Money Doesn’t Talk

“Now that I can’t ask about previous wages to make sure we’re in the same ballpark, how do I know if a candidate will be happy with what I can offer?”

Your HR Survival Tip

Since the new law went into effect on 1/1/2018, you can no longer ask what a candidate earned previously. This means you don’t ask what their base wage was, you don’t ask how much they earned in bonuses or commissions, and you don’t even hint they might want to tell you. In fact, don’t even ask what they’d like to make.

You not only can’t ask, you really don’t even want the candidate to volunteer that information because it becomes legally risky for you. In the end, you shouldn’t care what they want or what they’ve made because each position is worth a certain amount of money to you and that’s the number that’s important.

So, how do you dance around this vital part of interviewing? You tell them your range and merely ask if it is acceptable. It’s that simple… and that difficult. Providing your range means you need one. Don’t rely on the free online sites for developing your range. They are rarely  [click to read more …]

Legal Interview Questions

“I’m hiring more employees but friends are warning me about what not to ask. How do I know what I can and can’t ask?”

Your HR Survival Tip

The biggest problem with interviews is when you veer off questions about the work and start asking more personal questions. You may think they are job-related but are they really?

When you ask something, think about what you really want to know and adjust your question accordingly. While the candidate can volunteer personal information, you can’t ask for it. Here are some examples of the most common questions that will get you in trouble. The first question is the wrong thing to ask, followed by your legal option(s):

Do you have children? vs. Are you able to work overtime or come in early when needed? Can we depend on you being at work every day? How old are you? vs. Are you over 18 years old? (And stop. There are no other questions you can ask.) When did you graduate from school? vs. Have you graduated? Do you have a degree/certification? Do you have a car? vs. Do you have reliable transportation to ensure you are at work on time every day?  [click to read more …]