Interviewing

Consistency the key to good hiring practices

08/05/2010

Courts don’t like to meddle in hiring decisions unless they see something obviously wrong with the hiring process. The key is to treat all qualified applicants alike—and then document that you did so. For example, hiring managers should ask the same questions of everyone they interview and use the same scale to rate each applicant.

How can I do a better job of screening applicants?

06/24/2010

Q. I constantly run into this problem: I prescreen a candidate who seems like a perfect fit for the job description. But when I send the person to the hiring manager for an interview, I’m told to keep looking for someone better. This is frustrating to the managers, the applicants and me. Any suggestions on how I can improve my screening?

No policies, no job descriptions, no training: A case study in how not to hire & promote

06/15/2010

Sometimes, the best lessons are learned from the worst examples. That’s often the case with HR management. When employers make big mistakes and have to pay for them in court, other employers with good practices—that maybe need just a little tweaking—can discover what not to do. Here’s a good example.

Remind hiring managers: What you wear during interview may invite discrimination lawsuit

06/14/2010

Have you reminded managers and supervisors that they should keep their dress professional when conducting interviews? If not, do so. Attire that’s too casual—especially if it features a potentially offensive logo or design—can easily lead to a discrimination lawsuit.

Keep hiring as objective as possible — and beware loose criteria that could let in bias

06/09/2010

At some point, an unsuccessful job candidate may challenge your decision not to hire him. Then you will have to justify your selection process. The more objective criteria you use, the more likely a court will agree not to second-guess your decision. But if you add subjective elements to the process, you may end up being charged with discrimination.

Put this on your interview checklist

05/28/2010

You can tell a lot about potential hires by the way they treat the receptionist when they call or arrive for an interview.

12 manager mistakes that spark lawsuits

05/11/2010

Most lawsuits against employers don’t start with some outrageous injustice. More often, a simple management mistake or a perceived slight starts the snowball of discontent rolling downhill toward the courtroom. Here are 12 of the biggest mistakes managers make. They can all lead to litigation—and kill your credibility in court.

The HR I.Q. Test: April ’10

04/20/2010

Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

What’s your most bizarre experience in an interview?

04/13/2010

HR Specialist Forum readers recently shared their stories of the strangest things they’ve experienced during job interviews. After collecting all the responses, we asked you to vote on your top five. Here are the “winners.”

Look beyond cliches and puffery to find resume truths

04/07/2010

As unemployment continues to hover near 10%, the temptation to stretch the truth on a résumé is becoming harder for desperate job-seekers to resist. That’s why experts say job applicants are doing more “creative writing” on their résumés these days. And hiring managers need to be more vigilant. Some tips: