Q: I’m trying to hire employees for my small business. I have selected a few candidates who look great on paper. Any advice on the job interview process?
A: Face-to-face interviews are crucial to determining whether an applicant is a good fit for your team, but the process contains some pitfalls of which you should be aware. Remember in particular that the law protects individuals from discrimination in the hiring process.
Here’s some advice from the “eGuide to Small Business Hiring” from SCORE and Rocket Lawyer, an online legal document website:
“It will help you hone your questions and interview style to stay focused on what the job requires and whether the applicant has the skills to fulfill the position. Anything else is not a matter for discussion. It’s as simple as that.”
If you need to share private company information during the course of an interview, make sure every candidate signs a nondisclosure document, agreeing to keep company information private. “Once the nondisclosure agreement is in place, it’s important to keep everything legal in the job interview to help prevent misunderstandings and manage expectations,” the eGuide says.
“The law assumes that everything asked on an employment application or in the face-to-face interview will be used in the hiring decision,” the eGuide advises.
That means you should limit interview topics to the job and the candidate’s qualifications for it.
Don’t ask questions involving race, religion, gender, national origin or disability. Avoid personal topics such as politics or marital status.
Describe the position accurately, and avoid making predictions about your company’s financial health.
Also avoid telling applicants that your business never fires employees, or making other statements that could limit your right to change employees’ circumstances later.
You can download the “eGuide to Small Business Hiring” at www.score.org/eguide-small- business-hiring. It will lead you through the important aspects of hiring and managing workers.
