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Hiring Screening Applicants Stereotyping Equal Employment Job Interviews Decision Making

We are in the process of hiring several new managers. One of the people who are conducting interviews recently said at a meeting that he can tell in a minute if a person has what it takes to be a manager. Several of us told him about the problems and risks that accompany his thinking, and he agreed to keep an open mind. Is there anything else we should be doing in this situation?



With this type of "one minute manager," the best step is to take a few extra minutes not only to advise him of the problems and risks of his approach, but also to give him some guidance regarding the most effective steps in screening applicants.

Individuals who conduct interviews for your organization should be following the same interview track. This generally means that they are asking preplanned job-related questions, competency questions, and work-sample questions, as the interview moves job-by-job through the applicant's career.

It is also important for the interviewer to understand that his view of an applicant can be contaminated by prejudices, biases, previous experiences, and the like. When this interviewer makes a snap decision about an applicant, he is likely to let his expectations influence the way in which he interprets the applicant's responses. This can easily lead to false positive or false negative conclusions.

Perhaps it is time for the company to consider some training for those who are doing the screening. Snap decisions in hiring can cause all sorts of problems, while a snappy educational program can prevent them.



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