functions in meeting important and strategic company goals. Use the following points as general guidelines to develop your list of appropriate interview questions for all job candidates. If you have questions about what's permitted by law (especially regarding special circumstances in your state), consult with your company's legal department or another reliable source. And above all, remember this: If you believe any question or part of your discussion with a potential employee could be perceived as discriminatory, avoid it. Name You may discuss: use of another name and additional information (relative to a change of name or use of an assumed name) necessary to enable a check of education or work record. You may not discuss: maiden name. For example, do not ask: What is your maiden name? What is your mother's maiden name? Age You may discuss: before hiring, whether the applicant is over the minimum age for the job's hours or working conditions; after hiring, verifying same with a birth certificate or other ID, as well as asking age on insurance forms. You may not discuss: age; birth date; or questions that might identify the applicant's age, especially if he or she is over age 40. For example, do not ask: How old are you? What year were you born? When did you graduate from high school? Citizenship/National Origin You may discuss: ability to speak, read or write English or a foreign language if required by the job; offers of employment contingent upon verification of identity, residence and work authorization in the United States. You may not discuss: birthplace, nationality, lineage, ancestry, national origin and parentage of applicant or applicant's parents or spouse. For example, do not ask: Where were you born? Where are your parents from? What's your heritage? What is your mother's tongue? What language do you normally use? How did you learn to read, write or speak a foreign language? Race/Color You may discuss: equal opportunity employment at your company; race only as required for affirmative-action programs. You may not discuss: race or color; complexion or color of skin, eyes or hair; any direct or indirect reference to race, color or racial groups. For example, do not ask: What race are you? Are you a member of a minority group? Gender/Marital Status/Children/Childcare You may discuss: company policy regarding work assignment of employees who are related; anticipated absences from job; freedom to travel, if job requires; and ability to meet work schedule requirements. You may not discuss: applicant's gender, marital and family status; number or ages of children or dependents; provisions for childcare; pregnancy; birth control; or name or address of relative, spouse or children of adult applicant. After hiring only, you can ask about marital status/dependent information for tax and insurance forms. For example, do not ask: With whom do you reside? Do you live alone? How many children do you have? Are you married? Do you plan on having children? Are you pregnant? Physical, Health or Mental Disability You may discuss: candidate's ability to perform essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodation; applicant's impressions of performing the essential functions of the job; days of leave taken during the last year; and attendance requirements of this job. You may not discuss: (until after offer is made and then only related to job performance) the existence, type or severity of disability. For example, do not ask: Do you have a disability that might interfere with your ability to perform the job? How many days were you sick last year? Do you have any preexisting health conditions? Do you have (name of disease)? Religion/Creed You may discuss: the company's regular workdays and hours. You may not discuss: applicant's religion, religious days or whether religion would prevent him or her from working weekends or holidays. For example, do not ask: What religion are you? Do you attend church regularly? Residence You may discuss: place of residence. You may not discuss: ownership of residence. For example, do not ask: Do you own or rent your home? How much are your house payments? Military Service You may discuss: relevant knowledge, skills and abilities acquired during applicant's military service. You may not discuss: general questions about military service such as dates, discharge or service in a foreign military service. For example, do not ask: How long did you serve in (name of country)? Where did you serve? Economic Status You may discuss: salary history, but you cannot use this information to disqualify applicant. You may not discuss: credit ratings, charge accounts, bank accounts, bankruptcy, car ownership, ownership or rental of a home, length of residence at an address or past garnishments of wages. For example, do not ask: Have you ever declared bankruptcy? How long have you lived at (address)? Organizations/Societies/Activities You may discuss: job-related organizations, clubs and professional associations to which the applicant belongs, omitting ones that indicate race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex or age. You may not discuss: all organizations, clubs and lodges to which applicant belongs. For example, do not ask: Are you a member of a senior citizens' group? Have you ever been a member of (name of religious group)? Would you write down the names of all the clubs in which you're a member? Height/Weight You may discuss: height and weight issues that are related to the performance of the job. You may not discuss: height and weight issues that are not related to the performance of the job. For example, do not ask: Do you think you need to lose weight? Is being short a problem for you? References You may discuss: who referred applicant to the job and names of persons willing to provide professional references for applicant. You may not discuss: questions of applicant's former employers or acquaintances that elicit information specifying applicant's color, race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age or sex. For example, do not ask: Did your last employer have a problem with your divorce? Have any of your former employers commented on your ancestry? Toward the end of each interview, be sure to explain the next phase of your hiring process to all successful candidates. This description should include items such as a physical or drug test (where applicable), as well as a background check through an independent service such as VeriCruit (www.vericruit.com) to look into each candidate's driving history, Social Security number, criminal record, credit history and possible listing on a sexual offender registry. You must obtain written permission from every candidate - on a form that's separate from all of the other job application documents - to take these steps; if any of your candidates seem uneasy about your request, take a few moments to discuss his or her concerns before taking further action with that person in your hiring process. Established in 1996, MEPatWORK is the leading full-service recruitment solutions provider in the HVAC, sheet metal, refrigeration, control, electrical, plumbing and piping industries. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, this privately held company also has offices in in Chicago and Pittsburgh and specializes in finding top talent for all levels of contracting, wholesale, manufacturing, consulting engineer and facilities management firms within these trades. For additional information about Industry People Group and its human capital solutions, please go to http://www.industrypeoplegroup.com or call 888-482-2562 (toll-free). Featured Sponsors
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Successful Job Seeking ? The Importance of Your Cover Letter As an employer I receive many job applications each week. Some cover letters are so well written that I am compelled to review the attached resume even if our company is not currently hiring. I don't want to miss an opportunity to contact an outstanding individual. Other cover letters are sufficiently interesting that I will file them away and review them later in the week, while others simply beg to be deleted immediately. Mystery Shopping - An Excellent Part Time Job Or Additional Income Source Though the name itself may seem a bit mysterious, the concept of mystery shopping is actually straightforward. Also referred to as secret shopping, performance evaluations, service checks and frontline evaluations to name a few, mystery shopping allows companies to obtain a "snapshot in time" by trained researchers who know in advance what they are to evaluate. It provides management a method to quickly yet efficiently evaluate their business practices, deliverables, and employees from the perspective of a non-biased consumer. Unemployment Blues: Mind Over Mood Our lives are tranquil and smooth so seldom, it seems. We have our ups-and-downs, our good days and bad days, our sunny moods and black moods. The less we swing in opposite directions, the happier we tend to be. The biology of our bodies craves balance and consistency -- changes in our thought patterns and emotions interrupt the regularity of our nerve pathways leading to chemical inbalance and internal disturbances. What is Experience Anyway? I learned in first grade that one plus one equals two. But, that's not the right equation when counting work experience. We often think we're building experience to help us get ahead. In reality, we're passing time. Ten years working like a cloned Bill Murray in Groundhog Day is not ten years worth of experience. Doing the same thing again and again yields an experience formula more like: ten times one equals one. I used to equate years of work with years of experience. No more. I learned by making plenty of hiring and promotion mistakes in twenty years of management the two are not equal. Neither are years of work and performance. Doing something for five, ten or twenty years doesn't make you automatically five, ten or twenty years better than when you started. I've been cooking for thirty years but I remain a mediocre cook. Two or three years involved with a business start-up or a new project might provide more growth and knowledge than ten years in a stable venue. And it might not. Gaining experience is more about you and your approach than anything else. Recurring work events can be predictable, boring, and unchallenging ways of passing years at work if what you're doing is updating last year's memo, tweaking last year's budget, or fine-tuning last years goals without applying innovation, analysis or critical thinking. Retiring on the job is as prolific as spam and will get you as blocked as those unwanted emails. I've found the difference between people who are winning at working and people who aren't, is the difference between passing another year at work and gaining another year of work experience. Those who build their experience build their futures. And, you can build experience without changing jobs. Building experience is about the depth, diversity, challenges and learning you gain by offering the best of who you are at work. It's about seizing and creating opportunities. And it's about continual self-improvement and constant self-feedback. You know you're gaining experience when you problem solve your own mistakes; learn to use knowledge building blocks to handle more complex issues; make contributions more valuable than the year before; acquire new skills by venturing outside a comfort zone; embrace new ideas or technologies; or recognize you don't know as much as you thought you did as you begin to see a bigger picture. People who try new things, push the envelope, pitch ideas, offer innovative problem solving, take accountability, and never stop learning and making a difference, are people gaining experience and building their work future. (c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved. Consulting: A Different World I won't say I have a vast array of knowledge as a consultant...collectively I've only been doing it about 8 years. However, there are some things that I have observed that I think will be helpful to those of you who are new to the profession. We will first dispel the myths and address the realities associated with being a Consultant, then we will address the commandments of being a good and valued consultant. What You Should Never Put on Your Resume Liars Get Caught! What NOT to Put on Your Resume Job Search Secret #1 The job search secret that is so powerful it will blow your socks off is simple - if you think you want or need a Career Change all you have to do is understand this Job Search Secret: How to Write a Simple Job Description 1.0 A timely reminder Blogging for Candidates 101: Nuts and Bolts A "blog" is simply an internet (web) log. Blogs are created for personal or professional use. They may promote a product or service, or merely serve as a personal online journal. There are currently just over four million blogs today, with a new blog born every seven seconds. 7 Secrets of a Highly-Effective Resume Cover Letter Just like the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, the "humble" cover letter gets no respect. Writing Resumes Use a resume as a foot in the door Relocation Myths and Stereotypes You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on race, religion or sex. But when you make a career or other life choice, do you still make decisions based on stereotypes? Listening for Interview Success Yes I know that we usually think of interviews as us doing all the talking, but the reality is different. At least 40% of the time we should be listening, and what we hear will have an enormous effect on what we say. Home Healthcare Careers One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are: Look in the Mirror Take a moment to step outside yourself. Now, be honest with me here? If you could be your own boss, how would you rate your own performance in the last three months? Would you get a raise, a day off as a treat, or would a big and brawny security guy kindly escort you to the parking lot? Are You Ready For A New Career? Is your current or most recent job truly what you want to do? Writing A Resume That Gets You Noticed As the old saying goes, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." In today's business world, of course, that first impression usually does not come from a face-to-face conversation, but from whatever you can tell your future boss about yourself on paper: your resume. CDL Practice Test ? Offers Practice Tests To Prepare For The CDL Exam As you take CDL practice test, you do become more familiar with the CDL test, and being familiar with the test will make the actual test much less stressful. The Big Mo : Momentum and the Hiring Process Momentum as defined by Webster's is: strength or force gained by motion or through the development of events. For our purposes, the interview process is a "development of events". Creating and maintaining momentum throughout the interview process is critical to attracting and securing top candidates in today's competitive market. Momentum or "The Big Mo'" as I frequently call it is a term widely used by sportscasters to describe the modification of energy between two parties to in a sporting event or game. As a recruiter, we see both sides of the hiring process. Rather than have momentum shift from one participant to the other, we seek to have momentum or positive energy shared and exchanged by the participants, moving in unison with each other towards a common goal. Is A Career a Calling or Choice? How much of our career path is destiny and how much is free will? In my opinion, it is 50/50. We are given a life map at the beginning of our lives, and there are things we are meant to learn, people we are meant to meet, work we are meant to perform. But many of us are not tuned into ourselves and the signs that are presented to us. We often miss important information, and miss out on those lessons, people, and jobs.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2008 |
