Authors: Inc The Staff of Entrepreneur Media

Start Your Own Business (57 page)

BOOK: Start Your Own Business

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Prescreening Candidates

Two important tools in prescreening job candidates are the resume and the employment application. If you ask applicants to send in a resume, that will be the first tool you use to screen them. You will then have qualified candidates fill out an application when they come in for an interview. If you don’t ask for a resume, you will probably want to have prospective employees come in to fill out applications, then review the applications and call qualified candidates to set up an interview.

In either case, it is important to have an application form ready before you begin the interview process. You can buy generic application forms at most office-supply stores, or you can develop your own application form to meet your specific needs. Make sure any application form you use conforms to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines regarding questions you can and cannot ask (see “Off Limits” on page 365 for more on this).

Your application should ask for specific information such as name, address and phone number; educational background; work experience, including salary levels; awards or honors; whether the applicant can work full or part time as well as available hours; and any special skills relevant to the job (foreign languages, familiarity with software programs, etc.). Be sure to ask for names and phone numbers of former supervisors to check as references; if the candidate is currently employed, ask whether it is OK to contact his or her current place of employment. You may also want to ask for personal references. Because many employers these days hesitate to give out information about an employee, you may want to have the applicant sign a waiver that states the employee authorizes former and/or current employers to disclose information about him or her.

When screening resumes, it helps to have your job description and specifications in front of you so you can keep the qualities and skills you are looking for clearly in mind. Since there is no standard form for resumes, evaluating them can be very subjective. However, there are certain components that you should expect to find in a resume. It should contain the prospect’s name, address and telephone number at the top and a brief summary of employment and educational experience, including dates. Many resumes include a “career objective” that describes what kind of job the prospect is pursuing; other applicants state their objectives in their cover letters. Additional information you may find on a resume or in a cover letter includes references, achievements and career-related affiliations.

WILLING AND ABLE

T
he Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 makes it illegal for employers with 15 or more employees to refuse to hire qualified people with disabilities if making “reasonable accommodations” would enable the person to carry out the duties of the job. That could mean making physical changes to the workplace or reassigning certain responsibilities.

While the law is unclear on exactly how far an employer must go to accommodate a person with disabilities, what is clear is that it’s the applicant’s responsibility to tell the employer about the disability. Employers are not allowed to ask whether an applicant has a disability or a history of health problems. However, after the applicant has been given a written or verbal explanation of the job duties, you may then ask whether he or she can adequately perform those duties or would need some type of accommodation.

For further clarification, read the laws, regulations, and enforcement guidance documents available online from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at
eeoc.gov
.

Look for neatness and professionalism in the applicant’s resume and cover letter. A resume riddled with typos raises some serious red flags. If a person can’t be bothered to put his or her best foot forward during this crucial stage of the game, how can you expect him or her to do a good job if hired?

There are two basic types of resumes: the “chronological” resume and the “functional” resume. The chronological resume, which is what most of us are used to seeing, lists employment history in reverse chronological order, from most recent position to earliest. The functional resume does not list dates of employment; instead, it lists different skills or “functions” that the employee has performed.

e-FYI

When looking for employees, don’t overlook these lesser-known sites:
FlipDog.com
,
JobBankUSA.com
and
NationJob.com
. Also, check out niche sites, such as
Accounting.com
for accounting positions or
Dice.com
for tech professionals.

Although chronological resumes are the preferred format among HR professionals and hiring managers, functional resumes have increased in popularity in recent years. In some cases, they are used by downsized executives who may be quite well-qualified and are simply trying to downplay long periods of unemployment or make a career change. In other cases, however, they signal that the applicant is a job-hopper or has something to hide.

Because it’s easy for people to embellish resumes, it’s a good idea to have candidates fill out a job application, by mail or in person, and then compare it to the resume. Because the application requires information to be completed in chronological order, it gives you a more accurate picture of an applicant’s history.

Beyond functional and chronological resumes, there is another type of resume that’s more important to be on the lookout for. That’s what one consultant calls an “accomplishment” vs. a “responsibility” resume.

The responsibility resume is just that. It emphasizes the job description, saying things like “Managed three account executives; established budgets; developed departmental contests.” An accomplishment resume, on the other hand, emphasizes accomplishments and results, such as “Cut costs by 50 percent” or “Met quota every month.” Such a resume tells you that the person is an achiever and has the bottom line firmly in mind.

OFF LIMITS

E
qual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, as well as federal and state laws, prohibit asking certain questions of a job applicant, either on the application form or during the interview. What questions to sidestep? Basically, you can’t ask about anything not directly related to the job, including:
• Age or date of birth (except when necessary to satisfy applicable age laws)
• Sex, race, creed, color, religion or national origin
• Disabilities of any kind
• Date and type of military discharge
• Marital status
• Maiden name (for female applicants)
• If a person is a citizen; however, you can ask if he or she, after employment, can submit proof of the legal right to work in the United States
Other questions to avoid:
• How many children do you have? How old are they? Who will care for them while you are at work?
• Have you ever been treated by a psychologist or a psychiatrist?
• Have you ever been treated for drug addiction or alcoholism?
• Have you ever been arrested? (You may, however, ask if the person has been convicted if it is accompanied by a statement saying that a conviction will not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.)
• How many days were you sick last year?
• Have you ever filed for workers’ compensation? Have you ever been injured on the job?
In doubt whether a question (or comment) is offensive or not? Play it safe and zip your lip. In today’s lawsuit-happy environment, an offhand remark could cost you plenty.

When reading the resume, try to determine the person’s career patterns. Look for steady progress and promotions in past jobs. Also look for stability in terms of length of employment. A person who changes jobs every year is probably not someone you want on your team. Look for people with three- to four-year job stints.

At the same time, be aware of how economic conditions can affect a person’s resume. During a climate of frequent corporate downsizing, for example, a series of lateral career moves may signal that a person is a survivor. This also shows that the person is interested in growing and willing to take on new responsibilities, even if there was no corresponding increase in pay or status.

By the same token, just because a resume or a job application has a few gaps in it doesn’t mean you should overlook it entirely. You could be making a big mistake. Stay focused on the skills and value the job applicant could bring to your company.

Interviewing Applicants

Once you’ve narrowed your stack of resumes down to ten or so top candidates, it’s time to start setting up interviews. If you dread this portion of the process, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are some ways to put both yourself and the candidates at ease—and make sure you get all the information you need to make a smart decision. Start by preparing a list of basic interview questions in advance. While you won’t read off this list like a robot, having it in front of you will ensure you cover all the bases and also make sure you ask all the candidates the same questions.

The initial few moments of an interview are the most crucial. As you meet the candidate and shake his or her hand, you will gain a strong impression of his or her poise, confidence and enthusiasm (or lack thereof). Qualities to look for include good communication skills, a neat and clean appearance, and a friendly and enthusiastic manner.

Put the interviewee at ease with a bit of small talk on neutral topics. A good way to break the ice is by explaining the job and describing the company—its business, history and future plans.

AHA!

Posting a job on an online job site offers you advantages like 24-hour access to job postings, unlimited text for postings and quick turnaround. They also allow you to screen candidates, search resume databases, and keep your ad online for a long period of time—30 to 60 days—vs. a newspaper ad, which runs for only one weekend.

Then move on to the heart of the inter view. You will want to ask about several general areas, such as related experience, skills, educational training or background, and unrelated jobs. Open each area with a general, open-ended question, such as “Tell me about your last job.” Avoid questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no” or that prompt obvious responses, such as “Are you detail-oriented?” Instead, ask questions that force the candidate to go into detail. The best questions are follow-up questions such as “How did that situation come about?” or “Why did you do that?” These queries force applicants to abandon preplanned responses and dig deeper.

Here are some interview questions to get you started: