Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved CHAPTER 9 Applications, Interviews, and Background Checks

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved INTRODUCTION You need two basic ingredients for good service. You need good training, but before that, you need the right people. Don’t bother hiring and training the wrong ones. -Nicholas Nickolas, Restaurateur -Nicholas Nickolas, Restaurateur

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved TALES FROM THE FIELD The job interview…  Who should do most of the talking during the job interview?  What is the interviewer’s primary goal?  Are background and reference checks necessary in smaller properties?  When may background and reference checks be unnecessary?  What risks does management take when it hires an applicant “on the spot”?  Do such practices impact employee morale or employee turnover?

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved TALES FROM THE FIELD Falsifying a job application…  Should falsifying a job application be grounds for immediate dismissal?  Should a prior criminal conviction automatically take a job applicant out of the running?  What other types of information should be sought on the job application?

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved CHAPTER OVERVIEW  The purpose and value of a job application  Questions on the application to avoid  Ho the application protects management’s rights  Preview the job application  Interview techniques  Off-limit topics of discussion  Interview goals  Avoid negligent hiring lawsuits  Background and reference checks  Avoid charges of libel and slander

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved THE JOB APPLICATION  Provides a fact sheet about each job applicant  Offers a standardized format that asks relevant, job-related questions such as: A well-designed job application… 1.Name 5. Work history 2.Address 6. Education 3.Phone Number 7. Special skills 4.Type of job wanted 8. References The job application assists management in matching the right applicant with the right job

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved NOT ALLOWED  Place of birth  Religion  Race  National origin  Birth date  Age  Medical history In most circumstances, certain questions on the job application are considered illegal because of federal, state, and local EEO laws If the job applicant is in fact later hired, however, then much of this information may be legally obtained…

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved JOB APPLICATION PROTECTS MANAGEMENT’S RIGHTS  Applicants must sign and date the application  Signature allows management to check references and do routine background checks  May include an at-will statement to ensure that application is not construed as a contract of employment

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved PREVIEW THE APPLICATION  Make general observations about the applicant  Observations may reveal a lot about a potential employee  Preview allows managers to determine whether or not to schedule a personal interview with the applicant

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved THE JOB INTERVIEW  Closed-ended questions  Open-ended questions  Situational questions  Behavioral questions Questioning techniques include the following:

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS  Direct questions that generally lead to a short, yes or no-type answer  Effective technique to use at the beginning of the interview  Allows interviewer to quickly cover ground and to get a feel for the applicant’s demeanor and skills

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS  Indirect questions which are designed to draw a lengthier, more detailed answer from the applicant  The majority of questions asked should be of the open-ended variety, as this technique requires the applicant to elaborate on his answers in more detail

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS  Presents a hypothetical situation to the applicant, which enables the interviewer to evaluate the applicant’s answer based on his approach and solution to the hypothetical question  Examples include, “what if” type questions Some experts believe that these types of questions may only lead the applicant to provide the answer that he thinks the interviewer wants to hear, and that there is no way of knowing if a person would actually respond in the way that he states that he would…

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS  The applicant is asked to describe an actual occurrence that may have happened on the job or in an educational setting  Example: “Tell me about your most recent experience working as part of a dysfunctional group?” Questions such as this are almost always followed up with more probing questions, which allow the interviewer to focus on key aspects of the answer

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved A GOOD FIT? A GOOD FIT? Management’s goal is to match the right applicant with the right job and to determine whether the applicant is a “good fit” Management’s goal is to match the right applicant with the right job and to determine whether the applicant is a “good fit”

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved ILLEGAL QUESTIONS TO AVOID  Marital status  Parental status  Age  National origin  Religion  Medical and disability issues An applicant’s age could be a BFOQ, but care should be taken in the way that the question is asked. An applicant’s age could be a BFOQ, but care should be taken in the way that the question is asked. “Are you of legal age to serve alcohol in this state?” is allowed. “Are you of legal age to serve alcohol in this state?” is allowed. “How old are you”? is not allowed. “How old are you”? is not allowed.

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved AVOID NEGLIGENT HIRING If an employee’s actions hurt someone, the employer may be held liable The threat of liability gives employers reason to be cautious in checking an applicant’s past A bad, or negligent hiring decision can wreak havoc on a company’s budget and reputation Most employers no longer feel secure in relying on their “instincts” as a basis to hire someone

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved BACKGROUND CHECKS  Criminal record checks  Driving record checks  Pre-employment drug testing  Psychological testing (honesty tests and personality tests) In some situations, management must first obtain the applicant’s permission and often a signature before obtaining certain background records. examples include education records, military service records, medical records, credit reports

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved EMPLOYMENT REFERENCES  Reference checks may be as simple as a brief telephone call to an applicant’s former employer to verify facts such as date of employment, salary, job title.  Reference checks limited to such factual information are relatively easy to accomplish

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK  You may ask any question you like, but you will not likely get an opinion, only the facts  Employers fear lawsuits based on libel and slander  Information provided should be factual and easily defended in court

Copyright © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved SUMMARY  The purpose and value of a job application  Questions on the application to avoid  Ho the application protects management’s rights  Preview the job application  Interview techniques  Off-limit topics of discussion  Interview goals  Avoid negligent hiring lawsuits  Background and reference checks  Avoid charges of libel and slander