Masonry Magazine June 1997 Page. 20
ALWAYS check references before hiring. This is such a simple job but when it is overlooked the results are disastrous. Some applicants are excellent interviewers but poor employees. Unfortunately people falsify references all the time. Ask each candidate for three past employers and call to verify those references are legitimate. Specifically, you want to verify dates of employment, attendance, and punctuality, and job related skills. Keep in mind that you should ask only job related questions when checking a reference. Asking for personal information may be illegal.
Sample Questions for Checking References:
What was the employee's reason for leaving?
How long did he/she work at your company?
What other positions did he/she hold?
If given the chance, would you hire this person again?
It may seem that this is a lot to do for each and every time you hire someone. However, it is only through well thought-out, well prepared interviews that you can make a hiring decision that will benefit the company. The funny thing is that the better you get at interviewing, the less you will probably have to do it.
Answers To Quiz
1. Lawful. This information is necessary to ensure that the applicant has a legal work permit that allows permanent stay in the United States. It is unlawful to ask if the person is a naturalized citizen or whether he or she has acquired citizenship.
2. Unlawful. Arrest does not necessarily mean conviction. An applicant can be arrested but not convicted. It is lawful to ask if the employee has been convicted of a felony. However, this can be used for employment rejection only depending on the number of convictions, the nature and recency of the convictions and if the conviction is job-related.
3. Unlawful. This questions is unlawful unless the job requires certain physical skills for successful performance of duties. It would be better to ask, "Do you have any physical or health related problems that may effect your job performance?"
4. Questionable. The employer would have to prove that this question was job-related.
5. Lawful. The response would tell of the applicants skills and abilities.
6. Unlawful. It is illegal to ask this of a man or a women.
7. Lawful. This response would tell of an employees job related skills and abilities.
8. Lawful. This may be asked if you avoid such characteristics as age, sex, race and religion.
9. Lawful. You may ask the question if speaking and writing a foreign language is a requirement of the job?
10. Unlawful. This question can be used to discriminant against an applicant on the basis of race, sex or religion.
11. Unlawful. Any questions regarding children or child care are discriminatory because they are not job related. If you are worried about an applicants attendance you can check if absentism was a problem when you make a reference check.
Top Five Interviewing Tips
Be Prepared
Set the Tone
Ask open-ended questions
Ask only lawful questions
Resist the Urge to hire someone after one interview
Involve other people in the interviewing process
Always Check References