The Role of the Interviewer

April 13, 2006

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Your role as the interviewer includes conveying the following information to the applicant:

the nature of the job
the skills you want
pay, although some interviewers do not discuss pay until a job offer is made
benefits
working conditions
information about your business

As the tables turn. Applicants are sharper these days, and most applicants will have some questions for you, too. As the market of qualified applicants shrinks, high-quality applicants may become rarer, and it may be the employer who has to sell his or her business as the place to work. You have to give applicants information that keeps their interest in working for you high. But don't oversell — it can be dangerous.

An employer in Denver was held liable for getting an applicant to move from New Orleans and take a job even though the employer knew that the project the employee was being recruited for was in serious financial trouble.

What if an applicant asks tough questions? Be honest. There's no sense in giving applicants a false sense of what to expect.

If an applicant asks about the possibility of becoming a partner in the business later on and you don't have any intention of taking on a partner, don't tell the applicant that it's possible. The applicant may take the job for that reason alone, and when it becomes clear that it isn't going to happen, you'll have one resentful employee on your hands. You can also be held liable in a breach of contract lawsuit, if the employee decides to sue.