Welcome to our updated newsletter format. We hope you continue to find value from the articles on effective interviewing, hiring, retention, and employee relations. So that we can keep our newsletter relevant to your business needs, please let us know if there are any subjects you would like us to address in future issues. Thanks!

Ann Clifford

Dos and Don'ts
Can you ask a candidate the following question?

"Do you own your own home?"

(Answer provided at the end of the newsletter.)

10 Common Interviewer Mistakes
Candidates expect the interviewer to be in control of the interview. The way you conduct the interview will affect how the candidate perceives your communication and management abilities. To conduct an effective interview, keep the following "Don'ts" in mind . . .

1. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions.
2. Don't oversell your company.
3. Don't ask for information you already have.
4. Don't allow yourself to be interrupted unless it is an emergency.
5. Don't talk too much.
6. Don't use the interview as your therapy.
7. Don't be afraid to spell out in detail the requirements of the position.
8. Don't gossip or swap war stories.
9. Don't put the applicant on the defensive.
10. Don't be afraid to make the interview as long, or as short, as you deem necessary.

(Source: How to Hire & Develop Your Next Top Performer, by Herbert Greenberg)

Career Web Page
50% of the nation's small businesses have websites. Yet, relatively few of these websites include a career web page. With a high percentage of candidates searching for jobs electronically, it is only makes sense that employers promote their company's job opportunities on their web site. And, advertising your jobs on career job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder is an ideal way to drive traffic to your company's career web page.

Check out Safari Solutions new career web page by visiting www.safarisolutions.com and clicking on the "Candidates" button.

We can help you create a similar career page for your website that can be easily administered via the web. For more information, please email us at info@safarisoluti ons.com

Did You Know
The Department of Labor has significantly altered is original proposal to revise the overtime pay rules for white collar workers.

The final rules state that workers earning less than $23,660 annually - $455 per week - will automatically qualify for overtime pay. Currently, workers earning $8,060 annually - $155 per week - automatically qualify.

(CCH Net News - 4/20/04)

Client Testimonial
Safari Solutions offers a unique approach to help companies find the right people. We simply couldn't afford the high cost associated with a typical recruiter. Safari offers a perfect mix of "do-it-yourself" and working with a full service recruiter. All of the headaches associated with job postings and prescreening have been handled by Safari and all we do is interview the candidates that meet our requirements. It is like having HR do all the "dirty" work . . . Chip Mclean - President, Advanced Interface Solutions

Answer to Today's Dos and Don'ts
"Do you own your own home?" Is it legal to ask?

An interviewer should not ask if the applicant owns or rents a home or car. Nor should you ask if wages have been previously garnished, or if the applicant has ever declared bankruptcy, unless financial considerations exist for the job in question.

Any employer who relies on consumer credit reports in its employment process must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 and the Consumer Credit Reporting Reform Act of 1996. (Source: Workforce.com, author Deanna G. Kucler)