INTERVIEWING A JOB APPLICANT
“Are you Catholic?” This may sound like an odd question for a job applicant, but not if you are applying for a position as a Catholic priest. While some job applications may not require such scrutiny, it is important to learn as much as you can - within the playing field of California law - in the short time you have with your job applicants.
After you have received job applications from potential employees, the next logical step is to interview those who appear to be good candidates on paper. A good interview not only allows the employer to learn about the applicant, but also to help the applicant learn about the job. So while it is very important to avoid certain questions (like “Are you Catholic” unless the exception above applies), it is equally important to ask the right questions.
The topics you may discuss include whether the employee will be traveling out of town and how often, where the employee will be working, what equipment you will provide the employee, whether there is a uniform or clothing requirements. Of course, outside of the usual salary and benefits discussions, different positions warrant different questions. For example, asking an applicant’s age is not normally permissible, but like many questions, there are always exceptions.
Be sure the applicant understands what is expected if hired. Leaving out crucial detail could later create distrust or anger in the employee, which can in turn affect job performance.
Of course, the interview process is also about learning about the applicant. The interview(s) you conduct should also be used to determine whether the candidate is truly qualified for the position (for example, does the candidate’s education and/or job experience qualify him for the basic job requirements, or is the candidate overly qualified).
Like many things in life, the better prepared you are, the better chance you will enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with the candidate you do hire.
About the author: Peter Stavropoulos is a business attorney whose practice emphasizes the representation of individuals and small to medium businesses, counseling clients on matters ranging from entity formation, employer/employee relations, contract draft and review, and civil litigation. To learn more, please visit www.petestavlaw.com or send an email to peter@petestavlaw.com.
