Interview questions

[kevinastill]

We are a new start up sales and marketing organisation offering email marketing, telesales, mkt research, training, recruitment etc.... we now have our first number of clients and are looking to employ individuals, one question we have is, what are the limitations to interview questions? One question in particular I want to ask is if they have a criminal record and other similar questions!? Is this acceptable to ask in interviews??

Please advise.

Rgds

Kevin

[plotloss]

Its acceptable to ask, but if they say no you have no way of checking if they do unless you ask them to fill in a CRB check.

So is it worth it?

[JonRB]

Indeed. If they do have a criminal record then they're hardly going to be the kind of moral, upstanding person who would tell the truth, are they?

[Snoremeister]

It is perfectly acceptable to have the question on the application form. You then have their response in writing and can be used at a later date should anything come to light.

[steviebee]

State that due to the nature of some of the work you do, it is a requirement that all potential employees are police checked.

This is a service that costs £175 to set up and then £50 per check .

You don't necessarily have to check them but to state that you will should give you an opportunity to guage a reaction .

If they are OK with it - fine. If not, bells should start ringing!

[plotloss]

I have to say I disagree with that Steve.

I am a CRB signatory due to 'er indoors business.

If I was asked to grant authority to a CRB search I would refuse on general principal. I have nothing to hide but I just dont like the idea of a ruined trusted relationship from the outset.

[Tango2]

It's best to put the question on the application form, then have the applicant sign the form at the bottom, with a discalimer stating that all information is correct. Then in the 'Co rules and regulations/staff handbook' have a statement to the effect that should any information on their application/medical details be found to be incorrect, they will be subject to disciplinary action - that way, should anything come to light at a later date - ie in conversation, you can 'act' accordingly.

[Ex-Biker]

You can't carry out a CRB check without the written permission of the person you are checking.

The interesting bit is once the check is returned to the company doing the check, it cannot be released to the client until the person has seen it and given further permission.

We normally (as already suggested) get a signature stating they have no criminal record.

When you interview them, ask if the mind a criminal record check being carried out. If they mind, ask why.

If you need a check doing PM me.

[simpo two]

In telesales a criminal record may help ... anyway, does it matter, as long as they don't nick stuff?

[mudfish]

mudfish said:

This is very dodgy ground you lot are treading. Current employment law / legislation dictates what you can and cannot ask in this area and also how you ask it. If you word this wrong you may not have a leg to stand on. I think your best getting professional HR advice on this. There is a huge difference between "spent convictions" and "current convictions" there is also a bearing on these points and what kind of job the potential candidate will be doing. If I remember rightly certain spent convictions do not have to be disclosed after a certain number of years (dependant on the crime). Giving you absolutely no right to query this.

[Tango2]

Read an article today that stated that any question pertaining to a possibly emotive subject is very dodgy ground - ie religion, who looks after the kids etc. Also said that any interviewee can request (for a maximum payment of £10), a copy of the interviewers notes on their interview...