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Old School
Recruiting & Staffing
Old School
Exchange ideas about sourcing, screening, interviewing, finding passive candidates, measuring your results, and more.
I started at a family owned company that is still run the old school way by the good ole boys. My main job is recruiting for hard to find skilled trade employees. Whenever I interview candidates, with
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Forums » Topic Forums » Recruiting & Staffing » Old School
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 6:38 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 10/11/2007 Last: 10/11/2007 |
I agree with nork3 - get a lawyer (make sure it's a man of middle age) in there to talk reason with them and make sure he brings information on what it has costs firms in your state in lawsuits. Nothing hits home like the financial impact. Good luck! |
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 6:38 AM EDT
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Posts: 4
First: 8/23/2007 Last: 2/12/2009 |
Call their corporate attorney if they have one to provide some legal advice to the owners. The lawyer (or the State DOL) can put it in dollars and cents, which will hit home..bottom line conversation always does. And...consider finding a new position. Outside of the legality (or lack therof) of asking those questions, you also have to consider how you feel about a situation where an applicant who may have been discriminated against as a result of their answer to one of those illegal interview questions. Us HR types tend to lose sleep at night when that stuff happens. I would proceed with caution. |
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 6:39 AM EDT
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Posts: 4
First: 8/23/2007 Last: 2/12/2009 |
Call their corporate attorney if they have one to provide some legal advice to the owners. The lawyer (or the State DOL) can put it in dollars and cents, which will hit home..bottom line conversation always does. And...consider finding a new position. Outside of the legality (or lack therof) of asking those questions, you also have to consider how you feel about a situation where an applicant who may have been discriminated against as a result of their answer to one of those illegal interview questions. Us HR types tend to lose sleep at night when that stuff happens. I would proceed with caution. |
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 9:39 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 10/2/2007 Last: 10/11/2007 |
I found it useful to appeal to both the manager's business rationale and his pocket book.
The business rationale of not asking prohibited questions is: 1) the answers don't give us any information that is useful to determining whether the employee will be successful on the job; 2) because of 1, the questions unnecessarily expose the company to expensive complaints; and 3) the questions may end up discouraging candidates we so desparately need. I also share with managers news clippings of the large verdicts and settlements, to put monetary numbers behind the results of misconduct. Finally, I share with managers cases where managers have been sued and held individually responsible for large monetary damages. I note that most states and corporate bylaws do not provide for indemnification of employees who engage in wilfull violations of the law and that most homeowners insurance policies don't cover employment related suits. The result is that errant employees who violate the law could lose houses, cars, and job. |
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 10:07 AM EDT
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Posts: 6
First: 2/25/2002 Last: 10/11/2007 |
I too have joined a family firm recently that is definitely an old boys network and, as you can see by my name, I am not one of the old boys.
There are many things going on in my company that I find problematic in 2007. However, I find the way to make those changes is sometimes taking baby steps, shoring up my knowledge of the particular problems/issues as Dave Arnold suggested. You can ensure the information finds it's way into the hands of your boss and the other interviewers sometimes via an email and an 'FYI, thought you might be interested in this' to the less subtle cut & paste off the EEOC website (as I recently did) identifying cases that have been finalized, who lost and why! It made the point & my boss is willing to tackle our problem now. It is extremely difficult to change people's minds overnight--if you feel the job is worth it, then it is worth your time and the education you will gain in attempting to correct the behavior. After all, as HR people, this is frequently what we negotiate between managers and employees--a correction of poor or inappropriate behavior. |
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 11:46 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 10/11/2007 Last: 10/11/2007 |
Frankly, there is nothing you can do to change their minds. Your best bet is to simply cover your back. Document conversations you have had with them regarding these practices as well as any educational documentation you have provided them with in regards to proper questions and hiring processes. This way you will have shown your due diligence in trying to provide a proper and legal process.
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Old School
posted at 10/11/2007 11:52 AM EDT
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Posts: 6
First: 2/25/2002 Last: 10/11/2007 |
Well I disagree, you can change their minds. But it's all in your approach. I agree, Chris, you do need to document your efforts & due diligence.
I'm slowly gaining credibility in my organization and I had the first plant understand why they had to change some of their 'hey this is the way we've done it for 50 years' thinking over a fairly critical issue. The VP gets it & will spread that to his other plants, so baby steps... And, this is a good company--there any many things they do right and well so I think it's worth my time and effort. |
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Old School
posted at 10/12/2007 2:51 PM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 10/12/2007 Last: 10/12/2007 |
I have always ascribed to the policy that if my employer is doing anything illegal, unethical, or immoral, I start looking for a new job. I have no problem quitting a job when my employer violates my personal professional, ethical and moral standards. |
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