Home Health & Hospice Week

Here are some questions to ask — and avoid — during an interview.

While every manager must eventually choose who will join his or her team, not everyone is comfortable interviewing potential new hires.

Hiring a new employee is always a tough job, but it’s become “more difficult in recent years because myriad local, state and federal laws now outline what you can — and can’t — do during an interview,” says consultant Gene Pressler. Use this guide to avoid common interview pitfalls. Start: An open position on your staff is the perfect opportunity to examine the job’s requirements and write up a description that accurately reflects the work you need the new employee to perform. However, you shouldn’t inflate the job description to weed out candidates that you simply don’t like.

Example: Your previous employee may have lacked higher education, but if it didn’t affect how he performed his job duties, then you can’t use his example to screen potential employees — unless you decide the position requires a worker with an advanced degree.

Best: Create a detailed job description that outlines the education level and experience a candidate must have. Then stick to that description, even if it means the only candidates are those that you wouldn’t choose as personal friends.

Set Parameters For The Interview

You may have many questions for your next hire, but there are only a few that you are legally allowed to ask. You can ask any question that will help you determine whether the person has the skills, interest and motivation to perform the job.

Do this: Describe your business’ operations and benefits. Mention any disadvantages, such as paperwork the position requires or if the candidate will need to speak in front of large groups often. This is the right time to discuss any overtime, deadlines or other pressures associated with the position. Here are a few sample questions:

How did you hear about this job opening?

Why are you leaving (or why did you leave) your current (or last) job?

How does this job fit in with your career plan?

What might make you leave this job?

How would past coworkers describe you?

How many workdays did you miss during the last year? What were the reasons?

How would you describe your relationship with your last (or current) supervisor?

Don’t do this: You should never ask personal questions during a job interview. Stay away from questions like these:

How old are you?

Where were you born?

Is your name Jewish, Irish … etc.?

Are you married?

Do you plan to have children?

Do you have a sitter for your children?

What does your spouse do for a living?

What was your maiden name?

Do you live alone?

Where do you go to church?

Your interview questions should help you get an idea of how well the candidate will fit the position, and give the candidate detailed information about the job.

In the days following your interviews, carefully consider every potential employee to assess which would fit well on your staff. Rather than simply using subjective criteria (such as “I just liked him”), use your job description as an objective guide to determine which candidate should get the job.

Next step: Once you’ve selected your new employee, take a few minutes to note why you declined the other candidates, including any adverse statements the candidates made or experience the candidates are missing. This way, if someone accuses you of discrimination or favoritism, you can defend your choice.