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Hiring

The 5 worst interview questions … and what to ask instead

09/06/2011

The interview remains a hiring manager’s most effective tool for evaluating job candidates. Unfortunately, managers too often rely on a list of standard interview questions for which most applicants have canned responses. Here are five common questions to avoid, plus suggestions for more productive queries that will help you hire the best.

In hot economy, onboarding takes on vital role

09/06/2011
Employees have options these days, and they’re more willing to leave a job that doesn’t seem like a perfect fit—even if it’s during the first few months. That means your onboarding process is more important than ever.

Offering extra leave as hiring incentive: Any risk?

09/05/2011
Q. We are considering hiring a new RN. She is requesting an extra week of vacation above what our company policy offers. Would we be discriminating against our other full-time employees if we grant her request?

Interns work outdoors to learn sustainability

09/02/2011
Technology company Johnson Con­trols hired 70 Detroit public high school students to spend their summer sprucing up the city’s parks. More than 350 students applied for the jobs through the Student Con­servation Association, which partnered with Johnson Controls.

365-day virtual job fair aims to attract veterans

08/30/2011
Houston-based Waste Management drew 739 military personnel and spouses in two hours during a virtual career day this summer—and it’s not over. The firm is experi­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ment­ing with a “perpetual online career fair” that will stay “open” year-round in its effort to recruit active-duty personnel, veterans and military spouses.

Hershey hit with protests by immigrant temp workers

08/23/2011
The students thought they were signing up for a cultural exchange program in which they would travel to Pennsylvania to work and experience life in Hershey. Instead they ended up working in warehouses preparing Hershey products for shipping. Along with members of the AFL-CIO, they recently protested outside the warehouse facilities.

What is Philadelphia’s law on requesting info on applicants’ criminal records?

08/23/2011
Q. Our company has an office in Philadelphia. Can we ask about an applicant’s criminal and arrest record when recruiting employees to work there?

State settles with feds over police promotion tests

08/23/2011

The New Jersey Civil Service Com­­mission has settled a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice concerning its promotion practices for police sergeants. The DOJ alleged the state’s method of scoring and using written examinations had a disparate impact on black and Hispanic officers in violation of Title VII.

Common sense prevails: Simply belonging to protected class doesn’t justify bias lawsuit

08/23/2011
Good news if you have ever worried about a lawsuit from an employee who was passed over for a promotion in favor of someone outside the employee’s protected class. While it’s impossible to guarantee you will never be sued, courts generally look favorably on properly run, fair hiring and promotion processes.

That’s not a contract! Feel free to make hiring contingent on passing background check

08/23/2011

It’s common to tell a job applicant he’s hired—as long as a background check doesn’t reveal anything that would disqualify him. But some applicants think such an offer creates a contractual relationship. Under most circumstances, it doesn’t.