Good hiring practices can help you find and keep the best candidates, and can even help keep you out of court. A key part of this is making sure your employment ads are accurate and non-discriminatory. Before placing a help wanted notice in a trade publication or a local paper, evaluate it with the following questions in mind. One or more “no” answers means you should rethink the ad before it goes to print.
- Is the ad based on an updated job description?
- Have you already posted the job internally?
- Does the ad include a statement that you are an equal opportunity employer?
- Does the ad avoid any language that might indicate a preference for applicants of a certain age, race, national origin, gender, or religion?
- Does the ad avoid any language that might discourage someone from applying because of their marital or family status?
- Does the ad describe only skill requirements that are essential to the job description?
- Does the ad focus on the requirements of the job rather than the type of person you’re looking for?
- Does the ad use gender-neutral terms, such as “server” instead of “waitress”?
- Does the ad accurately state how much experience the candidate must have in order to perform the job successfully?
- Does the ad include a photo of people who work for your company? If so, does it give the impression that you employ a diverse workforce?
Win the Online Recruiting War
Poorly organized online recruiting campaigns can harm you more than they help you. Find out how to make the most of your efforts with our free White Paper, Win the Online Recruiting War.
Additional Resources:
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Enforcement Guidance
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing