Transcript PAYROLL FUNDAMENTALS: Basic Principles to Help You Manage

INTERVIEW DO’S
AND DON’T’S
ANN HOLDEN KENDELL
BrownWinick
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 2000
Des Moines, IA 50309-2510
Telephone: 515-242-2450
Facsimile: 515-323-8550
E-mail: [email protected]
Prepare Ahead of Time
• Review the job duties for the position
• Review the job posting
• Review the conditions for obtaining the
position
• Review key differences between your
company and your competitors
Prepare Ahead of Time
• Thoroughly review the job application to
look for potential issues
• Prepare a list of key questions or bullet
points of topics you want to cover
• Prepare your responses to common
questions
Why?
• Ensures that the employer’s message is
consistent throughout the recruiting
process
• AND – Assists you in gathering and
providing important information and
helps keep the interview focused on the
“right” things. And documenting this
helps you prove it…
The “Right” Things
Important information:
• About the job – hours, responsibilities, start date,
physical demands, pay, benefits, confidentiality
obligations and/or restrictive covenants, location
and type of work place
• The qualifications required for the job – experience,
education, certifications, etc.
• How the applicant’s qualifications match with the
job qualifications
The “Right” Things
Important information:
• Finding out the level of interest of the applicant in
the company and for the specific position – why did
they want to apply?
• Learning whether the applicant is under any
restrictive covenants from a previous employer that
could affect his or her ability to work for the
company
The “Wrong” Things
Purposely or inadvertently gathering
information from the candidate:
• About protected class status (religion, age, national
origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, etc.)
• About protected activity (past work comp claims,
wage disputes, complaints of illegal discrimination
or harassment and OSHA complaints, etc.)
• About opinions on unions
• About garnishments and/or bankruptcies
The “Wrong” Things
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Making promises about hiring
Making promises about continued
employment
Revealing confidential information
(personnel information, trade secrets,
etc.)
The “Wrong” Questions
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How old are you? (You may establish that they are over 18)
What country are you from? (You may establish that they are
authorized to work in the U.S. as that will be required to lawfully hire)
Are you married – what’s your spouse’s name? (How is this related to
the job?)
Who lives with you at your house? (How is this related to the job?)
How will you deal with childcare? (How is this related to the job?)
How will you get to work? (This is allowed if owning a car is a job
requirement)
Do you speak any foreign languages? (This is allowed if that is a
requirement of the job or if the ability to speak foreign languages is a
preference for hiring)
The “Wrong” Questions
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Have you ever had any work injuries or illnesses that kept you from
being able to work? (You may ask if the employee has ever been
disciplined for attendance problems)
Have your ever been arrested? (Background checks can be
performed for criminal convictions and that information used in certain
circumstances)
Have you ever belonged to a union?
Have you ever taken FMLA leave?
Do you have any disabilities? (May ask if they need any reasonable
accommodations to complete the hiring process – not to do the job)
What is your religion? (You may ask if they are available to work
certain hours/days)
These are just examples – there are many, many more…
The “Right” Questions
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What do you see as your greatest work success or accomplishment in your life
so far?
What do like best/least about your current job?
Tell me about the best job you’ve had and why you liked it.
Describe how you have handled upset customers.
What are the qualities of the best supervisor you have had?
What weaknesses have you seen in past supervisors? What do you think
could have been done better?
Give an example of a specific challenge in your past work & how you handled
it.
Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?
The “Right” Questions
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What frustrates you the most when you are trying to accomplish a task?
(Interruptions, tight deadlines, etc.)
What do you think are your best qualities for this job?
What do you see as your weaknesses?
How do people who know you well describe you?
Have you had any experience in leadership positions? What did you
like/dislike?
Do you prefer working alone or in a group?
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These are just examples – there are many, many more…
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Disability Issues
Pre-Offer:
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Employer may ask if the candidate needs a reasonable
accommodation to complete the hiring process
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Employers also may inquire about how an applicant would
perform the job, including reasonable accommodations, under
certain limited conditions, including:
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when the disability is obvious
when the applicant voluntarily has disclosed a disability
when the applicant voluntarily has disclosed the need for
reasonable accommodation.
Disability Issues
Post-Offer:
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Employer may ask the candidate to submit to a procedure or
test that seeks information about physical or mental
impairments or health
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Drug or alcohol testing
Strength and agility testing
Website: www.brownwinick.com
Toll Free Phone Number: 1-888-282-3515
OFFICE LOCATIONS:
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 2000
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2510
Telephone: (515) 242-2400
Facsimile: (515) 283-0231
616 Franklin Place
Pella, Iowa 50219
Telephone: (641) 628-4513
Facsimile: (641) 628-8494
DISCLAIMER: No oral or written statement made by BrownWinick attorneys should
be interpreted by the recipient as suggesting a need to obtain legal counsel from
BrownWinick or any other firm, nor as suggesting a need to take legal action. Do not
attempt to solve individual problems upon the basis of general information provided
by any BrownWinick attorney, as slight changes in fact situations may cause a
material change in legal result.