Post-Job Interview Protocol for Employers

Posted on: September 27, 2017 by Signature Insurance Group

Hiring Process Etiquette for Employers > After the Interview

After a long hiring process consisting of reading resumes and cover letters, reaching out for interviews, and conducting interviews (maybe even multiple rounds of interviews), you might think that you’re home free. However, don’t get too caught up in the excitement of finishing the hiring process and selecting who will join your team: there are still several important things to take care of, and mishandling them could cause lawsuits. Protect your business with a Management Liability Insurance policy and make sure you’re familiar with the following potential liabilities as well as general etiquette.

Communicating

While you don’t want to rush yourself, it is important that you communicate efficiently with applicants. Very rarely do candidates focus their search on one business, and if you wait too long to reach out to candidates, they may have moved on to another company. It’s also common courtesy to inform candidates of your decision relatively quickly. Whether you’re offering the job, inviting them to another interview, or declining them, they will appreciate being told your decision quickly so they can adjust their search if necessary.

When you are declining candidates, it is ultimately up to your discretion whether you would like to tell them why you are declining. While it may seem like a kind move to give them feedback that they can learn from and use to adjust their search strategy, it is not recommended. Even if your decision was completely merit-based, you don’t want your feedback to be misconstrued, especially if it could be interpreted as unlawful discrimination. But while you don’t have to give them the reason why they are being declined, they should know without a doubt that they have been declined, particularly if you have already spoken to them. Once you have made your decision, they should know it

The last step is to have everything in writing. Even if you first break the news through a phone call, make sure to send a follow-up e-mail (whether it is a job offer or a rejection). Keeping a paper trail will be beneficial for you because you will have evidence of all of your correspondences, and you will be able to prove what you did and did not say in the event of a lawsuit.

Checking References

No references should be contacted without the consent of the candidate. Even if you have already collected references from them (whether they are on the applicant’s resume or you asked them to fill out a form), make sure to explicitly ask them if they are all right with you contacting their references. When you do contact the references, make sure to keep the conversation solely on the job and its duties. Try to avoid vague, open-ended questions such as, “Tell me about the candidate” or “What do you think of the candidate?”; instead, ask questions like, “Does the candidate work well with children?” or anything that you feel would be relevant to their performance.

One important thing to remember is not to contact unlisted references without permission. It’s a small world, and occasionally you may find that you know people who could give you valuable feedback about an applicant, or a listed reference may refer you to someone else for further information. No matter how well you know the reference, and even if you tell yourself that this is “off the record” or “just out of curiosity”, you should not ask them without first asking the candidate if they are comfortable with you contacting unlisted references. It’s just common courtesy: many candidates might not feel comfortable with this practice, and unhappy candidates could cause reputational damage to your company and its hiring practices.

Pre-Employment Testing

You are perfectly within your right to ask applicants to complete a test upon receiving an offer; however, you must tread this carefully in order to remain lawful. Pre-employment testing must follow the standards set by the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP), which state that all pre-employment testing must be job-related and cannot be discriminatory. No matter what form of testing you use – whether it is drug testing or an aptitude test – your tests should not have the potential to exclude members of certain groups or give them a disadvantage in the hiring process. Remember, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, pre-hire tests cannot be medical or mental health examinations unless they are absolutely necessary for job performance (as an example, many police forces use psychological health screenings).

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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