Employers! Don't ask these questions! - The Interview Process Part 4

GetPayroll President Charles Read shares his years of knowledge of the interview process in this 4-part series on prepping, conducting, and managing an interview. Today we're going over questions that employers SHOULD NOT ask during an interview and better questions for them to ask.

Link to the complete list: https://getpayroll.com/what-not-to-ask-during-an-interview/

Transcript:

Hi, I’m Charles Read, President of GetPayroll. And welcome to the final part of a 4-part series on preparing, conducting, and managing an interview. During the interview process, it’s important to ask the potential candidate several questions, to get a feel for their background, personality, and potential work ethic. However, there are questions you just don’t ask, either because of legal reasons or they simply aren’t helpful in selecting an employee. We’ve rewritten several interview questions that you can ask without getting into trouble for discrimination. Here are 4 important questions from that list. If you’re interested in reading the rest, check out our blog post, linked in this video’s description.

1. DON’T ASK: "HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SUPERVISING MEN/WOMEN?"
This question, although it may seem like a valid concern, is not acceptable. The candidate may not have any issues working with the same gender, opposite gender, or various other perceived genders, and you'll seem crass for even bringing it up.
INSTEAD, ASK: "TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE MANAGING DIVERSE TEAMS."

2. DON’T ASK: "DO YOU HAVE ANY DISABILITIES?"
Disabilities, whether they're physical or mental, may affect a candidate's ability to do the job assigned, but it is very important, critical even, that you avoid asking about them. Instead, find out if the applicant can handle doing what is required of the job description.
INSTEAD, ASK: "ARE YOU ABLE TO PERFORM THE SPECIFIC DUTIES OF THIS POSITION?"

3. DON’T ASK: "HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ARRESTED?"
Insensitive positions, like ones in which people are dealing with money, you may want to find out about your candidate's legal background. But ensure that you ask only directly about crimes that relate to your concerns.
INSTEAD, ASK: "HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF "X" (FRAUD, THEFT, ETC.)?

4. DON’T ASK: "DO YOU BELONG TO A CLUB OR SOCIAL ORGANIZATION?"
This particular question could be too revealing of political or religious affiliation or activity. Also, this question has little or no relevance to a job candidate's abilities or qualifications. However, if you want to ask this question, it is important to focus the wording on work.
INSTEAD, ASK: "ARE YOU A MEMBER OF A PROFESSIONAL OR TRADE GROUP THAT IS RELEVANT TO OUR INDUSTRY?"

Here is one last interviewing tip: Many interviewers take a cavalier attitude towards interviewing. After all, they’ll never see them again if they didn’t hire them. You never know how a candidate will feel after leaving the interview and what actions they may or may not take because of how they thought they were treated during the interview. Ask the right questions, document their answers, and be consistent in each interview.

And finally, do not interview alone. If possible, have another person interview with you. That way, there will never be an opportunity for a he-said-she-said situation if you are ever charged with discrimination.
If you would like to learn more about the hiring process, be sure to visit our website at www.getpayroll.com. And be sure to check out the other parts of this interview series. Thanks for listening.