Do not ask questions regarding:
- Race, religion, color, sex, national origin
- Height and weight
- Marital status
- Children and child care arrangements
- Age
- Economic status
- Medical condition
- Physical or Mental Disability
You may not ask:
- Can you show proof of US citizenship?
- How old are you?
- Have you ever been arrested?
- What organizations do you belong to?
- Have you ever filed for bankruptcy?
- Have you ever filed a workers compensation claim?
- Are you married?
You May Not
- Inquire how a person became disabled or for the prognosis of the applicant.
Instead, you may ask the individual to explain or demonstrate how he/she can perform the essential functions of a job with or without reasonable accommodation if you require this of all applicants for the position.
During the Interview – Do’s
- Do be yourself.
- Do put the applicant at ease.
- Be sensitive to cultural differences.
- Do be specific in questioning.
- Do ask questions that require explanations and descriptions.
- Do give the applicant enough time to think before answering.
- DO LISTEN! DON’T TALK! (Follow the 80% - 20% Rule)
- Do use appropriate job related language.
- Do clarify applicant’s responses.
- Do take notes – especially if many candidates will be interviewed.
- Do control the interview – don’t ramble!
- Do invite the interviewee to ask questions and discuss relevant topics.
Managing Silence
Silence has a very important part to play in the interview. Many interviewers feel that silence must be avoided at all costs. They feel a certain pressure to jump in with questions and comments as soon as the applicant stops talking. A short pause can be a useful tool in the hands of a skilled interviewer.Silence can encourage the interviewee into further speaking and sharing of the responsibility for the success of the interview.
It gives the applicant the feeling that he/she is expected to continue on – that the interviewer is interested and waiting for more.
The pause creates and maintains the relaxed, informal atmosphere when discussing the ideas and personal feelings of another individual. Some of the most enlightening information will come after a slight pause.
During the Interview – Don’ts
Concentrate on the interviewee exclusively,
as a person.
This is normal for an untrained interviewer,
because most of our everyday contacts with people are of a person-to-person
nature, rather than of a "sifting through abilities"
analysis. The perceptive manager specifically attempts to compare
an applicant’s abilities and experience with actual job requirements.
Look to see how an applicant’s
past life compares with our own.
This results in substantial loss of time,
because we concentrate more on the comparisons than on obtaining
job-relevant information.
Lose control.
Whether out of a desire to be courteous or
because we encounter a particularly dominant interviewee, we can
lose control of an interview - when this happens, we must regain
control, skillfully - not abruptly.
Ask questions answerable by a simple "yes" or "no".
We are used to doing this because our daily
business conversations are often short and to the point. But in
interviewing, we endeavor to do just the opposite – to draw
the candidate out. This requires minimizing "yes" and
"no" type questions.
Fill silent pauses or interrupt.
Extensive studies on communications substantiate
that most of us are poor listeners; we haven’t received training
in this critical skill area. The supervisor who interview must
unlearn the trait of "seeking to fill the voids," and
learn to be a good listener.
Let biases influence our behavior and judgments.
Biases take many forms. Unaccounted for,
they can all but destroy an otherwise good interview. They include
how we feel about appearance or hair styles and clothing. For
many people, one outstanding trait in a candidate can overshadow
weak points (known as the "halo" effect). Our likes
and dislikes regarding such variables as posture, language, educational
background (non-job related), or even non-verbal behavior can
unduly influence our decisions.
Make judgmental or leading statements.
These tell the candidate what the manager
is or isn’t looking for. Most applicants are good enough
at "reading" the interviewer’s mind – without
being provided direct guidance.
Neglect to give the interviewee time or opportunity to present
him/herself.
Untrained supervisors often think only of
their own goals in the interview. But, trained managers recognize
it is very natural for an applicant to want to present his/her
abilities, experience and potential value to the employer as strongly
as possible.
Rush the interview.
Allow sufficient time to and adequate opportunity
to observe the applicant’s responses and behavior. The longer
the interview, the better our chances of making more observations
and comparing answers at different points.
Work Exercises During the Interview
Work exercises provide an opportunity for the applicant to demonstrate their skill performing a task that would typically be required on the job. They provide an opportunity to observe the applicant in doing a job related task.Guidelines for Work Exercises
- The exercise must assess skills required of the job.
- All applicants must complete the same exercises
- Applicants must be notified prior to the interview that there will be a work exercise as a part of the interview.