Some think that, during an interview, it\u2019s the candidate who is in the hot seat. But often, the tables are turned.<\/p>\n
Every recruiting and hiring professional knows that interview questions can be a dangerous area. We\u2019ve all heard stories about expensive action taken by a candidate who has been asked illegal questions\u2014putting the interviewer and the company in the hot seat instead.<\/p>\n
Regulations are designed to avoid blatant bias and encourage diversity, which we all embrace. In many cases, however, we need specific information to make an informed hiring decision, but asking these questions in a compliant manner can be tricky.<\/p>\n
In most cases, however, you can get answers you need. It\u2019s often not what<\/em> you ask, but how<\/em> you ask that makes the difference.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One rule of thumb that\u2019s best to follow for interview questions: ask yourself if the questions are candidate related or job related.<\/p>\n Tread carefully when asking candidate related questions. If you\u2019re asking about the ability to perform a specific job, it\u2019s more likely to be an appropriate question to get the information you need to make a decision.<\/p>\n Here are a few examples that illustrate my point:<\/p>\n Do you see a pattern here?<\/strong><\/em> Questions that may be important in evaluating a candidate\u2019s suitability for a job can often be asked, but only if you ask about it in terms of the job<\/em>, not about the candidate<\/em>. These types of questions must be asked very carefully, or not at all.<\/p>\n Obviously, questions about race and ethnic background are illegal and should never be asked. Asking about gender can also be risky (unless it\u2019s specific to a specialized role, such as working in a locker room).<\/p>\n The best way to stay out of hot water on interviewing practices is to maintain consistency in your questions and processes. Avoid the tendency to allow hiring managers to \u201cwing it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ongoing training can help make sure your organization remains compliant. After all, studies have shown that up to 20% of employers unknowingly ask questions that may be illegal and up to 30% of hiring managers often can\u2019t even tell if a specific question is legal or not.<\/p>\n In the end, an interview can be both informative and compliant when questions are focused on the job to be filled. Ask about skills, experience, stories of how a candidate has succeeded or even has failed and what they learned.<\/p>\n Lead with questions like these and avoid asking about a candidate\u2019s specific attributes. That will keep you out of the hot seat, help protect against potential legal action, and allow you to make more informed hiring decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Some think that, during an interview, it\u2019s the candidate who is in the hot seat. But often, the tables are turned. Every recruiting and hiring professional knows that interview questions can be a dangerous area. We\u2019ve all heard stories about expensive action taken by a candidate who has been asked illegal questions\u2014putting the interviewer and […]","protected":false},"author":321,"featured_media":33882,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":""},"categories":[840,637],"tags":[],"series":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/www.smartrecruiters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/blog_interview-questions.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/www.smartrecruiters.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Podcast-icon.jpg","download_link":false,"player_link":false,"audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/hiring-success-podcast\/id1472174987","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9oaXJpbmdzdWNjZXNzcG9kY2FzdC5jYXN0b3MuY29tL2hpcmluZy1zdWNjZXNzLXBvZGNhc3Q","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"soundcloud":{"key":"soundcloud","url":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/smartrecruiters\/sets\/hiring-success-podcast-1","label":"SoundCloud","class":"soundcloud","icon":"soundcloud.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/3bM8YzLjM2G9qJXLBBySaB","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/www.smartrecruiters.com\/blog\/feed\/podcast","embedCode":"Keeping interview questions focused on jobs<\/h2>\n
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Be consistent: Maintain ongoing training<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s all about the job<\/h2>\n
Legal or Not? The Answers on Asking Interview Questions<\/a><\/blockquote>