How Do I Video InterviewCandidates with Disabilities

How Do I Video InterviewCandidates with DisabilitiesEvery candidate comes with their own set of unique interviewing challenges. Thats why were tackling how to video interview different types of candidates with this how-to series. Today, well be talking about how to use video interviews to connect with candidates who have a disability. Before the interview, there are several things you need to know to make sure you stay compliant with best practice guidelines.In the interview, you want to focus on a candidates skills and qualifications for the job. Whether or leid a candidate has a disability, a good video interview will stay focused on key aspects of the job instead of outside attributes of the candidate.Some hiring managers can get nervous they will say the wrong thing or ask the wrong question to a candidate with disabilities. Before a video interview with any candidate, its important to make sure you know what youre looking for in your ideal worker and you understand interviewing legalities.In other words, its important to focus on abilities, not disabilities, in the interview process.Here are some things you should know before you start up the webcam to conduct your video interviewPreparation is KeyBefore the video interview, prepare by looking up whats legal and whats illegal to ask in an interview setting. Browse both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website and pay special attention to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).If you do your homework and pay attention to the guidelines outlined in the ADA, youll go a long way toward asking good questions while avoiding questions that can be seen as discriminatory.Use a Set Criteria For EveryoneOne of the best ways to avoid discriminatory hiring practices is to develop a set hiring criteria. This way all candidates are judged based on the same rubric and no one gets an upper hand.Before speaking to any candidates, gather your hiring team for an important brainstorming session. Look at th e position youre hiring for and decide the essential qualifications, skills, and personality of your ideal employee. Maybe you need someone who knows a certain computer program or someone who is an ace at customer service.Once youve put together a workable set of standards and made your employee wish list, all candidates can be judged based on this static criteria. Candidates with disabilities will have the same chance to impress as any other candidate sitting on the other side of the webcam in a video interview.Keep Questions Job-RelatedThe most important way to keep compliant with both the EEOC and the ADA is to make sure all questions are relevant and related specifically to the position and organizational fit.If a candidates disability would have no bearing whatsoever on job functions and responsibilities, theres no need to ask any questions related to it. If the disability has the potential to affect work performance, ask only about how a candidate would handle the specific job functions that could be impacted.Once again, you want to focus on abilities instead of disabilities. When hiring a great candidate, you need to know what value the job seeker can bring to your organization. Preparation is again important when it comes to asking the right questions.Here are some examples of good and schwimmbad questions concerning a candidates disabilityGood Question If the job has a requirement to lift a certain number of pounds, you can ask the candidate how they will meet this requirement. This is an already formed criteria to which all candidates who interview for the job are expected to adhere.Bad Question You can tell the candidate youre speaking to in the video interview is in a wheelchair, so you ask how long theyve been wheelchair-bound. This is a bad question for a variety of reasons, mostly because its a personal question with almost no impact on how the candidate would perform the job. It has no bearing on qualifications, work history, or organizational fit.Interviewing candidates with disabilities isnt a tricky proposition if youre prepared, have set criteria, and ask good questions. If you keep compliant with regulations, you can find a great candidate who will become a great employee at your company.What are some ways you make sure you stay compliant in your interviews? Share in the comments.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr by Fu Man Jew