Interviewing

Job applications: what to include, what to leave out

12/01/2003

Issue: Done right, your job application is a great tool to collect applicant information and communicate key data about your organization. Risk: Unnecessary questions can run you afoul of federal …

Weed out applicants with ‘silver bullet’ interview question

09/01/2003

Issue: Interviewers often have one pet question they use to test an applicant’s quality.
Benefit: The right question can separate the contenders from the pretenders …

O-V-E-R-Q-U-A-L-I-F-I-E-D can spell ‘lawsuit’

09/01/2003

Issue: With the job market flooded with experienced and skilled people, the temptation rises for hiring managers to use “overqualified” as a weeding-out method.
Risk: Courts could view your use …

Anyone can challenge medical inquiries, not just disabled workers

03/01/2003

Don’t let your guard down when interviewing someone who doesn’t appear to suffer from a disability. If you ask an illegal question, anyone can hit you with …

Bias claim goes nowhere unless minority status was clear

09/01/2002

When Steven Lubetsky applied for an analyst job, he aced the interview and several competence tests. The company offered him the job pending a credit check. Lubetsky explained that he was …

Job descriptions: Make ’em lawsuit-proof

08/01/2002

Job descriptions are among the first items that courts examine to determine the legitimacy of a discrimination charge. You can use them as part of a defense in court only if …

Lax hiring process will cost you

08/01/2002

For nearly two years, Joyce Dennis worked in progressively more responsible jobs at a South Carolina hospital. But when she interviewed for a promotion to ER registration supervisor, the hiring manager …

Create a job testing policy that’s rock solid and bias-proof

03/01/2002

Charles Sledge, an African-American builder at a tire manufacturing plant for 23 years, was repeatedly denied the chance to interview for a promotion to mechanic. In every case, the positions were …

Ask about right to work, not immigration status

01/01/2002

Q. Is it OK to ask an applicant about her immigration status before making an offer of employment? —A.R., New York

Scrutinize resumes; layoffs increase lying

10/01/2001

Raise your skepticism a few notches. RÃ?sumÃ? fudging is on the rise again. The so-called Liar’s Index, the percentage of applicants who falsify their educational credentials, has risen steadily …