Staffing 2

mrsbowden

Okay, I think I have sorted my applicants...well for now. I am thinking ahead to the interview process. We may use the PRE-INTERVIEW (20) min. phone conversation to do some eliminating....

So, Anyone willing to offer some advice on GOOD first interview questions to ask....AND MOSTLY things I CAN NOT ASK?

Lastley,
Can I ask someone...why they are leaving their current employer? Why the gaps in employment history?

Thanks everyone...the first staffing responses about resume reviews were GREAT!!! x:-)

Pork

MRSBOWDEN: I attempt to get the individual to reveal without asking: family, a range of income for the family, relocation assistance possibly required. I want to become your umsbudsman in this recruiting and placement action, in order to that I need you to help me fill in some answers that are no your resume/application. Tell me about your: HOBBIES AND ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE WORLD OF WORK. WHAT INTEREST YOU THE MOST WHILE AT WORK AND THEN OUT SIDE OF WORK? WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT WORK?

It is amazing how telephone interviews will open up and tell you everything you need to know that is not in the resume, but provides you sufficient reason to choose this interviewee for additional interviews on site. Always work toward being inclusive, find the hidden "jewel in the ruff", a quality fit within your company and management team. Weed out only those that you do not feel will fit for whatever sound reason. Interview work is much more fun when you can get the interviewee to open up and help you to develop a whole person in order to prevent any embarassment of the interviewee or the company during the on-site interview. Wasting money on a loser will get you a bad reputation as a professional HR person or department. You need to, for the most part, "hit homeruns more often than striking out".

PORK

AJ SPHR

I didn't read your first post, so I don't know what kind of position you're recruiting for, but I always conduct telephone screens (or the manager conducts the telephone screens) as a way to "weed out" those whose qualifications don't meet requirements. I do differ from Pork because I don't try to solicit info about family or outside interests/hobbies. I use the phone screen as a tool to find out specific info regarding their skills and job requirements (e.g. if job requires Excel experience, I ask for examples of what they've done in Excel). I want to know what attracted them to this position, why they want to work for us, what they know about the company (see if they did any research), find out what style of boss gets the best work from them, etc. I do have a form that I can send you if you post your e-mail address.

And, I definitely ask why they're looking for a new job, why they left each job they held, and if there are gaps in employment history, I want to know why there are gaps.

LisaMN

Having a few gaps in my work history I'm curious why so much emphasis is placed on that aspect of employment.

Is it a way to disqualify someone? Is the assumption if you have a gap you were fired from the last employment? Is it to see if you approve of whatever reason is given for the gap? Is it to see if the individual has been completely sucked in by the idea that we are what we do?

I would think with the influx of women into the workforce, the recent downsizings and the variety of circumstances involved in modern life that employment gaps are much more common than they were 25 years ago. Are we stuck in a rut?

Brad Forrister

Well, I've seen gaps that turned out to be a stay in prison, a stay in a mental facility, an employer from whom the applicant embezzled...

I've also seen benign reasons, like staying at home to care for kids, getting married to a rich spouse who wanted to travel for a couple of years, taking time off to write a book...

But I think I'd rather ask the latter group to expand on their resume than take a risk on hiring one of the former group without knowing it.

Brad Forrister
Director of Publishing
M. Lee Smith Publishers

HS

I taylor my phone screens to the job I am recruiting for. But basically I want to know what interested them about our company, what interests them about the position and what do they have to offer us. I would steer clear of the personal questions approach that Pork offers, solely because you could get into hot water if you don't select them for a face to face interview and it comes out that personal info was discussed. Typically my first question is, "Tell me what about my ad made you respond". Very open ended and you find out where their interests lie.

You absolutely can ask why they are leaving their current or last employer. Weed out those that have nothing but negativity. I always ask about gaps in employement because you can learn a lot about an individual. Were they goofing off, did they serve time, were they hard at work looking for another job, were they dealing with a personal situation. Just be sure to steer them off any personal subjects quickly and go back to the job at hand.

mrsbowden

AJ SPHR,
Thank you...thank you all! My email address is [email]casseybowden@ucwv.edu[/email]

I would greatly appreciate any information you have to offer.

Thanks again all!