Recruitment and Selection (15%)

Interviewing Skills and Techniques

1. Plan Ahead - know the job description and what the hiring manager wants out of this candidate. 2. Create Rapport - help the interviewee feel comfortable 3. Listen - paraphrase, apply 70/30 rule, and ask open ended questions 4. Non-verbal Behaviors - look for inconsistencies between verbal and nonverbal cues (be careful about bias) 5. Be Inquisitive - Ask a lot of open-ended questions. Plan your questions ahead of time. Be consistent with all candidates 6. Paint a Realistic Picture - Don't sugar coat it. be realistic about the company culture, job, etc.. The interviewee is also interviewing the org. 7. take Notes - Avoid anything that may be considered discriminatory 8. Be Courteous - Be professional and make sure you have reviewed the applicant's resume beforehand

Records Retention: Drug Test Records

1 year from test date (up to 5 years for records relating to drug testing for DOT positions). Enforced by Department of Transportation (DOT).

Records retention: Affirmative Action Plan/data

2 years. Enforced by Executive Order 11246 (federal contractors), and the Uniform Guidelines on Employees Selection Procedures (100 or more employees).

Records Retention: Polygraph Test Records

3 years - test results and reasons for administering. Enforced by polygraph Protection Act (one or more employees).

Negligant hiring

A claim made by an injured party against an employer based on the theory that the employer knew or should have known about the employee's background which, if known, indicates a dangerous or untrustworthy character.

Veteren and Disabled Status

Federal contractors with $25,000 or more in contract value must abide by regulations related to affirmative action requirements for disabled and veterans. As of 2014, all fed- eral contractors are required to invite self-identification as disabled and veteran from both applicants and employees. The EEOC has determined that it is acceptable to request identification of disability prior to an employment offer being extended as long as the invitation form is the one specified by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and it is in an effort to comply with affirmative action obligations. Any request for accommodation during the application process should be handled as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act

Group Interview

Group interviews happen when multiple job candidates are interviewed by one or more interviewers at the same time. Group interviews are used in specific situations where a number of candidates are being considered for the same job in which the duties are limited and clearly defined, such as a merry-go-round operator. A fishbowl interview brings multiple candidates together to work with each other in an actual group activity or exercise. It is similar to an in-basket exercise except it involves a group of candidates. A team interview typically involves a group of interviewers with a perspective of the actual interactions associated with the job. This might include supervisors, subordinates, peers, customers, and so on. It is like a 360-degree exercise

Online vs. Hard Copy

Hard- Copy Records: Job applications and résumés can provide an insight into the candidate's organization and language skills. Sloppiness and misspellings can be readily detected on paper records, particularly on résumés. Asking applicants to fill out a form can offer some insights into their reading skill, penmanship, written articulation, and inner work standards. When such records are converted to electronic format, the same types of information may not be as obvious. Online Records: The most obvious advantage of electronic records is that they can be shared by multiple people at the same time. In the case of group interviews, this can be particularly nice. Many years ago there were problems with the legality of electronic signatures on e-documents. The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act of 1991 remedied that problem for the most part.

Social Media Searches

How a candidate acts on social media isn't just a reflection of their professionalism and personality. Their online behavior can also be a sign of how they will represent your business as an employee. This does not violate laws and is safe to do for the most part.

Records Retention: Form I-9

I-9s must be kept for 3 years after date of hire or one year after date of termination, whichever is later. Enforced by the Immigration Reforma and Control Act (IRCA ) (1986) (on or more employees).

Alternative Staffing: Part time vs. full time

In addition to contributions toward Social Security and Medicare, there are many financial considerations related to full-time versus part-time workers. Where local employment taxes are based on head count, part-time workers can cost more than a full-time staff. Under the Affordable Care Act, employers can escape paying for benefit coverage of some workers if they maintain a part-time status. By policy, other benefit programs may or may not be available to part-time workers. It is not uncommon to have access to an IRA or other retirement programs based on the number of hours worked each week. The amount of supervision available can also impact the ratio of full-time to part-time workers.

Patterned Interview

In the patterned interview, sometimes called a targeted interview, an interviewer asks each applicant questions that are from the same knowledge, skill, or ability (KSA) area; however, the questions are not necessarily the same. They differ depending on the candidate's background. For example, questions asked of a recent college graduate may differ from those asked of a candidate with years of related experience.

Race, Gender, Sex in the Public Sector

In the public sector, the EEO-4 report has not expanded its list of five race/ethnic categories. They are as follows: White (not Hispanic) Black or African-American (not Hispanic) Hispanic Asian (including Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, but not Hispanic) American Indian, Native American, or Alaska Native (not Hispanic)

Directive Interview

In this type of interview, an interviewer poses specific questions to the candidate, maintaining tight control; it is a highly structured interview. Every candidate is asked the same questions.

Nondirective Interview

In this type of interview, the interviewer asks open-ended questions and provides only general direction; the interviewer allows the candidate to guide the process. A response to one question dictates what the next question will be.

Internal Recruitment

Internal recruiting can be handled either formally or informally. In union-represented organizations, a procedure for internal job postings is usually specified in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or union contract (Collective Bargaining Agreement—CBA). Internal recruiting can contribute substantially to your overall placement needs. Generally speaking, internal candidates are less expensive to obtain than external candidates. Employers often find it is less expensive to recruit job candidates from internal sources. When people are already on the payroll, transferring them to a new job assignment reduces the costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and even sometimes Social Security and Medicare tax. - Internal Job Postings - Former Employees

Behavioral Interview

Interviewer focuses on how the applicant previously handled actual situations (real, not hypothetical). The interviewer probes specific situations looking for past behaviors and how the applicant handled those experiences. The questions probe the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other personal characteristics identified as essential to success on the job. The interviewer looks for three things: a description of an actual situation or task, the action taken, and the result or outcome. The principle behind behavioral interviewing is that past performance is the best predictor of future performance.

Self Identification

Invitations to self-identify as part of the application process should be treated as confidential, just as all other HR data is considered confidential. We know from the Fair Labor Standards Act and the EEOC requirement for annual filing of the EEO-1 report that many employers are required to establish and maintain records of employee demographics. The categories of information are for race, gender/sex, veteran, and disabled status.

Legal and Privacy Issues with Reference Checks

Keep reference check info confidential to avoid any privacy or legal violations (similar to medical exam info). Records should be kept in a secure place.

Alternative Staffing: Contractor Payrolling

When a job needs to be done and the organization does not want to hire someone onto its own payroll to do that job, an alternative is to contract with a vendor who will hire someone to do the job at the client organization. Contractor payrolling is used when you need to adjust to seasonal fluctuations, fill a vacancy while searching for a permanent replacement, bridge the gap in personnel when there is unexpected growth, or use interns for a set period of time. It has many applications, and the greatest benefit is in protecting against charges that the person hired is not an independent contractor but an employee, a problem that cost Microsoft just under $100 million dollars in payroll taxes, penalties, fines, and legal fees. This is usually a process used for less than an entire workforce. When single employees or small groups of employees are needed, payrolling services can solve the need.

Situational Interview

a structured interview in which the interviewer describes a situation likely to arise on the job, then asks the candidate what he or she would do in that situation

Structured Interviews

interviews in which all applicants are asked the same set of standardized questions, usually including situational, behavioral, background, and job-knowledge questions. Make sure interviews are consistent among applicants.

Stress Interview

Type of interview in which the interviewer assumes an aggressive posture to see how a candidate responds to stressful situations. Not used very much anymore due to potential for personal bias.

Prescreening Interviews

Type of interview that is useful when an organization has a high volume of applicants for a job and face-to-face interviews are needed to judge prequalification factors (skills and salary expectations, etc..)

Post Offer Activities: Medical Examinations

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers may require medical examinations only if the exams are job related and consistent with business necessity and only after an offer of employment has been made to the candidate. The purpose of the exam is so it can be used to determine whether the candidate can perform the essential job functions and/or whether a reasonable accommodation is necessary.

Reference Checks

Employment references Information that you ascertain from previous employment of the applicant to verify dates of employment, job titles, and type of work performed. Many employers are reluctant to provide more information than name, rank, and file number for privacy reasons, but as long as the information is factual and provided in good faith, most states consider it "qualified privileged," which protects the reporting employer. Educational references Verifying the applicant's degrees or educational attainment, including years of attendance and requests for transcripts. Financial references Generally used only when candidates will be handling financial transactions, cash, or other financial resources. Financial references are obtained through one of the three credit reporting bureaus and are subject to requirements of the federal FCRA.

Public Employment Services:

State employment services Each state has an agency dedicated to providing job search services to job seekers, which includes free posting for job openings of all types of jobs. Many include job search centers where formerly employed workers can have a one-stop place to view openings, obtain assistance with their interviewing skills, and get help with résumés. Veterans' organizations Most state employment agencies have linkages to veterans' organizations and often have veteran coordinators on their staff to maintain those relationships. Get to know these people and how they can help with your recruiting efforts. Organizations for the disabled Many qualified job seekers are classified as disabled for one reason or another. In many cases, the disability will have no impact on that person's ability to perform the essential job functions. Don't overlook a valuable resource. Local educational institutions High schools, community colleges, and universities will usually be glad to post job opening information so their graduating students can find employment in their chosen field of work.

Onboarding and Orientation Recommendations

Welcome by the CEO/senior executive Providing evidence that senior management cares about employees can begin during orientation. Senior executives who believe it isn't worth their time convey a strong message also. Discussion about culture This is an opportunity to discuss "the way we do things around here." What does the employer value? What gets rewarded in the organization? What type of image does the employer want to project to the world? What are expectations of ethics? Enrollment in benefit programs This is an opportunity to complete payroll tax forms, benefit enrollment forms, and self-identification forms for race, sex, disability, and veteran status. Tour of employee common areas This can include the cafeteria or break room, the location for labor law compliance posters, and restrooms. Safety equipment and emergency exits This is often overlooked when it should be on the orientation agenda. If there are emergency breathing apparatus, eye-wash stations, emergency shutdown switches, first-aid stations, or other important safety points of interest, this is the time to show each new worker where they are. Safety training in how to use emergency equipment will come later. Introduction to co-workers and supervisors Guide the employees to their new work locations and introduce them to their new co-workers and supervisors, even if they may have met some of them during the interviewing process. Have someone designated to explain where to get office supplies, how to access computer terminals, and who to ask when questions come up. These things are just common employment courtesy.

Advantages of Job Application Forms

- Consistently gather the same data in the same format from each prospective employee. - Gather information about the applicant's credentials that candidates would not usually include in a résumé or cover letter (ie. why they left). - Obtain the applicant's signature attesting that all statements on the employment application are true. - Obtain the applicant's signature enabling a potential employer to check the veracity of all data provided on the employment application, - Get the applicant's signature to attest that the applicant has read and understands certain employer policies and procedures that are spelled out on the employment application (I.e. EEO employer, at will employer, drug testing etc..) - Obtain the applicant's signature agreeing to a background checks - Obtain voluntary self-identification data about race, sex, disability, and veteran status to enable proper reporting to government organizations as required and analysis of employment data by the employer.

External Recruitment Sources:

- Employment Agencies: Mostly for tech & execs - Employee Referral: Good for retention - College and University Recruiting: Entry level - Professional Trade Associations: - Diversity Groups: Good for protected group and referrals. - Supplies and Vendors: Good for word of mouth. Be careful about poaching. - Previous Applicants: Good because of skills and interest are already known. - Labor Unions: Good for cross-industry referrals and talent. If your company has a union, be careful about union laws regarding internal hiring before going to other unions. - Walk-Ins: Better for small businesses and jobs (bar tenders, retail, etc..)

Alternative Staffing Practices:

- Flexible Staffing - Temporary Employees - Job Sharing - Part-time vs. Full-time - Project Hires/Contract labor/Gig Employees/Floaters - Retiree Annuitant - Phased Retirment - Contractor Payrolling - Employee Leasing and Professional Employer Orgs (PEOs) - Outsourcing and managed services providers (MSPs) - Temp to Lease Programs

Recruitment Sources

- Internal - External

Race, Gender, Sex

All employers with 100 or more employees and all federal contractors with 50 or more employees and contracts of $50,000 or more (or a construction contract valued at $10,000 or more) must maintain sex and ethnic identification of each employee. There are seven race/ethnic categories on the EEO-1 form. So, an invitation to self- identify given to employees and job applicants should contain all seven categories. They are as follows: - White (not Hispanic) - Black or African-American (not Hispanic) - Hispanic - Asian (not Hispanic) - Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (not Hispanic) - American Indian, Native American, Alaska Native (not Hispanic) Two or more races (not Hispanic)

Applicant Databases

Applicant databases track applicants' information for job openings and are standard for the type of recordkeeping needed in both small and large organizations. Federal contractors and organizations with 100 or more employees are required to maintain records of job applicants. - Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): provide an automated method for monitoring and tracking the information on applicants from the time they first apply to selection or non-selection, and beyond (such as when a future opening occurs). These systems range from simple Excel spreadsheets to elaborate and sophisticated modules of the human resource information system (HRIS). They provide reports that can be used for EEO-1 reporting and affirmation action plans (AAPs) - Hiring Management System (HMS): More advanced than an ATS. Integrates with recruiting web sites by moving the candidate's information directly from input into a database. This reduces the errors and allows for faster communication responses via the prescreening capabilities of the HMS. An HMS also provides additional recruitment support with using templates, auto-responders, and standardization of communications. Most HMSs will have advanced report-writing capabilities that can be customized

Pre-employment Testing

Because of EEO concerns, many organizations ceased testing in the 1970s. Pre-employment testing may involve the risk of litigation on the grounds that the tests discriminate against minorities, the disabled, or other classes of protection if improperly conducted. However, if properly conducted, nondiscriminatory formal tests can be of great benefit in identifying and screening good candidates. A general guideline that is followed for pre-employment testing is like that of any other phase in the hiring processes: the test must be a valid, reliable, job-related predictor. Care must be taken to comply with the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991 as well as the ADA and any state laws that may apply and be restrictive to pre-employment testing.

Background Checks

Before conducting background checks or credit checks, review the current legal limitations on their use. The EEOC has issued guidelines on consideration of conviction records because the population of convicted felons is so heavily skewed with people who are African-American or Hispanic. Considering conviction records has a disparate impact on those two racial groups. Thus, only if the conviction has a direct relationship to the job content will considering it in the hiring decision be permitted by the EEOC.

Public Records

Can uncover information about violent behavior, substance abuse, and property crimes such as theft or embezzlement. It can be difficult to extract this level of information if your organization is a private employer, so many times you'll need to employ an investigative third party that does have the ability and credentials to obtain a public record. Criminal record checks are considered consumer investigations and must comply with related FCRA requirements.

Alternative Staffing: Contract Labor

Contract labor (fixed term) refers to people who are hired for a specific period of time. An organization may believe that the workload will last until this time next year. So, it contracts with people to handle that workload for the year. At the end of the contract, those folks will come off the payroll, whether or not the project has concluded. They could be "extended" (payroll status maintained) for a designated period of time if the workload has not diminished.

I-9 Form

Created by IRCA (1986) to prove employee identity and right to work in the US. Every person hired after November 30, 1986 must furnish information on a Form I-9, and the employer must complete the document citing the specific identification presented by the new worker. The employer must also cite the document used to prove the new employee has authorization to work in this country. - Proof of Identity - Photo identification such as driver license. - Proof of Work Authorization: SS card or the like.

Post Offer Activities: Drug Testing

Employers risk the torts of negligent hiring if they knowingly hire a drug or alcohol abuser who causes harm to someone while on the job. That along with federal mandates for some employers and/or occupations is the purpose behind pre-employment drug testing. Validated studies by OSHA have proven that drug-screening pre-employment tests reduce job-related accidents. Drug screening tests are specifically excluded from the ADA's medical exam requirement. The successful passing of a drug test may be required prior to extending an offer of employment.

Records Retention: Selection, Hiring, and Employment Records

Employment records must be kept for 1 year after creation or hire/no hire decision was made (whichever is later). 3 Years for federal contractors. The following laws require employment records to be kept. - ADEA - ADA - Civil Rights Act (7) - Rehabilitation Act (section 503 - federal contractors) - Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (Federal Contractors) - Executive Order 11246: Affirmative Action (Federal Contractors) - Service Contract Act - Davis Bacon Act - Walsh Healey Act (federal contractors).

Credential Verification

May be necessary when a job requires a credential, such as a license or certification. Negligent hiring could occur if an employer did not verify professional or technical certification. Such would be the case of a physician whose license expired or was revoked and still performing a procedure that was unsuccessful on a patient.

Records Retention: Credit Reports

No retention requirement; law requires shredding of all documents containing information derived from a credit report; don't discard for at least 1 year though. Enforced by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT) (1 or more employees).

Alternative Staffing: Temporary Employees

One change to full-time employment is the use of temporary employees. It is not necessary to hire people by putting them on the payroll. Employers can expand their workforce quickly and easily by contracting with temporary talent agencies to satisfy their need for additional people. Temporary workers can be used on production lines, in accounting departments, or in any other portion of an organization experiencing a workload that cannot be handled by the permanent staff. Agencies pay their employees, take care of payroll withholding and tax reporting, add a profit margin, and then pass the final rate to the employer contracting for that help.

Alternative Staffing: Employee Leasing and Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs)

Similar to payrolling, employee leasing is a process of moving employees to another company's payroll as a service for a client organization. Typically, professional employer organizations will take over the entire workforce in a client company. PEOs provide payroll services, tax tracking and depositing, retirement program management, healthcare benefit program management, and even employee counseling and support services. In essence, employee leasing is the outsourcing of the human resource department and the payroll function together. Employees usually become employees of both organizations: the client where they perform their work and the vendor (PEO) that handles the payroll and HR functions for the client. It means both employers are liable for legal compliance

Resumes Vs. Job Applications

So far, no state or federal law or regulation requires employers to use job applications or résumé forms in their employment process. What is required by state and federal law is that employers meet the requirements of equal employment opportunity laws and be able to demonstrate that they made their employment decisions without regard to any of the protected categories Obviously, information categories should not include things such as birth date, race, sex, marital status, or other reference to protected categories. Race and gender/sex are required data points for employees. Employers must either capture that information through employee self-identification or by best guess (via observation). Affirmative action employers (federal goods and service contractors) must invite job applicants to self-identify their race and gender/sex when they submit their application. That information is supposed to be diverted from view of the hiring manager or recruiter. Normally, it is routed to the HR professional responsible for accumulating and analyzing the database it will be entered i

Interviewing Biases:

Stereotyping: This involves forming a generalized opinion about how candidates of a particular gender, religion, or race may think, act, feel, or respond. An example would be presuming a woman would prefer to work indoors rather than outdoors. Inconsistency in questioning: This involves asking different questions of different candidates. An example would be asking only the male candidates to describe a time when they used critical-thinking skills in their last job. First-impression error: This is when the interviewer makes a snap judgment and lets their first impression (be it positive or negative) cloud the entire interview. An example is where credence is given to a candidate because the person graduated from an Ivy League college. Negative emphasis: This involves rejecting a candidate on the basis of a small amount of negative information. An example is when a male candidate is wearing a large earring plug and in the interviewer's judgment this is inappropriate, yet the job that the candidate is interviewing for is a phone customer service position—there is no customer visual contact. Halo/horn effect: This is when the interviewer allows one strong point that he or she values to overshadow all other information. Halo is in the candidate's favor, and horn is in the opposite direction. Nonverbal bias: An undue emphasis is placed on nonverbal cues that are unrelated to potential job performance. An example is a distracting mannerism such as biting nails. Contrast effect: This is when a strong candidate has interviewed after a weak candidate and it makes them appear more qualified than they actually are—only because of the contrast. Similar-to-me error: The interviewer selects candidates based on personal characteristics that they share, rather than job-related criteria. An example would be that both interviewer and candidate attend the same local NFL sports team home games. Cultural noise: This is when a candidate is masking their response, providing what is considered as "politically correct," and not revealing anything or being factual. (doesn't have to do with culture).

E-Verify System

The program was intended to reduce the number of false positives received when the Social Security Administration was checking new hire reports for invalid Social Security number matches. The Department of Labor now requires federal contractors who are subject to the affirmative action regulations to participate in E-Verify. And, as time has passed, the accuracy of the Social Security number database has improved. As of August 2013, nine states require all employers to participate in the E-Verify program and there is pending legislation for 11 more states.

Recruitment Methods:

There are a variety of recruiting methods to attract applicants from the outside. Finding ways to effectively reach the targeted skilled candidates requires you to put on a marketing and sales hat, because this is exactly what it takes. You must figure out how to reach your candidates using the marketing tools and methods available, all at a cost that is within your recruitment budget. - Advertising: Traditional and social media - Traditional Media: Newspapers and magazines (also offer services online now) radio, television. - Internet and Social Media: job boards, LinkedIn - Job Fairs and Open Houses: Usually for entry to mid level jobs as well as seasonal hiring and positions that have high turnover rates (Sales, BDR, etc..)

Panel Interview

questions are distributed among a group of interviewers, typically those most qualified in a particular area. At the conclusion of the panel interview, the panel caucuses with the purpose of coming to a group consensus regarding the result. Panels can be structured or unstructured. In the public sector, consistency is often a key factor in selection decisions, so structured interviews are conducted by panels. Panel members will sometimes ask the same question of each candidate, and some- times the panel members will alternate their selection of questions to be asked