Interviewing

Use consistent interview questions to ensure fairness in hiring and promotions

04/07/2014

Here’s another reason to create a fair, impartial and consistent interview process: Your ultimate decision on who is hired or promoted is more likely to withstand legal scrutiny if you can show that each candidate interviewed faced the same questions and that each candidate’s performance was assessed by more than one interviewer.

Unprofessional employees? Re-evaluate your hiring process

04/01/2014

Expect associates to put business first while at work? Hire people who convey they’ll do just that during the interview.

What should we tell manager who wants to ask inappropriate interview questions?

03/17/2014

Q. We have a manager who is really concerned about “fit” when we interview for his group. He wants to ask questions about hobbies, whether the candidate has a family and how that will affect the candidate’s ability to be at work. I’ve tried to explain that, due to discrimination laws, we should only ask questions based upon the job and its requirements, but he ignores me. What can I do?

Do candidates’ color choices predict personality?

02/20/2014

When an applicant wears red, do you see a potential power player? What does a brown suit tell you about an applicant? Apparently, clothing color does matter.

Promotions: 8 questions to interview in-depth

02/14/2014

Internal hires often go wrong for one simple reason: HR and hiring managers assume they know the candidate. The best approach: Dig deep during interviews to identify employees who can be successful in the position you’re looking to fill—not just the job they’re doing now.

Job Interviews

02/01/2014

HR Law 101: Much of the information employers avoid asking for on a job application becomes apparent when hiring managers meet someone face-to-face (such as race, age, physical disability and national origin). So, you must take extra care not to ask questions or make comments that an applicant might construe as discriminatory …

2 steps to a lawsuit-proof hiring process: Online applications and blind screening

01/10/2014

One way to ensure “blind” hiring is to make sure your online application process doesn’t ask for any protected-class information. Then perform your initial screening without actually interviewing candidates. That way, only interviewed applicants can sue over not being hired.

Interviewing: Close the sale with the right message

12/26/2013

Everyone who comes in contact with prospective job candidates, from receptionists to hiring managers, must think of themselves as salespeople at times. Here are tips to help achieve that goal.

7 deadly questions: What hiring managers can’t ask

12/09/2013

You know this list by heart: the interview questions that must never, ever be asked. Others in your company could probably use a reminder. Seven questions never to ask:

Is there a legal way to ask if candidates will be able to work weekends and after hours?

11/27/2013

Q. We are currently interviewing for an event coordinator position, which would require the person to frequently work well beyond the usual 9-to-5 workweek. Is there a way we can ask about personal situations and make it clear that missing these events because of family obligations would not be tolerated?