INTERVIEW DO’S AND DON’T’S ANN HOLDEN KENDELL BrownWinick 666 Grand Avenue, Suite 2000 Des Moines, IA Telephone: Facsimile:

Prepare Ahead of Time Review the job duties for the position Review the job posting Review the conditions for obtaining the position Review key differences between your company and your competitors

Prepare Ahead of Time Thoroughly review the job application to look for potential issues Prepare a list of key questions or bullet points of topics you want to cover Prepare your responses to common questions

Why? Ensures that the employer’s message is consistent throughout the recruiting process AND – Assists you in gathering and providing important information and helps keep the interview focused on the “right” things. And documenting this helps you prove it…

The “Right” Things Important information: About the job – hours, responsibilities, start date, physical demands, pay, benefits, confidentiality obligations and/or restrictive covenants, location and type of work place The qualifications required for the job – experience, education, certifications, etc. How the applicant’s qualifications match with the job qualifications

The “Right” Things Important information: Finding out the level of interest of the applicant in the company and for the specific position – why did they want to apply? Learning whether the applicant is under any restrictive covenants from a previous employer that could affect his or her ability to work for the company

The “Wrong” Things Purposely or inadvertently gathering information from the candidate: About protected class status (religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, etc.) About protected activity (past work comp claims, wage disputes, complaints of illegal discrimination or harassment and OSHA complaints, etc.) About opinions on unions About garnishments and/or bankruptcies

The “Wrong” Things Making promises about hiring Making promises about continued employment Revealing confidential information (personnel information, trade secrets, etc.)

The “Wrong” Questions How old are you? (You may establish that they are over 18) What country are you from? (You may establish that they are authorized to work in the U.S. as that will be required to lawfully hire) Are you married – what’s your spouse’s name? (How is this related to the job?) Who lives with you at your house? (How is this related to the job?) How will you deal with childcare? (How is this related to the job?) How will you get to work? (This is allowed if owning a car is a job requirement) Do you speak any foreign languages? (This is allowed if that is a requirement of the job or if the ability to speak foreign languages is a preference for hiring)

The “Wrong” Questions Have you ever had any work injuries or illnesses that kept you from being able to work? (You may ask if the employee has ever been disciplined for attendance problems) Have your ever been arrested? (Background checks can be performed for criminal convictions and that information used in certain circumstances) Have you ever belonged to a union? Have you ever taken FMLA leave? Do you have any disabilities? (May ask if they need any reasonable accommodations to complete the hiring process – not to do the job) What is your religion? (You may ask if they are available to work certain hours/days) These are just examples – there are many, many more…

The “Right” Questions What do you see as your greatest work success or accomplishment in your life so far? What do like best/least about your current job? Tell me about the best job you’ve had and why you liked it. Describe how you have handled upset customers. What are the qualities of the best supervisor you have had? What weaknesses have you seen in past supervisors? What do you think could have been done better? Give an example of a specific challenge in your past work & how you handled it. Where do you see yourself professionally in five years?

The “Right” Questions What frustrates you the most when you are trying to accomplish a task? (Interruptions, tight deadlines, etc.) What do you think are your best qualities for this job? What do you see as your weaknesses? How do people who know you well describe you? Have you had any experience in leadership positions? What did you like/dislike? Do you prefer working alone or in a group? These are just examples – there are many, many more…

Disability Issues Pre-Offer: Employer may ask if the candidate needs a reasonable accommodation to complete the hiring process Employers also may inquire about how an applicant would perform the job, including reasonable accommodations, under certain limited conditions, including: when the disability is obvious when the applicant voluntarily has disclosed a disability when the applicant voluntarily has disclosed the need for reasonable accommodation.

Disability Issues Post-Offer: Employer may ask the candidate to submit to a procedure or test that seeks information about physical or mental impairments or health Drug or alcohol testing Strength and agility testing

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