Interviewing

Keep bias from creeping into hiring process

05/27/2015

It’s hard to discriminate against applicants based on characteristics like age and race if you don’t know they belong to a particular protected class. That’s why it’s important to have a “blind” hiring process.

Beware the hidden risks of hiring based on ‘chemistry’

05/25/2015

We’ve all thought it: “I just have a good feeling about this applicant.” Relying on subjective factors such as interview skills and personality is not the best way to pinpoint successful job candidates. Yet a Society for Human Resource Management poll found that most HR professionals say their final hiring decisions are at least 50% based on “chemistry” with the applicant.

It’s time to stop interviewing candidates like a flailing fisherman

04/30/2015

Instead of tossing out questions you’ve asked a million times, consider just a few that author and speaker Paul Falcone proposes to get past a professional façade and understand the human being behind it.

Get the Most Out of Exit Interviews

04/25/2015

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Put that phone interview on speaker–and be sure to have a witness!

04/13/2015

When it comes to hiring, it may seem simpler to screen potential applicants via a phone interview. But such conversations lend themselves to misunderstandings. If you must conduct them, do so via speaker and with more than one person participating. That way, the applicant can’t make wild claims when she isn’t hired.

What if interviewee raises a sensitive issue?

03/16/2015

Every HR pro knows there are some questions you just can’t ask and topics you can’t raise during job interviews. But what if the applicant brings up an off-limits subject?

Cut lawsuit risk by listing minimum job qualifications

03/11/2015

Be sure your job announcements list minimum qualifications applicants must have. That way, if someone who lacks the right background sues, the case can quickly be dismissed.

Great interview question assumes offer is coming

02/19/2015

Here’s a novel question worth trying in an interview.

7 interview steps that lead to great hires

01/15/2015

Poorly conducted interviews can result in bad hiring decisions and lead to legal trouble if an applicant later claims that he or she was passed over for a job due to discrimination. So, how can hiring managers maximize the effectiveness of an interview and minimize potential biases?

‘Before I check your references …’

01/06/2015

Before calling references, ask the applicant, “What am I likely to hear when I contact these people?” The answers may surprise you.