You are currently viewing Interviewing Guidelines for FXG Contractors and ISPs
  • Post last modified:October 5, 2020
  • Post category:IC/ISP Contractors

Interviewing guidelines for parcel delivery drivers. Interviewing candidates for your trucking company is an important process for building a stable and successful future for your business. There are certain questions you should ask to figure out if your candidate can handle your position successfully, and also to see whether or not they can be a valuable asset to your team. But, at the same time, there are certain questions you must avoid because you could get in legal trouble if you ask a question that’s considered inappropriate or discriminatory. Here’s our advice on interviewing guidelines and questions you should and shouldn’t be asking during your interview process.

Questions to Avoid

Let’s go over a few questions you must avoid asking at all costs and include in your interviewing guidelines. These are questions that we have directly been told could get you into legal trouble.

Two people talking as an interview

Subjects to avoid:

  • Age: anything that specifically refers to an age group, applicant’s age, or applicant’s date of birth.
  • Citizenship: any questions that ask for current citizenship, request proof of citizenship before hiring, and whether the candidate (or candidate’s parents for that matter) are native-born or naturalized.
  • Ancestry or National Origin: any questions directly that ask about lineage, ancestry, race, national origin, descent, birthplace, or native language.
  • Disabilities: any questions that directly refer to an applicant’s disabilities are inappropriate; the applicant must volunteer the information if it is discussed in the interview process.
  • Family: you cannot ask a candidate’s marital/relationship status or any questions about any of their relatives.

These types of questions, generally speaking, are considered discriminatory or inappropriate in one way or another, and could mean trouble for you if you include them in your interview. Make sure that you include this information in your interviewing guidelines.

Digging Deeper

If you’d still like to learn more about your candidate concerning these subject areas, there are a few questions you can include in the interviewing guidelines that will help you get information without overstepping your boundaries. Here are some questions that you are allowed to ask to learn more about your applicant:

  • “Will you be able to provide a birth certificate if and when we hire you?”
  • “Will you be able to provide proof of citizenship OR proof that you are authorized to work in the United States, if and when a hire is made?”
  • “Can you perform all of the job’s requirements and duties in a safe and efficient manner without any additional accommodations?”

Helpful and Insightful Questions

Similarly, we also want you to be able to choose the best candidates to fill your positions, so here are a few questions we suggest you ask to help identify the A-level applicants:

  • “In what ways do you bring value to your current organization, and in what ways do you think you can bring value to our company?”
  • “Would there be any reason, if any, that you would not be able to stay in this position further down the line if you were hired?”
  • “What trends in our marketplace do you think are currently affecting our business?”
  • “What was the best piece of advice, or critique for that matter, that you’ve ever received?”
  • “What separates you from your peers, or similarly qualified candidates?”

The answers you receive to these types of questions will help you make a decision who your new hire should be, and should really get your applicants thinking. All in all, try to stay safe when questioning your candidates, and if you need a more detailed set of interviewing guidelines on what questions are and aren’t allowed to ask, you can always check out Career Builder’s “Hiring Manager’s Complete Interviewing Guide.”

Hiring Truck Drivers

There are a few more guidelines we’d like to talk about, but these relate specifically to hiring or interviewing truck drivers. One thing we suggest you have as part of your interviewing process is a practical skills test. Having a potential driver demonstrate their skills, such as hooking up airlines, backing up successfully, or accelerating smoothly through different gears, is a great way to see if they will be a good match for the job. We all suggest you run a CSA driver profile, as soon as you are legally able to do so.  We also suggest that you hire a driver that demonstrates that they are proud to be a part of this industry, and of course, conduct a 90-day review for your employee when the time comes.

People talking and smiling at interview

Conclusion 

At Paradiso Insurance, we succeed when you succeed. We hope these tips will help you choose a valuable employee that will become an asset to your team and organization! We urge anyone who is unsure about their interviewing guidelines to seek professional legal advice to avoid asking a question that can be considered discriminatory. 

If you have any questions regarding your hiring process within your parcel delivery team or if you have questions regarding your current insurance policies, please feel free to reach out to us, our licensed agents are ready to help you with all of your insurance needs!