Interview Notes, Filing and Retention

MaryB

Does anyone have a practice they would care to share on the filing and storage of candidate interview notes. I'm looking for how they are stored (with/not with the application), how they are filed and how long you retain them.
Also - how does this work if you manage large areas that managers do their own interviewing? Do you require them to send their notes to HR or keep based on a retention schedule?

Gillian3

The retention period is two years in California. The rest is to decide what is best for you and do it the easiest way that you can. If you have a bunch of off-site managers doing this, expect that there won't be the degree of completeness that you would have if you did it. If you can create a system where they send you the notes after each recruiting effort you will be ahead of the game.

Don D

It's a scary proposition to think of a group of managers out there taking desk notes and either sending them in OR rat-holing them. It's difficult enough to try to keep them up to speed on dos and don'ts of interviewing, much less trying to teach them notetaking 101. I might rather tell them, "Don't send them to me, shred them and don't ever bring them up." I've thought about it and cannot think of much probability that 'notes' will ever get you out of a challenge. I can think, however, of how they could get you in an awful lot of hot water.

Applications, resumes and references should always support hiring decisions should you need to defend them.

The only reason to have something is if you have a purpose for it. The only reason to keep something is if you think you may have to pull it later. The only reason to pull notes later is to defend a decision you made. I can't see notes helping. But I could be persuaded otherwise.

marc

We are answering this question right now in-house. I must say that Don's analysis is the direction toward which I have been heading. I have reviewed some of the notes recently taken in a round of interviews and comparing the notes with the interviewers recommendations related to the various candidates.

I must say that the cryptic words and phrases noted next to each question bear little resemblance to the interviewers stated impression(s) of each candidate.

From that perspective, I don't see the value in retaining them.

Hunter1

I'll admit that I have an advantage in that I am generally involved in interviews, but, here's my take on the situation: I tell others involved in the interview process that they can write whatever they want during interviews, but at the end of the process, their notes get shredded. My notes are the official notes, and the only ones kept. What's the purpose of doing structured interviews if you're not going to keep notes of the answers so that they can be compared and used to buttress your choice of candidates? You might as well not do interviews if there's no record of them; just rely on what's on the applications, resumes, references, and background checks. If I ask a potential payroll clerk how to calculate a particular pay scenario and they forget to include FICA, I want it in my notes.
I keep the notes on interviews with the applications for the required time period, then they're destroyed with the applications.

Gillian3

This is Ca. and ALL recruiting and selection records are to be maintained for two years.

SMace

I'm not on the shredding bandwagon. What if a protected class gets interviewed. They don't get hired and file an EEOC complaint. They tell the EEOC that the interviewer took notes. It reaches the point where you need to produce the notes. You tell them they were shredded. That will not help your case.

When I train, I discuss taking notes.

1. If you take them, they are not yours, they are the company's.

2. If you write something down you better be prepared to show it a jury.

3. Write down only job related FACTS, no opinions.

Most of the interviewers do not take notes. Sometimes it's necessary because often times hourly interviews are done in day long sessions, one after another. It helps keep track of who is who.

I'm glad this came up. This is a great discussion topic and I'm looking forward to hearing all the sides.

Don D

I have personally been asked specifically by the EEOC about a practice of shredding notes taken during an interview. When it became clear that that was the practice for interviews without regard to race, sex, religion, national origin, creed, handicap or age, the point was dropped. Proving the point was simple as going to the files of the person hired as well as those of the others interviewed and showing them. They already had those files anyway. I'm just of the opinion that if the law does not require it, it's inviting a liability to do so.

On a related note, we probably all know these geniuses we've worked with who put little numbers and codes on applications or resumes or their rating sheets. That's dumber than discriminatory notes.

njjel

I am involved with all interviews and only my set of notes are kept. The only thing in my notes is job related information. Nothing personal at all is in them. They are kept with the application until time to destroy the file. I would NOT however keep notes taken by other mangers - too much exposure there as for the most part they are uneducated on what to jot down and what not to jot.