Hiring People_ Recruit and Keep the Brightest Stars - Kathy Shwiff [22]
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“If you hire great people and involve them intensively in the hiring process, you’ll get more great people.”
—Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google
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Avoid any questions that could leave you open to a charge of discrimination. Questions about activities, interests, or hobbies may inadvertently open the door to a discussion of religious or political beliefs, which the law forbids during employment interviews. To avoid charges of sexual discrimination, never ask a women about her marital status, her plans to have children, or her child-care or senior-care arrangements. If you’re concerned about any of these issues, ask a performance-based question on the subject instead. For instance, if you fear that caring for an ailing parent might cause the candidate to miss work, ask how often she has been absent from her current or past job.
Don’t ask questions about any disabilities, about citizenship, about a past history of filing workers’ compensation claims, where a person grew up, or when he or she graduated from high school or college.
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Red Flags
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DISCRIMINATORY QUESTIONS
It pays to become familiar with laws governing hiring practices before starting the interview process so that you know which questions or topics to avoid. Here is a list of some potential troublemakers:
Are you married?
What is your spouse’s name?
What is your maiden name?
Do you have any children?
Are you pregnant?
What are your child-care or senior-care arrangements?
What is your race?
What is your country of origin?
What religion do you practice?
Which church do you attend?
What religious holidays do you celebrate?
Do you own or rent your home?
Who resides with you?
What is your birthdate?
Have you ever been arrested?
Are you a U.S. citizen?
Are you disabled?
What is the nature or severity of your disability?
SOURCE: Recruiting and Employment Services, University of Michigan.
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Be careful not to say anything that a candidate can later use as ammunition. Mike Poskey, vice president of ZERORISK HR, Inc., a Dallas-based human resources risk-management firm, issues the following caution to managers in his about. com article “How to Interview Legally and Effectively”: “Avoid making statements during the interview process that could be alleged to create a contract of employment. When describing the job, avoid using terms like ‘permanent,’ ‘career job opportunity,’ or ‘long-term.’” Poskey further warns hiring managers not to say anything that might imply job security—or else if the employee is laid off at some point, he might feel he has grounds for a lawsuit.
Types of Interviews
Every company has evolved its own method of conducting job interviews, although interview protocols vary based on the responsibilities of the job to be filled. It’s not necessary for all interviews to follow the standard scenario in which the hiring manager sits on one side of his desk and the candidate on the other. If you’re looking for candidates who can think outside the box, it might be helpful to interview them outside the box. Nontraditional interviews can also highlight whether the candidate possesses the qualities you’re looking for—the ability to roll with new concepts, for instance.
If you want candidates to open up, create an interview forum that’s relaxed and casual: sit at a round table, or on the same side of the desk; meet in the company cafeteria, or even outside under a tree. Offer the candidate a soda or coffee, and begin with some light conversation. Make your questions tactful and sensitive, never challenging. When interviewing a potential coworker rather than a potential staff member, this more casual approach may encourage candidates to express themselves freely and reveal their less formal side.
If, on the other hand, you want to measure a candidate’s ability to deal with stress, the interview could simulate a high-pressure situation. Try sitting at the opposite end of a conference table or on the other side of a large desk. Start with a series of difficult questions,