Questions to ask regarding a candidate's resume.....

Claims of negligent hiring and discrimination often arise when employers do not conduct a full pre-hire investigation to select the best qualified candidate. To help avoid such liability, be sure to ask applicants about the following three areas that are covered in almost every application or resume.

• First, fill in any time gaps. If there is a gap between jobs or between schooling and a job, you should ask what the applicant did during that period.
• Second, for each employer identified, inquire why the candidate left that employer. Ask for specific reasons and do not let the applicant get away with answers like "It was a mutual decision." Inquire about what was said and by whom.
• Third, ask open-ended questions about the applicant's work experience. Rather than asking the applicant if he or she can perform a specific task, ask the individual to take you through the various steps in that task. The answer will give you a far better indication of whether that individual has performed the job before or knows how to do it.

Obviously, there are many more questions that you will ask during an interview, but these are a good start both to avoid liability and develop a plan for additional areas of inquiry regarding the candidate.