Four Recruiting Tips for Employers

It seems like everyone is looking to hire great employees. Here are four things you can do to improve your process and stay in compliance with the law. First, update the job description before you advertise. Have the duties changed such that the position is no longer exempt from overtime requirements? Is this position now eligible for remote work? Is a college degree still required? Updating the job description may expand your applicant pool and keep you in compliance with wage and hour law.

Second, stick to a standard process. Interview conditions and questions should be the same for every applicant. If some candidates must have their screening interview by telephone, make that the standard for all candidates, even those who live locally. Have a standard list of questions that are relevant to the position so you can fairly compare candidates’ answers and avoid off-the-cuff interview questions that may be inappropriate.

Third, avoid checking social media. Social media may reveal information that has no relationship to a person’s qualifications and should not be part of the decision-making process. If there is a job-related reason to check social media, assign the task to someone who is not making the hiring decision and ask them to share only information that would be disqualifying based on the job requirements.

Fourth, take the time to record, in writing, why applicants were eliminated from the search or selected for the next step in the process. The reasons given should relate back to the job qualifications so you can explain and defend the decisions made.