Staying Out of Danger Zones
What interview questions should you avoid? You will ask safe questions by keeping them related to the position you are attempting to fill. Ask the candidate about their knowledge, skill set, and experience. You do not want to inquire about their inclusion in a protected class such as their gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, etc.
You Don’t Need to Know Everything
There are many danger zones that are not as obvious. For instance, the individual may have gone to the same university. As a result, you are inclined to ask what year they graduated to see if you were there at the same time. Employers generally do not need to know a candidate’s age.
If you need to know if the candidate is 18 to qualify for the position, then the question would be “Are you 18 or over?” You also cannot ask if they are married, if they want to be married, if they want children, or if they have children.
Prepare for the interview process by using the job description to script strictly job related interview questions. You should make sure that everyone involved in the interview process understands what you are looking for in a candidate and what kind of questions should be asked.
Other Topics to Avoid
The topics below should not be raised, unless the candidate brings up questions about these topics.
- Worker’s Compensation
- Unemployment Insurance
- Sick Leave
- Family Medical Issues
- Accommodations for Disabilities
This post is provided by the HR Pros at the HR Support Center. When you need essential information on human resources issues, from benefits, hiring and management, to culture, technology and regulations, HR Support Center is a resource on which you can rely.
