Check out ” Sneaky Hiring Tricks That Job Seekers Must Know” that was on the front page of Yahoo on 8/11/09. Lots of Buzz generated on this one! Be sure to check out the comments when you Buzz It Up!
“In this highly competitive job market, employers and recruiters are using unconventional techniques to screen candidates. It’s not enough to just be prepared for the interview; job seekers need to be prepared to be judged even when it’s not clear they’re being judged.” Read more.
Tags: hiring managers, hiring tricks & tactics, job candidates, job seekers, recruiters, Tina Hamilton
Employers should also be aware that this “technique” of looking inside a candidate’s car is illegal. Much can be gleaned about an individual by looking inside their car outside of how neat and diligent they are. For example, a baby seat would indicate that the candidate has a child, a church newsletter could indicate their religion, an AARP pamphlet the candiate’s age, etc. Since it is illegal to ask a potential candidate his or her age, religion, or parental status, an employer is taking a very big risk indeed by using this unconventional screening method. Even though the information is obtained incidentally, an average person would agree that many pieces of out-of-bounds personal data would easily be obtained in the course of an “auto screening” and easily passed on to a hiring manager by, say, a receptionist. Therefore, lack of intent would not be a defense in a discrimination action.
Yes, it is a highly competitive job market, but it is also a highly competitive market for the employer’s themselves, and an employer would have to be a fool to risk a lawsuit in such a precarious economy.