Avoiding Unprofessional & Illegal Interview Questions
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When you work in healthcare, you often spend as much (or more) time with your co-workers as you spend with your family. Therefore, you want to make sure that the people you hire can perform the job and interact well with patients and co-workers. Sometimes interviewers, in an attempt to get to know a candidate better, ask questions that are not only too personal but outright illegal.
CareerBuilder reported in a recent study that:
- 33% of employers could not accurately identify illegal questions
- 20% of interviewers asked at least one illegal question
It is important to always make sure you ask legal questions of candidates. Here are common illegal questions and more appropriate ways to gather relevant information.
Don’t ask, “Where were you born?” Employers want to make sure they are not hiring people who are not authorized to work in this country. If you phrase your question this way, you violate the law because you cannot ask about an applicant’s country of origin.
Do ask, “Are you authorized to work in the U.S?”
Don’t ask, “Why were you discharged?” Asking about the nature of a military discharge is illegal.
Do ask about the work experience, skills, and training obtained during military service. People who were honorably discharged often bring up the subject.
Don’t ask, “When are you going to retire?” Organizations want to limit turnover; however, you do not want to ask a question that relates to a person’s age.
Do ask about long-term career goals such as “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Don’t ask, “Do you have kids?” An organization cannot deny employment to someone based on whether that person has or is planning to have children. Asking this question, even in an attempt to break the ice, casts doubt on whether your hiring decision was made legally.
Do ask, “What shifts/hours are you available?”
Don’t ask, “What religion are you?” Some people observe the Sabbath (Saturday for Jews, Sunday for Christians). It is, however, illegal to ask questions about religion.
Do ask about availability. “What days are you available to work?” is a question that allows you to determine if a candidate can work the scheduled hours without getting into the issue of religion.
Keep it Performance-Focused
In addition to avoiding illegal questions, there are steps you can take to increase the odds of a successful hire. Prepare for each interview by reviewing the résumé beforehand and writing down any questions you want to ask. Make sure you use interview questions that focus on a person’s job performance and ability to work with others.
It is legal to ask cutesy questions such as, “If you were a tree, what type would you be?” However, an interview is also a time for you to convince an excellent candidate that the job is right for him or her. Poorly thought-out questions undermine your credibility.
Always Be Professional
You want candidates and the community to know that your organization hires the best person for the job. If you ask a person questions about his or her age, family, or religious practices, you open your hospital or practice up to legal action. Avoid asking a question if you have any doubt about its legality. Make sure anyone meeting with applicants knows to keep all questions related to behavior and performance on the job.
Sources
http://www.businessinsider.com/illegal-interview-questions-2015-4
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