Recruiting online is fast, easy, cheap, and even fun, but dangers lurk within. This article, and a special May 1 BLR audio conference, will teach you how to navigate around them.
Have you done any e-cruiting lately?
No, not recruiting. That’s old hat! E-cruiting.
E-cruiting, of course, is the buzz word flying around HR these days for finding new employees on the Internet and through related technology. It’s all the rage. Some nine of every 10 employers have tried online ads and 52 million Americans have looked for work there, both for very good reasons:
–Worldwide reach. Why advertise in the community when you can do so in the world! Internet ads can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. Your candidate pool is virtually unlimited.
–Ripple Effect. Posting a job ad on the Net is like tossing a stone into water. The ad will likely be indexed by search engines, will ripple through the “blogosphere” and be otherwise repeated, and will very likely reach the exact populations you’re looking for.
–Low Cost. Some job boards, such as Craigslist, charge little or nothing to post, and e-mailing solicitations to potential candidates can be done for a few dollars per thousand. Compare that to the cost of postage and printing for paper solicitations.
–Search Capability. Google will take you right to websites and forums focused on the skills you seek. You might even entice someone not actively looking for a job.
Enter the Law
But while the technology has its benefits, it also has its legal risks. For this reason, BLR has announced a special May 1 audio conference titled The Secrets of E-Cruiting: How to Boost Your Online Results and Reduce Your Legal Risks.
Here are some tips on how to e-cruit legally:
–Beware the Default Setting. Many companies use software to set up and manage Internet job ads. It’s tempting to let the default setting put in the “boilerplate” of your ad, but realize that this copy may have been written to federal standards on equal opportunity while your state’s standards may be different. Check what the defaults say against all the requirements of your jurisdiction, and modify as needed.
–Beware the Delete Key. Because net ads have a wide reach, expect a flood of resumes. It will be tempting to simply delete the obvious rejects instead of printing them out and filing as you would the paper version. Don’t do it! An “obvious reject” may later legally ask the reason for the rejection, and you’d better have the paperwork to answer. Print and keep all resumes on file for at least a year.
–Take Care in E-mail Correspondence. E-mail is so easy and informal that you may be tempted to let down your guard in communications with potential hires. Again, don’t do it! Email leaves a paper trail all the way to the courthouse, and any question or comment that can be construed as discriminatory or illegal probably will be. Have standard responses to the most common questions or refer applicants to a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page in the careers/jobs section of your company website.
These tips just scratch the surface of what you need to know about e-cruiting. To learn more, we recommend the audio conference.
The presenter, attorney Joseph L. Beachboard, of the law firm Ogletree Deakins in Los Angeles, has a long record of briefing HR professionals on cutting edge issues. The fact that he is Executive Director of the exclusive Management Employment Law Roundtable adds to his considerable expertise.
Click on the link below to register, then train all the staff that can fit around a conference phone for one low fee. You’ll be the better e-cruiter for it.
Do Online Recruiting Legally!
A new way of hiring brings new legal risks. Learn about the legal issues in e-cruiting in a special May 1 BLR audio conference, The Secrets of E-Cruiting: How to Boost Your Online Results and Reduce Your Legal Risks. Can’t attend? Pre-order the CD. Click here for more information.