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7 Employer Interview Questions All Employers Should Ask

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Employer Interview

Just like employment screening, the employer interview is a critical part of the recruitment and hiring process. It’s crucial to ask focused, high-quality questions. Like the famous Proust Questionnaire from Vanity Fair, queries should be compelling, open-ended and assist the interviewer in finding out how creative and insightful the job applicant can be.

The following are seven employer interview questions to help glean valuable insights from prospective new workers:

1. So, tell me a little about yourself?

Beginning an employer interview this way can garner valuable information that wouldn’t otherwise be procured through direct questioning. It’s open-ended, conversational and allows the interviewer to get a sense of the individual’s communication style and skills.

2. Describe your favorite responsibilities or assignments from your last job and why you enjoyed them?

While resumes tend to offer a list of accomplishments and duties, the answer to this question will delve more deeply into some of their activities. The applicant’s true aptitudes and passions will be revealed.

3. What was your biggest challenge in your last job, and how did you deal with it?

Finding out how a new hire will tackle problems and pressures in the workplace is essential in determining if they will be a good fit.

4. What is your typical role in group projects?

The answer to this question will reveal if the person is a leader, a follower, or someone who can take both roles as needed.

5. How do you think your previous employer would describe you?

This query is another way of finding out the job applicant’s strengths and weaknesses as well as more insight into their self-concept. It will also help to reveal if they will be a fit in an organization’s culture.

6. Where do you see yourself in two years? Five years?

This classic interview question can help to expose the job applicant’s longer-term goals and motivations. Employers can get a sense if they plan to stay long-term at the company.

7. Would you like to ask me any questions?

Wrapping up an employer interview with this question allows for turning the tables and seeing a little more about how the candidate’s mind works. If they answer “no,” it could indicate a lack of depth and interest in the company; however, it could also mean the interview felt complete and they have done their homework about the job.

High-quality employer interview questions along with professional reference verification can assist in determining if a job candidate is a good fit. Employer interviews should consider asking these seven questions during the recruitment and hiring decisions process.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/06/18/10-job-interview-questions-you-should-ask/

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

Reading Between the Lines: Interpreting LinkedIn Profiles During Pre-Employment Applicant Screening

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A new job applicant might have an impressive LinkedIn profile with lots of interaction and hundreds of endorsements, but how does an employer tell the different between someone with social networking savvy and someone with actual, relevant skills and expertise? Find out how to read between the lines on LinkedIn so you can find candidates during the pre-employment applicant screening process that truly meet your needs.

Pre-Employment Applicant Screening

Understanding LinkedIn Profiles During Pre-Employment Applicant Screening

Endorsements Likely Don’t Mean Much

LinkedIn’s endorsement system lets users endorse each other for various skill sets and knowledge. On the surface, an endorsement is someone backing a user’s claim that he or she has a specific skill. In reality, it’s hard to tell whether endorsements are genuine or are just users patting each other on the back. LinkedIn’s system suggests users endorse each other, and agreeing with a self-stated skill on the platform is as easy as liking a post on Facebook. Take the skills and endorsements list with the same grain of salt you would take similar information listed in a resume.

Look for Knowledge Displays

As with information on traditional resumes, experience, education, and work history on LinkedIn can be falsified or inflated. It’s harder to pass off incorrect information in an online environment where past coworkers and bosses might also have profiles, but it’s not impossible. Instead of taking a profile at face value, dig deeper into the descriptions a candidate supplies on their profile. Look for industry or career-specific verbiage. Lack of any verbiage—or verbiage clearly used in improper context—is a clue that the person has inflated his or her experience. Other knowledge displays that help you decide if an applicant is genuine include links or lists of publications, education lists, and interaction in groups on the platform. Pre-employment applicant screening services can include verification options for past employment verification, education verification, and professional license verification.

Don’t Rely Solely on LinkedIn

Never rely solely on the information in a LinkedIn profile—or a traditional resume—when hiring a candidate. Verify professional references and work history and use pre-employment applicant screening services to ensure the candidate meets your requirements when it comes to issues such as driving records or criminal background checks.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

The Buck Stops With Human Resource Managers: The Importance of Pre-Screening Applicants

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For human resource managers, the importance of finding qualified candidates, in a timely fashion, must be carefully balanced with who that person really is. With the increase of violence in today’s workplace, these human resource decisions are more critical than ever.

Human Resource Managers

What is workplace violence? According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) it is defined as “Any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site.” It can range from simple verbal threats to physical violence, and in some cases, even homicide. In 2014 alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were 403 workplace homicides.

When such instances occur, many times the employee’s file will be reviewed to see if there were any other instances of this behavior at work. But what that won’t even uncover is what a thorough background check may have uncovered prior to hiring.

Thorough background screenings and checks can help better determine the character and quality of a candidate before they are hired. They can also demonstrate that human resource managers have done their due diligence in each hire. This can be critical when the human resource office is where the buck stops.

Beyond conducting extensive background screenings, OSHA also recommends workplaces initiate a zero tolerance policy when it comes to workplace violence. They also believe a well-constructed and implemented workplace violence prevention program combined with administrative controls and training can minimize violent incidents.

OHSA makes a point in reminding employers that their workers have a right to a safe workplace. In fact, Federal law requires that employees have “a safe and healthful workplace.” It is important to note that the law does not make a distinction between small or large businesses in this matter.

As violence in the workplace increases, human resource managers should step up the intensity of their applicant pre-employment screening.

Simply contacting past employers and personal references may not be enough anymore. Acquiring the services of a background screening company can help. This step can better protect fellow employees, the company involved and the human resource managers. It is a step that, especially in today’s environment, should be carefully considered.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

4 Tips for Effective Social Media Hiring and Marketing

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Social Media Hiring

Social media has saturated the online world, with users drawing value from it personally as well as when seeking out products, services and entertainment. Businesses can benefit from social media hiring as well as other social media usage in a number of areas from building and promoting a brand to drawing in quality new hires.

The following are some of the top ways to use social media hiring in business:

1. Business Branding

Social media allows companies to spread their brand message in a much more dynamic way than with just a static website. Social media home page designs should be consistent with the company website and other marketing materials. The tone and objective of all posts should mirror the company’s mission statement and brand ethos.

2. Spreading Goodwill

Business and customer relationships are a two-way street, and social media allows for an extremely effective way to communicate and share positive sentiment with current clients and potential new customers. Business promotion via social media should include:

  • Posting information and media that informs, uplifts, entertains, or otherwise adds value to the reader’s experience
  • Thoughtful, attentive responses to user comments
  • Hiring a social media manager if needed
  • Testing, assessment and fine-tuning results using metrics like built-in analytics

3. Workplace Branding and Recruitment

Social media isn’t just for business branding; it’s also a great way to “brand” and promote the company as a desirable, fun, or hip place to work. Posts featuring an insider view of what it’s like to work for a company can help to draw in ideal candidates. The social media site LinkedIn can be used to recruit quality talent directly, but spreading the word via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can be highly effective as well. These types of social media hiring practices are becoming more common. Companies have found social media hiring to be a cost-effective way of hiring candidates who are more likely to be engaged with the company’s mission and values.

4. Employee Screening

Social media can sometimes be used as a component of pre-employment screening. From their LinkedIn profile to their personal social media pages, the online postings of an individual offer a way for employers to determine if they will be a fit. However, care should be taken that this process is used fairly and consistently. It is also advisable to use reliable vetting tools like a professional employment screening service.

Social media is all but ubiquitous these days, and businesses have taken notice. Social media hiring and the other applications of social media can help any company to achieve new heights of success in the areas of branding, promotion, customer relations, and recruitment.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

Branding Success: 5 Ways to Protect Your Brand from the Inside Out

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Branding isn’t just about logos and marketing; it’s also about the integrity of the inner workings of a business. A company may have the ideal image acting as a veneer for a great first impression; however, if there isn’t integrity and consistency at the core, the image and brand will inevitably suffer.

Branding Success

Business owners can use these branding tips to protect their business brand from the inside out:

  1. Create a Company Mission Statement

If a business doesn’t have a set of clear goals and values, they cannot be upheld and adhered to by staff. Every business should have a mission statement to inspire staff as well as inform the brand, marketing, direction and ethos of the workplace.

  1. Have Management Set the Tone

A ship needs a captain, and each department should have management at the helm that exude brand integrity. If a company’s leadership is acting on behalf of the company mission statement, staff are more likely to follow suit.

  1. Employment Background Screening

The honesty and integrity of staff members is crucial to a solid workforce and a trustworthy brand going forward. Using pre-employment screening for all staff is essential in making sure that quality individuals are hired. Employment background screening can assist businesses in finding out if an applicant has a criminal record or a poor credit rating, allowing them to avoid negligent hiring.

  1. Create an Appealing Workplace Culture

While businesses have branding that the public sees, each workplace culture also has its own “brand.” Take steps to create a workplace culture that supports the needs of staff and draws in ideal workers. This internal brand can be “advertised” and promoted via social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube to coalesce the cultural ethos and draw in workers who are a fit.

  1. Post-Hire Screening

While pre-employment background screening is crucial for selecting new hires, many employers are extending the screening process to existing staff. Post-hire screening at regular intervals can help to ensure that current staff are still a good fit according to SHRM.

Branding isn’t just about creating a surface-level appearance that’s attractive to clients; at the most successful companies, it goes much deeper than that. For a business to have impact and longevity, branding must extend to the core of a workplace. Use these five steps for branding success from the inside out.

Disclaimer Statement: All information presented is never intended as legal advice and is for information purposes only.

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