Equality Advice Centre 

 Recruitment & Selection  

We all don't like coming up against obstacles. In the labour market breaking down unnecessary barriers will help improve practises, increase knowledge and understand disability, gender or race. By promoting a change in the workplace culture, people can be given the best possible opportunity to be a success, whatever their background. Everyone is valuable in the workplace.

It is important to review recruitment, selection, promotion and training procedures regularly, so you are ensuring you are delivering on your guidelines.

Advertising Job Vacancies

Advertisements will be based on the information enclosed in the job description and the person specification. The objective is to design an advert that will be cost effective, be non-discriminatory in its use of language and attract a field of applicants who are able and willing to do the job. Vacancies should be advertised in media, which is likely to reach prospective applicants in all areas of the community. Here are some 'do's & don'ts', they are not exhaustive and are only suggestions.

Do's and Don'ts

Do
• Ensure the advert is placed in the press before publication deadline and advertise in plenty of time so you don't have a long period of time trying to fill the position at such short notice.
• Indicate salary range as it shows existing staff is on equal pay.
• If a vacancy is linked to a particular equal opportunity programme, then text of the ad should reflect this.
• Declare commitment to equal opportunities by stating you are an equal opportunities employer.
• If you encourage flexible working arrangements, state so in the advert.
• Provide a contact number for candidates to informally discuss the post.
• State the location of the post, this will help candidates decide if travel to work is practical.

Don't
• Highlight attributes and qualifications - there is a danger of unfairly discriminating against some candidates.
• Discriminate against someone on grounds of disability, gender or race, it is unlawful (link to legislation).
• Use age limits in job adverts and think carefully about the English used.

Job Descriptions

A job description is a clear and concise account of the tasks performed and responsibilities carried out for a particular job. Job descriptions explain what is done on the job, how it is done, and why it is done. Each job description typically lists the job's three to five most important responsibilities, and each responsibility statement usually begins with an action verb.

It is important that job descriptions are:

• Written to a standard format to enable valid comparisons to be made. Take account of all major tasks and/or responsibilities.
• Suitable in style and content for use in more than one section or department.
• Cover the range of factors chosen for a job, and are checked and agreed by the job holder and the job holder's manager.

An effective job description is concise and straightforward, and includes:

• the overall title and aim of the job (e.g. to ensure that quality standards are met, to produce accurate information about costs);
• what the new employee will do (e.g. plan, design, etc) and what he/she will work with (e.g. stock, customers etc);
• the skills and knowledge which a person will need to have, or be able to acquire, in order to do the job well.

Benefits

• It will help applicants make informed decisions about whether or not to apply. Saves time.
• It will help you compare applicants and ensure that your decisions can be justified if questioned.
• It can be used as the basis for adverts, for the interview and selection process, and again in the future for appraisals, promotion or similar recruitment exercises.

Application Forms

An application form should provide the essential information you require to go through unsuitable applicants quickly and to decide on the best shortlist for interview. Application forms can help the recruitment process by providing necessary and relevant information about the applicant and their skills.

The design of the form needs to be realistic and straightforward, appropriate to the level of the job. It is good practice to:

• Ask only for the bare minimum of personal details. Name, address and a telephone number is enough.
• Invite applicants to draw from experience gained outside employment where this shows that they have skills needed for the job, for example skills gained in voluntary work or during a career break.
• Double check that questions will give you information, which relates directly to the job and your requirements.
• For compliance with the legal requirements and codes of practice on race, sex, disability and age discrimination information for monitoring purposes should be recorded at this state. Any information such as marital status, ethnic origin or date of birth requested should be clearly shown to be for this purpose only, and should be on a separate sheet or tear-off section. Such information need only be provided on a voluntary basis.
• Medical information should also be obtained separately and kept separate from the application form. Additionally, the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 need to be noted - if any recruitment records are to be held on computer or in a manual system, the applicant should be advised of this and for what purposes and duration the information is to be held.
• It is good practice for all applications to be promptly acknowledged by letter.
• Ask, specifically, whether an applicant has a disability. In these cases, you may need to consider making special arrangements for the interview;
• Give a specific deadline for submission of applications including a time, provide the address and fax details for where the applications should be sent.
• If possible provide the candidates with the interview dates in advance to enable candidates to make arrangements for attendance.

Using application forms has the following advantages:

• Comparing is easier. CVs can be time-consuming and may not provide the information required.
• They provide the basis for an initial shortlisting, and then for the interview the standard of completion can be a guide to the candidate's suitability.
• If writing and presentation skills are essential to the job state this, however, be aware of the possibility of disability discrimination.
• Application forms provide a record of qualifications, abilities and experience as stated by the applicant.

However, there are less positive aspects of application forms:

• There is a temptation to use application forms to try to extract too much information, e.g. motives, values and personality characteristics.
• The form should concentrate on the experience, knowledge and competencies needed for the job. Some people may dislike filling in forms and so be put off applying for the job.
• Some very experienced people may find the form inadequate, whilst those with little in the way of qualifications or experience may be intimidated by large empty spaces on the form.
• Application forms add another stage, and therefore more time, to the recruitment process.
• Application forms may inadvertently be discriminatory. For instance, to require a form to be filled out 'in your own handwriting', where written English is not relevant to the job, may discriminate against those for whom English is not their first language, or who may not have well-developed literacy skills.

Shortlisting Candidates

The challenge for the interviewer is to reduce the total number of applications to a more manageable number in a way that is fair, valid, reliable and cost-effective.

To make effective decisions that can be justified take account of the following:

• Have more than one person carrying out the shortlisting, to reduce the risk of prejudice or bias.
• Adopt a simple scoring system to show how far each applicant has presented evidence that they can meet the posts requirements.
• Carry out a brief review at the end of the exercise, making sure that scores have been awarded on the basis of evidence provided on the application form, rather than personal or second-hand knowledge about the applicant.
• Invite the applicants with the best total scores to interview.

• Count only evidence, which is directly relevant to the job. Changing your criteria to enable you to include someone else at this stage may be unlawful.
• Do consider whether adjustments could be made to enable disabled candidates to meet your requirements.

• Note differences of opinion within the panel and ensuring that the interviewers' judgements are based on proper consideration of the requirements of the post.
• Ensure that the principles of equal opportunities are followed and bringing these issues to the attention of members of the Appointing Committee.
• The applicants' suitability for the job and performance at selection should be assessed on the basis of factors relevant to the job, as detailed in the job description, person specification and job advertisement, together with the references and of test results (where applicable).

• Disability
• Gender, including pregnancy
• Race
• Marital Status
• Age

The employer has a legal responsibility to make sure no discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, marital status or disability occurs in the recruitment and selection process.

Interviewing

The aims of the recruitment and selection process should be to ensure that equality of opportunity is considered as an integral part of recruitment practise, thus encouraging diversity by reducing unnecessary barriers.

The interview process can be usually divided into three stages:

1. A telephone or brief interview - set a fixed time for this interview, provides the candidate with further explanation about the post and an opportunity for the interviewer to get an initial review on the candidate's experience.
2. First interview - opportunity for an assessments or tests, also questions and answer sessions to further shortlist candidates.
3. Second interview - if appropriate requesting a short presentation from the candidate and additional question and answer sessions.

By breaking down the interviewing into different stages it provides both the candidate and interview panel to make an informed choice. Telephone interviews can help cut down on unnecessary interviews for both the candidate and interviewer.

Interviewing practices - Do's and Don'ts

Do
• Make sure arrangements are made appropriately for all applicants, especially those with disabilities
• Consideration should be given to membership of interview panels to take account of the principles of equal opportunities. There should be if possible a cross section of demographics on all appointing committees.
• Make sure that you cover the same topics and issues with each of the applicants.
• Evidence about an applicant's experience outside the workplace can be helpful, provided that it relates to the job. It often helps to encourage applicants to give a wide range of examples, which show how they can meet your requirements.

Don't
• Ask questions about birthplace, nationality, race, colour, religion or sex.
• Do be careful, not to stray into an applicant's personal circumstances (e.g. marital status, sexual orientation). This can be unlawful.
• Question the ability of someone because they have a strong accent or their first language is not English.
• Gender -if you would not ask a question of a man, do not ask it of a woman and vice versa.
• Therefore, do not ask about pregnancy, number of children and their ages or child care arrangements. Marital status, maiden name or prior married name
• Do not ask questions related to age. However, asking length of experience is a valid question.
• Ask applicants questions regarding the existence, nature severity, origin, or prognosis of his/her disability or medical conditions if any, but you can ask about his/her ability to perform all jobs related to the duties.
• Inquire about the frequency the applicant will require leave for treatment or use leave because of a disability, but you can state the attendance requirements of the job and ask if the applicant can meet them.
• Do not ask about arrest records, financial status (for example any loans, garnishments etc, whether renting or buying residence).
• Receipt of worker's compensation, ask any questions about employment tribunals.
• Recruit staff that are simply a clone of yourself or other team members.

OVERALL BE FAIR AND TREAT EVERY PERSON EQUALLY!