10 Suggestions for Screening New Hires
By John Kennedy, President of the Jewelers’ Security Alliance

John Kennedy's tips are excerpted from a JCK magazine article titled "Hiring for the Holidays," which appeared in September 2000. Reprinted with permission from JCK.

1. Have all candidates fill out a written employment application.  Focus on questions relating to the candidate’s ability to do the job, including prior employment and education.  Try to obtain as much personal information as possible, including other names used, previous addresses, social security number, and driver’s license number.  Make copies of as much of this information as you can.

2. Avoid discriminatory questions during interviews.  Don’t ask questions about race, religion, gender, age, prior arrests (criminal convictions are acceptable), sexual preference, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, children, disability, type of military discharge, height, or weight.

3. Get permission to confirm information.  Before making an offer, have applicants sign a release permitting you to confirm information by contacting former employers, schools, and other sources.

4. Be careful on credit checks.  There are elaborate federal laws regarding credit checks.  If you run a credit check, be familiar with those laws and prepare a separate release for the applicant to sign specifically mentioning permission for the credit check.

5. Ask for two to three personal references.  And call them.  “You’d be surprised how many people don’t do it,” says Kennedy.

6. Call former employers.  Confirm dates of employment and job title and ask if the candidate is eligible for rehire.  If you ask questions about the candidate’s job performance, don’t be surprised if the former employer refuses to answer.  But listen carefully to the tone of his or her voice.

7. Confirm prior schooling.  This is especially important if the applicant lists jewelry-related education, such as courses from the Gemological Institute of America.

8. Check for prior histories of retail theft.  Contact United States Mutual Association (USMA) for this service at 800-860-0343 or visit www.usmutual.com.

9. Bring candidate in for a second interview before hiring.  It’s well worth the extra time.

10. Make employment conditional on background checks.  If you must hire a candidate before the background process is complete, inform him or her that continued employment depends on the results of the background check.