Good Job Interview Conduct for Employers

Posted on: September 20, 2017 by Signature Insurance Group

Hiring Process Etiquette for Employers > Interviews

A job interview isn’t a one-sided experience. While applicants are eager to impress their potential employers and hopefully land the job, it is important for the interviewing side to make a good first impression on the candidate. Not only will this endear the company to the candidate and encourage them to choose the position, but it is also important for preventing lawsuits. Having Management Liability protection can keep you safe from employment-related lawsuits (particularly in the hiring process), but understanding how to conduct and represent yourself during the process and knowing what would violate employment laws can prevent these lawsuits from occurring in the first place.

Before the Interview

The first step to conducting a professional interview is communicating thoroughly with the potential candidates. Let them know exactly what you’re looking for. While you may be afraid of intimidating potential applicants, they will want to learn this information at some point, and the earlier the better. This may include:

• Education level
• Time commitment
• Hours
• Salary
• Professional experience
• Professional skills
• All expected duties for the position

When it comes time to reach out to selected applicants for interviews, reach out as soon as possible and be willing to work with them. Offer a date and time for the interview (if you can, give them the choice between several), but be prepared for the possibility of a scheduling conflict and be open to rescheduling the interview. If an applicant contacts you five minutes before the scheduled interview and asks to reschedule you are welcome to eliminate them from your pool, but it is important to be accommodating during the initial communications. Let them know that you will answer any questions that they have and follow up with them before the interview as a reminder.

Within the company, you should establish what you’re looking for ahead of time. What kind of person do you envision filling the position? What would the job’s daily expectations be? Will there be any additional duties? What sort of performance are you looking for? Make sure that everyone on your team knows what to look for, and fully plan out the structure of the interview and your interview questions ahead of time. This will help you to get an accurate comparison of the candidates, and it will ensure that everyone has been given equal treatment.

During the Interview

It likely goes without saying that you should be professional during an interview, but it is incredibly important. If you behave unprofessionally, at best the candidate will be unimpressed with your company and seek employment elsewhere, and at worst you could potentially find yourself facing a harassment lawsuit. Dress professionally, maintain a formal tone of voice and style of speaking, and try to keep everything on the topic of the position, your company, and their professional experience.

No matter how much you like the candidate’s personality, try not to get too casual. John Dooney, manager of strategic resource for the Society for Human Resources Management, says, “Keep all your questions job-related. If you spend the interview chatting, you may make a hiring decision because you liked the candidate versus whether the person is truly qualified for the job.” In addition to being an unwise move from a business standpoint, this could also lead to potential employment practices lawsuits.

In addition, there are certain questions that should be asked carefully or omitted from the interview in order to ensure that you are complying with fair hiring laws. These questions include:

• Anything that is not relevant to the job or job performance,
• Race-related questions,
• Religion-related questions (unless you are concerned about interference with the job; for example, if Sunday is a work day for your company),
• The candidate’s age (save for the candidate producing evidence of being eighteen or older when hired),
• Personal questions about topics such as family, marital status, personal finances, and home ownership (unless they are relevant to job performance),
• Whether the candidate has ever been arrested (you can only ask if they have been convicted of a crime),
• Certain disability-related questions unless they relate to performing job-related functions.

About Signature Insurance Group

Signature Insurance Group has been working since 1969 to provide comprehensive insurance solutions to individuals and businesses across the United States. We offer a range of insurance products and services in risk management, employee benefits, business insurance, and personal insurance, and we pride ourselves on our commitment to creating “Signature Relationships” with our clients where we commit to providing the best, most comprehensive service possible. To learn more about our goods and services, contact us today at (800) 464-3606.

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