Why Conduct Background Checks on Potential Employees?

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by Bridget Miller | BLR

Does your organization conduct background checks as part of the hiring process? Many organizations do, but the type of background check—and the extent of it—varies considerably. Let’s take a look at some of the most pertinent reasons so many businesses opt to perform some type of background check on any potential new employee.

Some of the Reasons for Conducting a Background Check

Probably the biggest reason employers choose to perform background checks on potential employees is safety and security. Employers have an obligation under OSHA to provide a safe workplace—one that is free of known hazards. It can be easily argued that hiring an individual with violent tendencies—tendencies that could  have been discovered with due diligence—would represent a disregard for that obligation. As such, many employers opt to perform at least a criminal background check on potential employees before finalizing any offer of employment.

Similarly, if an individual causes harm to anyone—such as a customer or vendor—the employer may be liable if there was an opportunity to learn about this tendency, such as the existence of a public criminal record.

Security is another concern, especially for jobs in which an individual is responsible for cash or for making decisions that affect the company’s profitability or reputation. For any individual in these roles, employers often consider doing a background check that confirms the individual does not have a history of fraud, negligence, or theft, for example.

Background checks can also be done on a more limited scale. Technically, even calling references is a form of background screening. In these situations, an employer is trying to gauge what the potential employee is like to work with, to better ensure it will be a good fit. These can also be done as a means to try to uncover any fabrications or exaggerations on the application, résumé, or during the interview.

Conducting Background Checks: Some Caveats

Despite these very good reasons to conduct an employee background check, there are limits to what an employer can discover and use. For example:

• Employers should be careful not to make decisions based solely on arrest records. An arrest is not the same as a conviction, and some protected groups may be disproportionately affected by a policy that disallows a perspective employee due to any arrest—thus making such a policy discriminatory.
• Credit checks and other background checks require employee consent. Without consent, such checks can be illegal, depending on what type of check is conducted. Consult legal counsel and get advance permission before conducting background screenings. Additionally, if you use an employee’s credit rating as part of the background screening process, first be sure there is a legitimate business purpose for doing so. Otherwise, this alone can be a form of discrimination if potential employees are excluded based on credit. This is because lower credit scores disproportionately affect some protected groups, and eliminating on this basis alone would create a disparate impact on these groups. Even with a legitimate business purpose for checking a credit score, the employer must also be sure to follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules.
• Background checks can inadvertently turn up information that discloses an employee’s inclusion in a protected class. Even if this information is not used in the hiring process, it is risky for an employer to have such information at this stage because it raises the possibility of a discrimination claim. For this reason, many employers use third-party services to conduct background checks—and those service providers only turn over information that is relevant to the hiring process, insulating the employer from knowledge about protected class inclusion and other information that should not be used in hiring decisions.
• There are many federal, state, and local laws that limit the type of information that an employer can seek out—be sure to consult local laws and understand the limitations.
• Be sure any background screening is relevant to the job. For example, there is probably no need to get a driving record for someone who will not be driving for the company in any capacity.
• Be consistent in conducting background checks. Do not conduct background checks only for certain applicants but not others who are up for the same job. It’s OK to only conduct background screening after you’ve made a short list, but it’s not OK to only conduct background checks on individuals of specific groups, such as minorities or immigrants. Be consistent in the hiring process for each job opening.
• When something is uncovered during a background screening, consider giving the applicant the opportunity to share more information about the situation. While you still need to be consistent in how the situation is handled, it’s always possible that there’s a mistake that can be rectified or there are extenuating circumstances that change the view of the situation. Of course, if you’re going to give the opportunity for explanations, be consistent and offer this opportunity every time the situation arises.

Does your company conduct employee background checks? What advice would you provide based on your experience?

*This article does not constitute legal advice. Always consult legal counsel with specific questions.

http://trendpersonnel.com/en/news/item/150-why-conduct-background-checks-on-potential-employees

What Interview Questions Reveal About the Interviewer

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by Dona DeZube | Monster

Interview preparation most often focuses on the job requirements and the candidates.

Equally revealing are the interview questions that you choose to ask during the interview process. These questions often reveal something of your company culture, your management style and your perception of the job.

We asked interview experts to flip the most common interview questions and explain what they say to job seekers.

Consider these interview questions:

Tell me about a time in which you helped others to succeed at a project.

Tell me about a time when you innovated at work.

“The first question lets the applicant know that the company cares about collaboration and teamwork, the second that the company cares about creativity and motivation,” says Professor Angelo Kinicki, an expert in organizational culture at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.

Tell me about policies or standards you’ve developed.

This inquiry tells the candidate your company is inclusive and is interested in the value the candidate can add, Barry Drexler of Drexler Coaching, New York.

What procedures do you follow in your current position? Tell me about a time when you didn’t follow policy. What happened? How structured is your current workplace?

These types of interview questions tell the job candidate that you’re keen on structure, procedures and standards, Drexel says. They say you need someone who can follow instructions and comply with rules.

What’s your vision? Where do you think our company should go in the future? How would you shape this role?

These types of interview questions signal that the job is strategic and likely high-level. “They show your company is interested in organic growth,” Drexler says.

How many ping pong balls would it take to fill a 747 Jet?

If you’re conducting an interview for an analytical job, you’ll likely include this type of question.

If you want to show that you respect careful thinking and analysis, say nothing to fill the silence that often follows analytical interview questions. “You’re demonstrating you’re comfortable in your own element and you need someone who can think through an issue before jumping in,” Peterson says.

Are you willing to work overtime? Are you okay with being contacted in off hours?

This interview question alerts candidates to the fact that this isn’t a 9 to 5 position. “It’s a good question if the job requires extensive overtime,” Drexler says. But, this question can also be a turn off, so don’t ask about overtime unless the job requires it.

Tell me about ideas that you’ve generated and how you shared them. What do you contribute to your current team that’s added value?

This question says your company culture is collaborative — people are willing to share ideas — and the job requires teamwork, Drexler says.

What’s the biggest misconception that people have about you and why?

This is a “zinger” question that can throw people off, Peterson says. They show you’re looking for people who don’t mind being uncomfortable — and that you value the ability to think on the fly.

What’s the takeaway from all this analysis?

When conducting an interview, think about your interview questions from the job seeker’s viewpoint. 

By considering your choice of interview questions before you conduct an interview, you’ll be certain that your final list of questions accurately reflects the job opening, your company and your own management style.

http://trendpersonnel.com/en/news/item/121-what-interview-questions-reveal-about-the-interviewer

How to Get a Face-to-Face Interview

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by Dewey Sadka | CareerBuilder

Here are some effective but indirect ways to get noticed by the people who can get you hired.

Best Referrals Are a Friend of a Friend

Ask friends, “Do you know anyone who might know someone?” Then, don’t be afraid to discuss your job search wherever you go-at the gym, church, ballgames, parties, social media and so forth. When the opportunity presents itself, be open and honest about what you’re looking for.

Attend Association Meetings In Your Field

Search for associations in your career field and attend their meetings and networking events. Meet and greet potential employers and other professionals. When you walk into the room, look around and see who is there and who could help you. But be equally generous and see if there are people whom you can help, too.

Referral Do’s & Don’ts

When finding the right people to refer you, especially at a networking event, avoid pitfalls by being the person they want to give support.

• Don’t be nervous or shy. Smile. Keep it light. Others will see you as confident.
• Don’t make it all about you. After saying hello, get them to talk about themselves. Listen for how you can support them.
• Don’t ask for a job. Chances are even if they work at the perfect company for you, they’re not the decision maker.  And if they are, don’t put them under pressure. Remember they’ll need approvals from others.

Now that you’ve created an open listening, here’s what to do.

• Do speak with enthusiasm about the job/career you’re seeking.  Ask for a business card. Then ask, “Do you know anyone that you can refer me too?”
• Do end the meet-up by looking them right in the eye, giving a thank-you handshake and sending a résumé right away.
• Do send them industry articles. Take their advice and tell them how you did it. If they’re not sure about your experience, offer to work as an intern or for a smaller salary.

Would You Hire You? 
Get to know the company and any of its key personnel beyond the job description. Check out the website. Research the company online. The more you know, the more you can target your résumé to overcome rejections.

http://trendpersonnel.com/en/news/item/120-how-to-get-a-face-to-face-interview

5 Most Important Interview Questions You’re Not Asking

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by Chris Ceplenski

The 5 most important questions are actually variations on common interview themes. The tweaks are important, however, because they completely change the information solicited from the applicant.

Here are the 5 most important interview questions you’re probably not asking:

1. Tell me about your very first paying job.

The standard question is: ‘Tell me about your last job.’ What does every single person have an absolute canned answer for? Their last job. Asking instead about their first job lets you begin to see what type of person you’re interviewing. Ask follow-up questions that establish where they progressed, which will tell you their capacity to take on additional responsibilities. Ask them what they learned along the way.

2. Tell me about the achievements in your life you are most proud of and the obstacles or problems you had to overcome to achieve them.

Give the applicant time to think about what they want to say. In fact, throughout the interview process, let silence work for you. Don’t help them answer the questions. What you’re looking for with this question is to see how they solve problems. See how they overcome issues.

3. Tell me about your last performance appraisal.

It doesn’t matter the outcome, just ask about it and ask how they felt about it and whether they got a copy of it. (If yes, they could bring it – it may be more useful to you than a reference!)

4. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rank yourself as a [job title]? Why did you give yourself that number?

It doesn’t matter what the number is, unless they say they’re a 10. If they do, you may consider highlighting that even the best professionals can always learn more. If they still insist they are a 10, consider not hiring them—if you hire them, they may not be the type of person who is inclined to learn.

The second part is the more important part of the question—to see what rationale they give behind the chosen number. It will tell you a lot about that person and their ability level. Ask probing questions if appropriate. Follow up by asking what it would take to move up to the next number. This lets them explain what they need to do better or what they want to learn next. In interviews, many interviewers ask about strengths and weaknesses, but this question format avoids a canned response. It also allows someone to explain what they can do better without actually asking them about weaknesses.

5. What one question would you like to ask me? Of all the questions you could have asked, why did you choose that one?

This question does not have to be the last one you have, but it’s important to ask it at some point. The second half is more important than the question they chose. In fact, don’t answer their initial question—follow up with the second half of it first to see why they want to know. This lets you see what the applicant finds important.

If you’re looking to really find out who the person is – the behavior, the skills, the capacity – these five questions will get to the core of the individual.

http://trendpersonnel.com/index.php/en/news/item/114-5-most-important-interview-questions-you-re-not-asking

 

 

How to Hire

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The key to hiring lawfully is to be consistent and ensure each individual is processed the same way for the same position. Job descriptions should be up to date and should clearly outline the skill sets / experience and education required for the position. Allow this to be your tool for defining how individuals should be screened and processed.

First and foremost:

1. Have every applicant for employment fill out an application in its entirety
2. Check references
3. Do background checks
4. Require pre-employment skills
5. Always use offer letters

Be aware that should you consider using social media as a recruiting tool that you do so with caution. The problem with social media is that employer becomes exposed to details that should not be used in determining someone’s “fit” for a position. The employer needs to keep focus on the basic factors: skills, experience, education, personality traits and criminal /credit background (if applicable). Any other factor you review or consider will more than likely be considered discriminatory. Therefore, don’t use other factors in determining whether an individual is or isn’t qualified.

Again, the biggest tip is to be consistent and keep focus on the basic factors necessary. Otherwise you greatly increase your risk for a lawsuit.

http://trendpersonnel.com/index.php/en/news/item/102-how-to-hire