HR COMPLIANCE
GUIDE 2015
FOR RECRUITING
What do you need to know in 2015?
What do the new regulations mean?
Safeguard your HR program.
www.hrboss.com
Page
01
CONTENTS
1
02
Foreword
3
03
One year on... what’s new?
5
3.1 The Jobs Bank
6
3.2 How to use the Jobs Bank?
7
3.3 Administrative details under the FCF
8
Revisit: Fair Consideration Framework
9
4.1 What is the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF)?
10
4.2 What are the new rules?
11
4.3 Details of FCF
13
4.4 When is the FCF going to take effect?
14
What does FCF mean for you?
15
5.1 Why is practicing fair employment important to you?
15
5.2 What does this ultimately mean for you?
17
04
05
06
Fair Recruiting Practices 101
18
6.1 Fair Recruitment Practices of Successful Organizations
18
6.2 Creating Non-discriminatory Job Advertisements
19
6.2.1 What to avoid when creating job advertisements?
19
6.2.2 Dos & Don’ts of Job adverts
21
6.3 Examples of non-discriminatory employment interview questions
(as proposed by TAFEP)
1
23
Page
Employing the tools & technology of
the recruiting trade
25
7.1 What is an Applicant Tracking System?
25
7.2 What to look for when selecting a recruiting software?
26
08
HiringBoss - Using technology to
ensure HR Compliance
27
09
Compliance Checklist 2014
30
10
Resources
32
10.1 The Labor Market in Singapore
32
07
10.1.1 Key Indicators on Singapore Economy and People
33
10.1.2 Labor Market Information
33
10.2 Building a Talent Factory
34
10.2.1 The benefits of building a talent factory
34
10.2.2 Checklists for building a talent factory
35
10.3 Common Recruitment challenges and their solutions
36
10.4 Standard Templates for Applicant Communications
37
10.4.1 Response to unsolicited resume
37
10.4.2 Rejection to candidate not interviewed
37
10.4.3 Rejection to candidate who was interviewed
37
10.5 Interview Question Guide
38
2
02
FOREWORD
Having studied the recruitment industry
for many years, we can safely say that
without best practices in place, keeping track
of your hiring process may potentially bring
about lapses and taint a company’s employer
branding.
Read on to find out how to avoid being in
the limelight for the wrong reasons
by staying in line with regulations to
maintain your status at the pinnacle of the
recruitment industry!
3
Last year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) cracked down on organizations and penalized
more than 100 companies found to be discriminatory towards Singaporean employees. Even
though the punishments aren’t considered too severe, these companies’ now face greater
scrutiny and a longer review period for EP applications. Some of these organization even had
their work pass privileges suspended. With the shortage of skills and growing reliance on
Foreign Talents to meet the labor demands, such seemingly ‘light’ penalties inflict significant
disadvantages on the company’s bottom-line.
Without proper compliance programs in place, the HR department could very well be the
liability for the entire organization. In this 2015 edition, we’ve put together an updated
Compliance Guide for HR and in-house recruiters. In addition to an updated version of the
Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP), this guide will also cover the new
Jobs Bank which was launched in August 2014 by the Singapore Workforce Development
Agency (WDA).
We recognize the importance of a guide like this especially for employers and hiring managers
in Singapore in light of the changing regulations. We hope this comprehensive manual will
be useful in helping to identify resources needed to implement fair hiring processes within
organizations, especially in times like these where the need for transparency has shifted to
the top of the priority list.
This guide not only looks at how companies can fine-tune their recruitment process to
be free from discrimination, but also showcases ways to track these processes to ensure
compliance with regulations. We hope to shed some light on the increasing demand for an
Applicant Tracking System (ATS) as the right tool to manage talent and processes effectively
– using data generated by such systems to evaluate and improve performance. In fact, the
smartest organizations are already leveraging on analytics to gain competitive advantage
and streamline their recruiting processes. ATS such as HiringBoss help organizations boost
recruiting ROI, keep hiring costs to a minimum, and ensure compliance with regulations. It
could be time for an overhaul of your organisation’s recruitment process with the help of
HiringBoss too.
Having studied the recruitment industry for many years, we can safely say that without best
practices in place, keeping track of your hiring process may potentially bring about lapses
and taint a company’s employer branding. Read on to find out how to avoid being in the
limelight for the wrong reasons by staying in line with regulations to maintain your status at
the pinnacle of the recruitment industry!
The HRBoss Singapore Team
4
03
ONE YEAR ON...
WHAT’S NEW?
A. To start work, Employment Pass (EP) applicants will need
their EP and a Notification Letter (NL)
Before...
Now...
In the past, as request for EP issuance
involved multiple steps and could
take some time, EP applicants were
allowed to work on the In-Principal
Approval (IPA) while waiting for the
issuance of the work passes.
With effect from 16th March 2015,
EP applicants will need a NL before
they can commence work.
An IPA given to an EP applicant is
valid for six months. The IPA is meant
as confirmation that the work pass
application has been approved, and
to allow applicants time to make
plans to come to Singapore to work.
Upon issuance of the EP, the
applicant is then issued a NL.
This means that EP applicants can
only start work once their pass has
been issued and they have received
a NL. The IPA letter will no longer
allow EP applicants to start work.
What you should do:
Employers must request an
Employment Pass to be issued
before a foreign national can start
working in Singapore.
Source : Employment Pass now mandatory for foreign workers in Singapore
B. Companies are required to advertise on the Jobs Bank
before filing an EP application.
Companies are required to advertise in the WDA (Singapore Work
Development Agency) Jobs Bank before filing a new EP application.
The advertisement will have to comply with the Tripartite Guidelines
on Fair Employment Practices and run for at least 14 calendar days.
Read more about the Jobs Bank in our blog post here.
Learn more about the Jobs Bank on the next page.
5
3.1 THE JOBS BANK
WHAT IS IT?
Officially launched on 14 July
2014, the Jobs Banks is executed
and managed by the Singapore
Workforce Development Agency
(WDA), and is a service provided
free-of-charge for all Singaporeregistered companies, Singapore
Citizens, and Singapore Permanent
Residents.
It is a public job portal aimed to
help match local job seekers and
employers online, and will also
enable WDA to access a wider pool
of local job seekers beyond its
career centres.
You can access the Jobs Bank portal
at https://www.jobsbank.gov.sg
WHAT DOES IT DO?
The Jobs Bank will support the
Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s Fair
Consideration Framework.
From 1 August 2014, the Jobs Bank
will also be used by employers
applying for MOM’s Employment
Pass to fulfil the advertising
requirements under MOM’s Fair
Consideration Framework.
This
will
help
reinforce
expectations for employers to
consider Singaporeans fairly for
job opportunities
Image source : https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/53311176/Jobs-Bank-infographics.pdf
6
3.2 HOW TO USE THE JOBS BANK?
WHO IS IT FOR?
Image source : https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/53311176/Jobs-Bank-infographics.pdf
7
3.3 ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS UNDER THE FCF
JOB VACANCY AT PME LEVEL FROM 1 AUGUST 2014
JOB ADVERTISEMENT
Employer advertises on the Jobs Bank administered by WDA for at least 14 calendar days.
Should include the following information in the job advertisement
• Job title
• Closing data
• Skills
• Qualifications
• Experience
• Salary Range
Job advertisment must comply with Tripartite guidelines** on Fair Employment Practices
• Employers receive applications
from the Jobs Bank
• Select and interview candidates
IF AN EMPLOYMENT PASS APPLICATION IS NEEDED
• Employer applies for EP as there is no suitably qualified Singaporean available
• The period between closing date of job advertisement and EP application should be < 3 months
• In the EP applications, employers will have to indicate the Job Posting ID (from the Jobs Bank).
• The EP candidate should also meet the prevailing EP qualifying criteria based on salary and qualifications.
Source : http://www.mom.gov.sg/~/media/mom/files/pdf/annex-b-administrative-details-under-fcf.pdf?la=en
Note:
Exempt from the advertising requirement only:
I. Firms which hire 25 or fewer employees; and
II. Jobs that pay a fixed monthly salary of $12,000 and above per month
III. Intra-corporate transferees; and
IV. A job that is necessary for short term contingencies (i.e. period of employment in Singapore for not more than one month)
**The Tripartite guidelines on Fair Employment Practices can be found at www.tafep.sg/fairemployment.asp
8
04
REVISIT:
FAIR CONSIDERATION
FRAMEWORK
“
The framework is not about ‘Hire Singaporeans First, or
Hire Singaporeans Only’. What the government is doing
is to help them get a fair opportunity.
”
Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Acting Minister for Manpower in a statement for the press
9
4.1 WHAT IS THE FAIR CONSIDERATION
FRAMEWORK (FCF)?
The Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) is a set of new regulations
legislated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in order to
encourage firms or employers to consider Singaporeans fairly for
all jobs before hiring foreigners under the Employment Pass (EP).
FCF indicates a change to current Human Resources (HR) practices
as firms are now required to advertise job vacancies on a national
job bank before submitting an EP application. MOM will actively
scrutinize firms with a low proportion of Singaporeans at the
Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) level compared
to others in their industry, and will keep a look out for companies
with repeated complaints made against them.
Read our exclusive blog post about the FCF here:
http://hrboss.com/blog/singapore-ministry-manpower-fair-consideration-framework
Image Source : http://todayonline.com
10
4.2 WHAT ARE THE NEW RULES?
Is the issue of Job competition between Singaporeans & foreigners
a serious one in Singapore now?
This poll was conducted from Sep 6 to Sep 19, 2010
Total Votes = 340
Image Source : http://community.jobscentral.com.sg/node/1545
The Singapore government has been largely successful in attracting
foreign talents into Singapore as various incentives and policies
have been set in place to attract foreigners in a bid to boost our
economy and fertility rates.
11
Foreign Workforce Number
Statistics show the growing numbers of total foreign workforce:
Pass Type
Dec 2007 Dec 2008 Dec 2009 Dec 2010 Dec 2011 Dec 2012 Jun 2013
Employment Pass (EP)
99,200
113,400
114,300
143,300
175,400
173,800
172,100
S Pass
44,500
74,300
82,800
98,700
113,900
142,400
154,100
Work Permit (Total)
757,100
870,000
856,300
871,200
908,600
952,100
970,600
Work Permit
(Foreign Domestic Worker)
183,200
191,400
196,000
201,400
206,300
209,600
211,000
Work Permit (Construction)
180,000
229,900
245,700
248,100
264,500
293,400
306,500
Total Foreign Workforce
900,800
1,057,700
1,053,500
1,113,200
1,197,900
1,268,300
1,296,800
717,600
866,300
857,400
911,800
991,600
1,058,700
1,085,700
527,100
616,800
588,300
638,900
699,100
731,300
743,000
Total Foreign Workforce (excluding
Foreign Domestic Workers)
Total Foreign Workforce (excluding
Foreign Domestic Workers &
Construction)
Image Source : http://www.mom.gov.sg/statistics-publications/others/statistics/Pages/ForeignWorkforceNumbers.aspx
This move by the government has received
mixed responses from the public and one of
the main key areas most Singaporeans are
concerned about has been the competition
for jobs between locals and the growing
presence of a larger foreign workforce here
in Singapore.
View MOM’s info-graphic on fair consideration
here.
Benefit of new rules
Advertising on the jobs bank will benefit both
employers and Singaporean job-seekers, as it
facilitates better matching of vacancies with
job-seekers. Employers will have access to a
larger pool of potential candidates. It will also
increase the visibility of job openings to all
Singaporeans, and will help more to benefit
from the better jobs created.
A hot topic covered in the Government’s
White Paper 2013, Budget 2013, National
Day speeches as well as by various on-line
and off-line media platforms, have led to the
culmination of the issue and the FCF comes as
no surprise.
Related News:
• Worries over competition for jobs
• Keeping it new on jobs & competition
FCF was further motivated by the feedback
gathered from Singaporeans who have
submitted their views to MOM, through
MOM’s Our Singapore Conversation (OSC) on
Jobs, and from key stakeholders such as the
National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and
employer groups.
12
4.3 Details of FCF
(A) KEY FEATURES
Considering Singaporeans fairly and improving job matches
• All firms are required to consider Singaporeans based on merit.
• All firms are strongly encouraged to advertise their job vacancies and must ensure that jobs
advertised are open to Singaporeans.
• Firms making new EP applications must advertise the job vacancy on a new jobs bank (to be
launched in 2014) managed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA). The
advertisement must be open to Singaporeans, comply with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair
Employment Practices, and run for at least 14 calendar days.
• These new rules will come into effect on 1 August 2014.
Additional scrutiny for firms which may have discriminatory HR practices
MOM will identify firms that have the potential to improve their hiring and career development
practices and these firms may be asked to supply additional information to MOM such as:
• Organization charts with nationality information;
• Recruitment processes;
• Staff grievance handling procedures;
• Framework for staff progression; and
• Plans to develop local internal staff to take on higher roles or reduce reliance on EP holders.
If firms are not receptive towards improving their recruitment and training practices, additional
requirements may be imposed by MOM, such as requiring the firm to:
• Attest that the firm will not displace any similarly employed Singaporean within 60 calendar
days before or after applying or renewing EPs
• Display a fact-sheet at the firm’s workplace containing key information submitted to MOM
Unresponsive firms would be under greater scrutiny and there will be a longer review period for
their EP applications. Work pass privileges may also be curtailed.
Exemptions:
Small firms with 25 or fewer employees, and those jobs which pay a fixed monthly salary of
$12,000 and above, will be exempted from the advertising requirements for practical reasons.
However, if complaints are received of nationality-based or other discriminatory HR practices,
these firms will attract additional scrutiny and may have their work pass privileges reduced.
(B) ENHANCED EP QUALIFYING REQUIREMENTS
From January 2014, the qualifying salary for new EP applications will be raised from $3,000 to
$3,300. Applicants will have to earn a salary of at least $3,300 or more per month, depending on
qualifications and experience:
• Young graduates from good educational institutions can qualify if they earn at least $3,300
• Older applicants will have to command higher salaries to qualify, commensurate with the work
experience and quality they are expected to bring.
For more Questions & Answers, visit http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/press-releases/2013/
factsheet-fair-consideration-framework.pdf
13
4.4 WHEN IS THE FCF GOING TO TAKE EFFECT?
Annex A
FAIR CONSIDERATION FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
Fair Consideration Framework Implementation Timeline
Image Source : http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/press-releases/2013/annex-a-fair-consideration-framework-implementation-timeline.pdf
14
05
WHAT DOES FCF MEAN
FOR YOU?
“
Often, the most original ideas and
unusual connections are formed when
people of varying origin work together,
in teams. New ways of thinking lead
to new ways of doing businesses
and innovative products which is
what drives business success and
competitive advantage.
Sandra Lester,
Director of the Conference Board’s European
Council on Corporate Communications
”
5.1 WHY IS PRACTISING FAIR EMPLOYMENT IMPORTANT
TO YOU?
Fair Employment Practices and the FCF will help you to:
• Widen your talent pool
• Recruit the best people for the job based on skills and
abilities
• Improve customer satisfaction
• Increase employee engagement
• Raise productivity
• Reduce cost related to absenteeism and employee
turnover
• Foster creativity and innovation
• Enhance deployment flexibility
• Create a positive image and positions the organization as
an Employer of Choice.
15
15
Case Study: The Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton’s Employee Promise is a commitment by
the organisation to its employees based on the principles
of fairness and merit.
Through the Employee Promise, The Ritz-Carlton
guarantees a work environment where everyone regardless
of race, age, gender, marital status and educational levels
are treated equally and provided with equal opportunities
for growth and development. This ensures that all Ladies
and Gentlemen stay committed and engaged. All Ladies
and Gentlemen are assured of a work environment where
they have the right to be involved in the planning of the
work that affects them.
At The Ritz-Carlton, all Ladies and Gentlemen carry the
Credo Card at work. The hotel’s core values and principles,
which are known as the Gold Standards, are captured
in this card. This includes the hotel’s Employee Promise
and Service Values. It serves as a constant reminder for
employees to incorporate these values and principles in
their daily work
The Employee
Promise
At The Ritz-Carlton, our Ladies
and Gentlemen are the most
important resource in our
service commitment to our
guests.
By applying the principles of
trust, honesty, respect, intergrity
and commitment, we nurture
and maximise talent to the
benefit of each individual and
the company.
The Ritz-Carlton fosters a
work environment where
diversity is valued, quality of
life is enhanced, individual
aspirations are fulfilled, and
The Ritz-Carlton Mystique is
strengthened.
During “Daily Line-Ups” (i.e. daily briefings), these
Gold Standards are discussed and each Lady or
Gentleman is invited to give everyday examples of
how they can practise and energise these values. This
enables all Ladies and Gentlemen to internalise the
company’s values and principles. Examples of service
excellence are also shared during the daily briefings
and this creates a platform to motivate the Ladies
and Gentlemen as they go about their daily work.
One key element is the emphasis on fostering a work
environment where diversity is valued.
Doreen Tan, an Executive Assistant who has worked
at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore for 18 years,
shared that the hotel is truly committed to nurturing
and maximising talents and that they constantly
recognise their Ladies and Gentlemen through
various means.
“
The hotel’s emphasis on its people is evident and can
clearly be seen and experienced in the exceptional
service delivered by its Ladies and Gentlemen.
We believe that employers who promote fair practices will
ultimately enjoy greater success when employing people simply
because you have a wider pool of talent to tap on. We define it
as positively welcoming all types of candidates that walk through
our doors. We select and hire our Ladies and Gentlemen based
on talent and job fit and then we invest in them.
”
Mark Fletcher
Director of Human Resources
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
16
MOM & TAFEP: Hiring & Developing a Singaporean Core
Employers are advised to make reasonable efforts to attract and consider Singaporeans for
job positions on merit, and to train and develop their potential and careers. According to the
Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (page 4), such efforts include:
• Ensure that jobs advertised are opened to Singaporeans
• Work with educational institutions, career centres and recruitment agencies to attract and
recruit Singaporeans.
• Developing skills and expertise of Singaporean employees for higher level jobs
TAFEP & MOM will make reference to this set of guidelines in promoting fair and responsible
employment practices.
5.2 WHAT DOES THIS ULTIMATELY
MEAN FOR YOU?
In light of:
1. (the need to abide by the) Tripartite Alliance for Fair
Employment Practices
2. (as well as the) Fair Employment Framework
3. (and also) managing your employees/co-workers/subordinates
The onus is on you to ensure that you are being compliant in
every step of the recruiting process in order to achieve business
success.
The following sections are specially tailored to help you equip
yourself with the necessary knowledge and tools to overcome
recruiting challenges and avoid potential risks of infringement.
17
06
FAIR RECRUITING
PRACTICES 101
6.1 FAIR RECRUITMENT PRACTICES OF SUCCESSFUL
According to TAFEP’s “Fair Recruitment & Selection Handbook”,
ORGANIZATIONS
fair recruitment practices that successful organizations subscribe
to include:
A.Applying the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment
Practices.
B.Recruiting and selecting employees on the basis of merit.
C.Giving job applicants a fair opportunity to demonstrate their
knowledge, skills and experience during interviews.
D.Providing sufficient information for candidates to make an
informed decision about joining the organization.
E.Using consistent evaluation criteria established by the
organization for the specific job position for selection.
F. Ensuring all interviewers are aware of the established criteria
for interview and selection.
G.Ensuring that the remuneration for the new employee is in
line with the company’s pay structure, taking into account the
salaries of the existing employees in the organization as well
as current remuneration practices of the industry.
H.Ensuring that psychometric tools or other types of tests used
are relevant to the job. The usage of any assessment tools
should be clearly explained to the job applicants during the
interview.
I. Abiding by relevant labor laws when recruiting new employees.
J. Informing job applicants of the outcome of their application
when the position has been filled.
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6.2 CREATING NON-DISCRIMINATORY JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
6.2.1 What to avoid when creating job advertisements?
Avoiding sexual discrimination
As much as you might want to balance up your
gender heavy department with a member of
the opposite sex, this is strictly forbidden to
ask for within a job advert.
have to go through in order to comply with all
discrimination regulations.
The rules now not only cover stipulating upper
or lower age limits for job applicants, but also
implied terms such as ‘youthful’, ‘dynamic’
or ‘mature’. All these terms could be seen as
excluding someone from applying for a role
based on their age.
There are certain roles where there is a
genuine occupational need for an employee
to be of a certain gender, such as within
single sex institutions like hospitals and
prisons. You are never allowed to consider
that hiring one gender may provide a benefit
in terms of physical performance, unless that
performance is of a thematic nature (such as
the need for a male to play Father Christmas).
Even asking for a certain level of experience
from candidates could be deemed as
discriminating against someone who hasn’t
had the opportunity to gain that experience as
they are too young. There are plenty of ways
of rephrasing your job advert, such as asking
for candidates who have demonstrated a
certain task, but putting a number of years on
how long they have taken to achieve that task
is definitely out of the question.
The job title you use should therefore never
be gender specific — ‘waitress’, ‘salesman’
and ‘manageress’ are all terms that fall foul
of the law.
Avoiding disability discrimination
It’s important for all businesses to ensure
disabled
candidates
have
as
many
opportunities to join their company as
anybody else. This covers job adverts as well
as the rest of the recruitment process, such
as making your offices wheelchair accessible
for job interviews.
Avoiding racial discrimination
Racial discrimination is taken just as seriously
as gender discrimination and many of the
same principles apply. However there are
again some situations where being of a certain
race can be seen as a genuine occupational
qualification.
It’s sometimes the case that an organization
needs to take positive action to encourage
people from a certain ethnic group to
apply for a job or training because they are
underrepresented in the organization or at
certain job levels. This is regularly seen within
Police Force recruitment campaigns where
they try and match the ethnicity of their
employees with local populations.
Again, the language and the criteria you use
is very important — for example, there is no
reason to stipulate that candidates must hold
a driving license if they are not going to be
expected to do any driving for the job.
There is obviously some physical activity that
is crucial to some positions, but you must
make sure this is a genuine necessity for the
role rather than a ‘nice to have’.
Even where language is an important part of
the role you must state that someone must be
able to converse in the language rather than
being from a particular country, for example
‘Italian speaking’ rather than ‘Italian’.
While drafting job advertisements,
the criteria should focus on job scope,
qualifications, skills or knowledge,
experience and character traits.
Avoiding age discrimination
Age discrimination is a relatively new addition
to the list of things to consider when writing
job adverts, and it is one of the biggest
changes in process that most employers will
According to the Tripartite Guidelines On
Non-Discriminatory Job Advertisements,
the following attributes cannot be listed as
19
requirements:
the other as a job criterion as multiracialism
is a fundamental principle in Singapore. Job
advertisements should not feature statements
like “Chinese preferred” or “Malay preferred”.
Age
If the work is physically demanding, state
the physical attributes rather than an age
criterion, e.g. “Candidates are required to load
and unload heavy machinery.” Avoid phrases
like “fresh graduates only” as it can be seen as
preference for a particular age group.
Religion
Like race, religion as a job criterion is also
unacceptable unless the employee has to
perform religious functions as part of the job
scope, e.g. “Production manager required for
Halal food manufacturer”.
Gender
If the job requires a particular gender for
practical requirements of the job, state the
purpose instead of the gender. Avoid phrases
like “female working environment” that
suggest preference for a particular gender.
Language
If the job requires proficiency in a particular
language, state the reason clearly, e.g. “Tamil
language teacher wanted for tuition center.
Distinctions in ‘O’ Level Tamil required.”
Marital Status
An irrelevant criterion as jobs can be
performed equally well by married or single
persons.
Race
It is unacceptable to prefer one race over
20
6.2.2 Dos & Don’ts of Job adverts
Nationality
Words or phrases that exclude Singaporeans or indicate preference for
non-Singaporeans should not be used.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
Non-Singaporeans preferred
• Singaporeans and Malaysians
preferred
• Singaporeans and Malaysians
welcomed
• Singaporeans and Filipinos (or
other nationalities)
• Employment Pass/S Pass/ Work
Permit / Dependant’s Passes /
Long Term Visit Passes Holders
only
• No mention of any nationality
• Only Singaporeans
Language
If a job entails proficiency in a particular language, employers should justify the
need for the requirement.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
• Mandarin is an advantage
• English/Chinese (Mandarin)
speakers
• Speak Mandarin
• Putonghua an advantage
• Chinese-language teacher for preschool centre, good credit in ‘O’
Level Chinese
• Translator for a leading Malay
sports magazine. Proficiency in
Malay is a must.
Age
Words or phrases that suggest preference for job candidates of a particular
age group should not be used.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
• Below 30 only
• Youthful working environment
• Age 25-30 only
• Fresh graduates are welcome to
apply
• Older workers welcomed
• Job is suitable for older workers
• 3 years of relevant experience
• No experience required
Race
Race should not be a criterion for the selection of job candidates as multiracialism is a fundamental principle in Singapore.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
• Chinese preferred
• Prefer Malays
21
Religion
Religion is unacceptable as a criterion for recruitment except in cases where
employees have to perform religious functions as part of the job requirement.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
• Christians preferred
• No Muslims. Work involves
handling pork and beef
• Chinese restaurant needs chef.
Requires handling of pork and
beef.
Gender
Words or phrases that suggest preference for job candidates of a particular
gender should not be used.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
• Strong guys needed
• Preferably female
• Female working environment
• Women’s fashion boutique
requires sales staff to model
clothes while on the job
• Physical work required
Marital Status
Generally an irrelevant criterion in employment as jobs can be performed
equally well by either married or single persons.
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
• Preferably singles
• Frequent overseas traveling is
expected
Image Source : http://www.mom.gov.sg/Documents/press-releases/2013/Press%20Release%20
on%20Discrimination%20Cases-%20Annex%20B-%20250913.pdf
For more details on job adverts, go to http://tafep.sg
22
6.3 EXAMPLES OF NON-DISCRIMINATORY EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS (AS PROPOSED BY TAFEP)
During the interview, try to ensure all the relevant areas are covered. While there will be
differences depending on the response to questions, keeping to a consistent set of issues and
scenarios allows for more objective comparisons of the suitability of candidates.
1. Questions on qualifications
a.When was the last time you attended a
course of study, workshop or seminar?
b.What is your highest level of education?
c. What was your specific field of study?
have you seen in the team members?
6. Questions on passion for job and
company
a.What are the goals and objectives of
your present company? Do you know
our company’s goals and objectives?
b.How long have you been looking for a
new job? How long have you been on
your last job?
2. Questions on job skills
a.What are some of your core skills?
b.What do you think are the skills
requirement for the job you are
applying?
c. How competent are you in operating
computers? What software are you
familiar with?
7. Questions on integrity
a.What are three adjectives that others
would use to describe you?
b.What does integrity mean to you?
c. How would you respond if you were to
discover that a co-worker is using the
office phone for personal long distance
calls?
3. Questions on job experience
a.What did you do in the last five years?
b.What were the challenges in your past
experience as a (job title)?
c. How experienced are you in handling
customers?
8. Questions on self confidence
a.When was the last time you were given
a task that was beyond your scope of
work?
b.Tell us about that situation.
c. What would you do if you were
retrenched from your company?
d.How confident are you to perform the
job that you have applied for?
4. Questions on analytical skills
a.You are required to give a 10 minutes
presentation on what you would do
as a manager in the event of a fire in
your office, what are the issues that you
would include in your presentation?
b.What would you do to increase
productivity in your department? How
would you carry out the tasks?
c. Tell us what you would do if you were
to start your career all over again.
9. Questions on self development
a.When did you last enroll in a course
of study, e.g. attending seminars,
workshops and lectures?
b.What training courses, seminars and
workshops will you be attending in the
next 12 months?
c. Do you think it is important to continue
learning throughout one’s lifetime?
Why?
5. Questions on willingness to work in a
team
a.Who are your team members in your
present job? What is your working
relationship with each of them?
b.Tell us the challenges you faced when
you were working with a team.
c. How many work teams have you worked
with over the last two years? What
distinctive strengths and weaknesses
10.Questions on travel
a.This job might require you to travel
overseas more than 50% of the time.
23
b.Tell us of an incident of misconduct by a
subordinate of yours. What did you do?
What was the outcome?
c. What have you done in the last 12
months to upgrade yourself in terms of
knowledge, skills and expertise?
Would that be fine with you?
b.One of the challenges in this job is
making frequent trips out of Singapore
on short notices. Will you be able to
handle this?
c. How much overseas traveling do you
do in your present job?
15.Questions on experience
a.Tell me about a specific area of
responsibility that you have enjoyed
most.
b.In view of the position that we are
offering, tell me about your relevant
experience.
c. What have you learned from the jobs
you have had?
11.Questions on working long hours
a.The job involves handling customers’
complaints and following up with these
complaints.
b.Very often, you have to stay back late
to complete the tasks. Would it be a
problem for you to work long hours,
e.g. staying till 9 pm?
c. What are the working hours like in your
present job?
16.Emotional questions
a.Give me an example of a crisis situation
you were involved in. What did you do?
b.Tell me about a time when you were
very angry at the workplace. What did
you do?
c. Has there been a time when a person’s
anger was misdirected at you. How did
you react?
12.Questions
on
handling
heavy
equipment
a.You are required to carry heavy objects
/ materials (About 20 kilograms) in this
job. Can you handle that?
b.There are often times when you have
to climb steep stairs on site visits which
are in the open. Are you able and willing
to do that?
c. Do you have to carry heavy items in
your present job? What is the heaviest
item that you have carried during the
course of your work?
17.Questions on adaptability
a.How do you establish good working
relationships with people?
b.If you were to be offered this position,
how do you imagine you would spend
your first two weeks on the job?
c. Tell me about the most difficult jobrelated task you have faced.
13.Questions on foreign languages
a.You will be dealing with Chinese
speaking customers most of the time.
Many of them are unable to speak
English. Can you communicate with
them in Mandarin?
b.We have many customers who are
Malay speaking. They do not speak
English. Would you have problems
speaking with them in Malay?
c. This job will require you to correspond
with our clients from China. Are you
able to reply to emails in Chinese?
18.Interpersonal questions
a.How do you give your subordinates
negative feedback?
b.How important was communication
and interaction with others in your last
job? What did you do to be effective?
c. Were you ever a member / leader of a
team in a professional setting? How did
you perform in that role?
19.Questions on competencies
a.How did you gain your knowledge of
this industry / company?
b.Other than the requisite skills, what
other skills do you have that would help
you perform this job well?
c. What do you know about our
organization?
14.Questions on handling bigger roles
and leadership
a.If you are a supervisor and one of your
subordinates is uncooperative and
refuse to take instructions from you,
what would you do?
24
07
EMPLOYING TOOLS &
TECHNOLOGY TO
ENSURE RECRUITING
COMPLIANCE
7.1 WHAT IS AN APPLICANT TRACKING
SYSTEM?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a
software solution that enables recruiters
to manage candidates in the recruitment
process. It is similar to a customer relationship
management (CRM) system, but designed
specifically for recruiting.
Without an ATS, you will struggle to manage
the influx of candidates that you will receive
from job postings and proactive sourcing.
Additionally, recruiters will be unable to
monitor each other’s activity, causing them to
sometimes reach out to the same candidate
for different roles or double their efforts on
the same role
You may be exposing yourself to risks if you
are not using a system to properly record
and keep track of recruiting data. Using an
ATS will simplify the task of reporting on
your recruiting activities and ensure that
you comply with any existing and upcoming
regulations.
Moreover it is vital to not just be compliant,
but to be compliant across every channel, and
be consistent as you present yourself to your
potential candidates as an ideal company to
work for - Employer Branding.
25
7.2 WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING A RECRUITING SOFTWARE?
Purchasing an ATS is a big step toward
preventing compliance issues, but you should
not choose one on a whim — not all ATS
solutions are the same. To ensure that you
pick the ATS that is right for you, take the time
to do your due diligence about the product,
keeping these six things in mind:
postings? How many accounts are included
in the upfront cost? How much does each
extra account cost? Are there discounts for a
certain number of seats purchased at once?
Make sure you consider these items.
Customer Support
Be sure to read reviews on the product and
on customer support response in particular.
Even great products have issues, and poor
customer support can be very frustrating,
compounding the problem. Find out if you will
be assigned one relationship manager you
can contact with any issues, or if you will have
to call the number provided and risk being on
hold for a while.
Usability
You want an ATS that is user friendly
and straightforward. You don’t want to
burden your recruiters with an eight-hour
training session just to learn how to input a
candidate’s information. Do your research,
take a tour of the system, and go through the
demonstrations on how to utilize the system.
If you are not confident that every person
on your team will be able to use the system
correctly and efficiently, look elsewhere.
Hosted or Cloud/SaaS
Hosted solutions are slower to change and
fix. A cloud or SaaS system may be the better
option.
Customization
Every organization and team is different. You
don’t want an ATS that you must conform to;
you want one that conforms to you. Make
sure you can customize statuses, required
information, format, etc. That way your team
can tailor the system for your needs and
the way you plan to use it. Additionally, you
will want to make sure that you are able to
change the customizations as needed if the
team decides on a new process.
The ramp-up, upgrades, and fixes are quicker,
and you have the option to access the system
remotely.
Job Postings and Applications
Can you post jobs on your company’s website
through the ATS? If so, are applications
submitted through the website automatically
inputted into the ATS for your team to review?
They should be. This makes the application
review process much more streamlined. It
also ensures that every application is entered
into your ATS, even if the candidate is not a
fit for the particular job he or she applied for.
Cost
Everything else being equal, it makes sense
to go with the most cost-effective option.
But make sure to try to get the best system
for the money. Also, inquire about extra
costs. Are upgrades included? How about job
26
08
HIRINGBOSS
HiringBoss is recruiting software that helps
you recruit top talent - quickly and efficiently.
It organizes the end-to-end hiring process
on 1 single platform: taking you from job
requisition, to posting jobs, reviewing
candidates, scheduling interviews, generating
offer letters... and ultimately hiring the right
person for the job while ensuring compliance!
With HiringBoss you will have all the tools you
need to dramatically boost your recruiting
ROI and shrink your hiring costs. HiringBoss is
in the Cloud so there is no software to install
or maintain. Plus, local support is on hand to
make sure you’re getting the most out of your
HiringBoss platform.
If you’re not using ATS/software, you are
exposing yourself to risks. You need to be audit
ready and have a clear paper trail to ensure
that you have been compliant throughout
every step of the process.
27
Connecting to various stakeholders in one platform
A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, HiringBoss is based on the concept of ‘Zero Risk’
• Within Budget – fixed, affordable pricing for
implementation and training
• Within Requirements – configurable and flexible
• Within Deadline – implemented within 6 weeks
• Beyond Expectations – impress your organization!
28
Why use HiringBoss?
• Configurable | Transparent | Effective
• Improve speed of hire, quality of candidates and reduce
hiring costs
• Eliminate admin, focus on recruitment
Who is HiringBoss for?
• For business of all sizes:
• Start-ups | SMEs | Global | Government
• Future-focused HR professionals aiming to optimize the
hiring process
• HiringBoss is designed and built in Asia for businesses in
Asia
Customer Support
• HR and eRecruiting technology
• Talent Acquisition and Applicant Tracking Solution
• Cloud | SaaS (software-as-a-service)
INCLUDED
HR COMPLIANCE
TOOLS
Founded in 2011 in Asia
• Founded by Recruitment Software experts
• Backed by Asia’s leading investor JAFCO
HR software for Asians by Asians
• Intuitive process-driven interface
• Configurable, to match local and regional regulatory demands
• Local people in-country selling and supporting
SaaS (software-as-a-service)
• Hosted securely in the Cloud
• Software for HR practitioners and recruiters, not IT
• Inclusive of hosting, release management, support & regular upgrades
29
09
COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST
2014
Extra attention is needed in order to ensure
that you are being compliant and not infringing
any rules or regulations in every stage of the
recruiting process.
Checklist for Job Advertisements:
99 Make sure the advertisement focuses on
the essential skills and abilities to do the
job.
99 Write in clear, plain English.
99 Avoid any reference to age, sex, race,
religion, parental status or any other
personal characteristic protected by law,
unless it is part of the genuine requirements
of the job or the organization has a specific
exemption or exception – for example,
people who serve alcohol must be over 18.
99 Make sure the advertisement is written
in a way that does not discourage some
people from applying or imply that only
certain applicants will be considered, such
as using phrases like ‘join a dynamic young
team’ or ‘seeking mature, experienced
professional’.
99 Encourage as many suitable candidates
as possible to apply. If you have the
resources,
consider advertising the
position internally and externally, as well
as using mainstream and community
media outlets, local newspapers, specialist
journals, informal networks, industry
groups and other forums
Fair Employment
Self-Assessment Tool:
http://www.tafep.sg/self-assessment/
30
Suggestions for Avoiding Discriminatory Language in Advertisements
Instead of
Use
Junior
Seeking experience
Senior or mature person
Responsible, able to work
unsupervised
Office junior
Office assistant
Five years’ experience
Demonstrated ability
Sales girl
Sales assistant
Foreman
Supervisor
Checklist for Candidate Screening (Source):
99 Focus solely on matching the skills and experience of the candidates against the requirements
of the job. Prepare a list of questions that relate directly to the job requirements. All
candidates should be asked the same set of questions.
99 Ensure people conducting the interview have a good understanding of the job requirements
and are aware of the importance of only asking questions that relate to the role, and of
following equal opportunity principles.
99 Ask if candidates have any special requirements in order to attend the interview.
99 If possible, consider diversity on the selection panel, including both men and women, and
people from different cultural backgrounds and age groups.
99 Allow candidates time to make their point and, if necessary, ask follow-up questions so they
can elaborate on their initial answers.
99 Make a record of the answers provided by each candidate and ensure they are kept
confidential. If you listed key selection criteria in your advertisement, develop a scoring
system to rank each candidate’s ability to meet the ‘essential’ and the ‘desirable’ selection
criteria.
99 Avoid asking questions that are presumed to be relevant only to certain applicants, for
example, to women, older workers or parents. Instead, applicants should be asked whether
they can fulfil the key requirements of the job, such as travel, overtime or performing any
necessary physical activities.
99 Ensure any skills tests are relevant to the job, non-discriminatory and that any specific needs
of candidates with a disability are taken into account.
Recruiting should be a systematic process where each candidate can be easily tracked
in a recruitment workflow process:
31
10
RESOURCES
10.1 THE LABOR MARKET IN
SINGAPORE
How much should you pay your employees?
What are the skills, certifications and
qualifications of today’s workforce? What is
the labor market like in your industry? These
statistics and reports will help you understand
the workforce better.
32
10.1.1 Key Indicators on Singapore
Economy and People
The Key Indicators are compiled and published
by the Singapore Department of Statistics.
They provide a snapshot of Singapore’s:
• Earnings and Wages
Access information on the average
earnings and wage increases of
Singapore’s workforce.
• Population & area
Reports
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) compiles
the statistics into reports and occasional
papers. You can access them for free on
MOM’s website.
• Demographics
• Literacy and education
• Society
• Employment
Highlights
Produced jointly by the MOM and the
Singapore Workforce Development Agency
(WDA), this publication provides a quick
snapshot of key employment statistics, jobs in
demand and their related qualifications across
11 industry groups within the construction,
manufacturing and services sectors.
• Economy
10.1.2 Labour Market Information
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has a
comprehensive archive of statistics:
• Labour Force
Access detailed information on
Singapore’s labour force characteristics
in terms of age, participation rate and
educational profile.
Salary Survey Report 2013
Produced by the Singapore National
Employers Federation (SNEF), this report is
indispensable for benchmarking your salary
structures and employment benefits.
• Employment
Find out the number of employed
persons in Singapore and their
distribution in the various occupations
and industries.
Other Relevant Statistics
• Singapore Population Statistics
• Singapore’s Economy
• Singapore’s Monthly Digest of Statistics –
September 2013
• Unemployment
Access Singapore’s latest unemployment
figures.
• Job Vacancy
Find Singapore’s latest job vacancy
numbers and rates.
• Labor Turnover
Get information on Singapore’s average
monthly recruitment and resignation
rates.
• Hours Worked
Find out the total and overtime hours put
in by Singapore’s workforce.
• Retrenchment and Redundancy
Access latest information on
retrenchment and redundancy.
• Re-employment
Access latest information on reemployment.
33
10.2 BUILDING A TALENT FACTORY
10.2.1 The benefits of building a talent factory
If you are a rapidly growing expansion-stage
company, establishing a talent factory will be
vital to your company’s continued growth. In
fact, according to a 2012 study by the Boston
Consulting Group,2 recruiting has the highest
business impact of any HR function. So,
even if you don’t yet have a full-fledged HR
department, building an internal recruiting
team can create a significant impact by:
Source : Talent Factory E-book
educated decision on which candidate is
the best fit for the job, because there is
continuity in the process.
• Shaping your company’s culture:
A talent team can help shape company
culture and impact its development
through its policies and programs.
• Improving visibility:
Talent specialists also act as ambassadors,
representing your company and its culture
to the outside world. By attending career
fairs and on-campus events, a talent team
will provide valuable marketing for your
company, creating more visibility within
your desired candidate pool. A quarterly
networking event led by your talent team
can also pay huge dividends for talent
acquisition by showcasing your company
and its employment opportunities.
• Lowering Recruitment Costs:
Many companies that do not have a talent
factory or an in-house recruiter use staffing
agencies for the bulk of their hiring. For
full-time employees, agencies can charge
20 to 35 percent of the hires first-year
annual salary as a “finder’s fee.” Depending
on how many roles you hire each year, you
may be paying more in fees than what it
would cost to build and operate your own
in-house talent factory.
• Increasing credibility:
Candidates will always be more responsive
and exude more confidence when
they feel they are being treated as an
individual, rather than an application. A
talent team can serve as liaison between
the candidate and the hiring manager,
improving communication and, ultimately,
your credibility — even among candidates
you don’t end up hiring.
• Driving Higher ROI:
Not only will an in-house talent factory
result in a lower cost per hire, but it will
also enable you to hire multiple candidates
(should there be more than one opening
for the same position) at no extra cost. An
in-house talent team can also maintain
an ongoing pipeline of candidates with
a particular skill set, helping you make
repeat hires more quickly, and implement
programs to improve employee retention
(e.g. Establishing programs to promote
work/life balance).
• Creating a greater sense of urgency:
Because the internal recruiting team will
be in the trenches, they will recognize the
need for new hires more quickly and be
held accountable by the hiring managers
who are awaiting qualified candidates.
Additionally, the hiring managers will
be asked to provide more timely and
complete feedback if the recruiting team
is in the same office, allowing for a shorter
feedback loop and faster decisions.
• Fostering a better candidate
experience and building culture
along the way:
Having a talent factory will create a more
streamlined hiring process that ensures
that each candidate your company recruits
goes through the same procedures,
meets with the same people, answers
similar questions, and is told the same
information. In turn, your candidates will
have a better overall experience, and your
company will be able to make a more
34
10.2.2 Checklists for building a talent factory
Checklist for the CEO
99I understand that the director of talent’s role is to implement and manage the talent factory so that
the executive team and I can make the best decisions to support the hiring and retention of top
talent in the company.
99I have developed a plan to hire a director of talent and outlined his/her responsibilities for implementing and managing the talent factory
99I have scheduled regular meetings with the director of talent to discuss talent and HR-related updates
99We have agreed on a series of metrics and reports that the director of talent will provide to me
and the executive team on a regular basis
99I will make myself available to provide continued guidance and support as needed
Checklist for the Director of Talent
99As the director of talent, I understand that I play a vital role in overseeing the entire talent management process, which informs the executive team to make sound talent-related decisions and
supports the hiring and retaining of top talent in the company.
99I have worked with the executive team to develop an annual talent plan for the company entailing
hiring targets, budget, and goals
99I have established a reporting schedule to communicate the progress of talent-related targets (hiring, budget spent, goal progress, etc.) to the executive team
99I have outlined a model for designing and overseeing a successful talent factory in the company
99I have developed a plan to hire and manage talent specialists in order for the company to achieve
its hiring and other HR-related targets
99I have daily and weekly meetings scheduled with my talent team to evaluate the progress of our
targets, discuss and address issues, implement best practices, and capitalize on new opportunities
Checklist for the Talent Specialist(s)
99As a talent specialist, I understand that I play an important role in addressing the company’s human resource needs by managing the candidate recruitment process and hiring top talent in the
company.
99I will regularly discuss new role requests and my capacity with the director of talent and the talent team, prioritize the list of roles according to the sense of urgency, and develop a work plan to
recruit he hires accordingly
99I will communicate with the hiring managers on a regular basis to provide them with compensation reports (as needed) and updates on the progress of searches, solicit feedback on the candidates identified, and continue or modify the search process accordingly
99I will reach out/communicate with employee referrals in a timely manner
99I will regularly participate in external recruitment events to explore new talent pools and identify
potential candidates
Checklist for the Hiring Manager
99As the hiring manager, I understand that I am responsible for making sound hiring decisions for
my department and will work closely with the talent team to ensure that we identify and recruit
the best candidate for the role that we are seeking to fill.
99I have scheduled a meeting with the talent specialist that will be recruiting for the role and have
provided him/her with a clear job description and a compensation band (salary, bonus, and equity)
the role offers
99I will review/approve the work plan for each new role request on a timely basis
99I will provide the talent specialist with a timeline on when the role should be filled, the level of urgency, and other notes associated with the role to help support the search
99I will make myself available to speak and meet with suitable candidates as often as possible and
respond to interview requests in a timely manner
99I will provide timely feedback to the talent specialist about each candidate across every step of the
recruiting process (i.e., resume screen, phone interviews, in-person interviews, etc.)
35
10.3 COMMON RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES AND THEIR SOLUTIONS
Challenge
Solution
Broken feedback loop
(Talent team is not receiving timely feedback
from hiring managers or stakeholders)
Set up a meeting with the stakeholders in the search
to regroup. Go over expectations for feedback
and explain that if filling the role is not a priority
it should be put on hold until all stakeholders will
be able to commit to it. Also, if you don’t already
have one, set up a weekly update call with the
hiring manager and stress that they adhere to
participating.
Underperforming members of your talent team
Meet with the team member to address your
concerns; be open and honest with your feedback.
Find out if there is something they need help with
and go over any impediments or questions they
may have. Follow up by having
weekly meetings with that team member to review
their progress and performance.
Disgruntled candidates
Have the talent specialist call the candidate to
better understand and help rectify the issue. A call
will mean much more to the candidate than an
e-mail. The candidate should leave the call feeling
positive about the company.
A candidate’s response to an offer is delayed
Reach out to the candidate to find out why they
are withholding their response and if there are any
issues with the offer that can be resolved. Be sure
to give them a deadline to respond; this should
prevent any further delayed response.
A candidate has received a counter offer
Remind the candidate of their original motivation
for finding a new job; it is likely that it was not
financial, and they will see that staying with their
current company will not change their situation. If
possible, increase the offer to match the counter
offer or consider adding a sign-on bonus. This will
show the candidate your eagerness to have them
join the team.
Lack of response from sourcing activity
Change your messaging and see what candidates
respond to. Maybe it’s flattery, maybe it’s
highlighting awards and company growth, or
maybe it’s accentuating the benefits of working for
your company. In addition, follow up a few times
with target candidates before giving up on them.
Recruiting in a saturated market
Get creative: Join Meetup groups or host
networking events for specific skill sets. Attend job
fairs in the area. Set up a referral program for both
internal and external use. Implement a University
Recruiting Program to attract candidates out of
schools. Set your company apart from the rest.
36
10.4 STANDARD TEMPLATES FOR APPLICANT COMMUNICATIONS
10.4.1 Response to unsolicited resume:
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for sending your resume to XYZ Company. We sincerely appreciate your interest in
our company. Should an appropriate position be identified, we will contact you to discuss any
possible next steps.
Thank you.
The XYZ Company
10.4.2 Rejection to candidate not interviewed:
Hello [Name],
Thank you for your interest in XYZ Company. Although we were impressed with your background,
we have decided to move forward with other candidates whose experience is more similar to
the qualifications that we are looking for at this time. We will keep your resume on file in the
event that a future opening at XYZ Company may become available.
Thank you again for your interest in XYZ Company.
Kind regards,
The XYZ Company
10.4.3 Rejection to candidate who was interviewed:
Hello [Name],
Thank you for your interest in XYZ Company. We appreciate the time you took from your
schedule to participate in the interview process for the position, but regret to inform you that
we have decided not to move forward with your candidacy at this time. We will keep your
resume on file in the event that a future opening at XYZ Company may become available.
Thank you again for your interest in XYZ Company.
Kind regards,
The XYZ Company
37
10.5 INTERVIEW QUESTION GUIDE
Competency
Behavioural Interview Questions
Accountability, Organizational Skills, Decision
Making
99 Please describe in detail a project that you
were responsible for. How did you carry out the
project and what were the end results?
99 When given an important assignment with strict
deadlines, how do you approach it?
99 How have you adjusted your style when it was
not meeting the objectives and/or people were
not responding correctly?
Agility
99 Tell me about a time when you had to take on
a new role, or new tasks. Describe the situation
and what you did.
99 Describe a situation where you had to adjust
your own behavior or style to build relationships
with those who have different styles/ cultures/
values.
99 Tell me about a project that did not go according
to plan. What corrections did you make and
what were the results?
99 How well do you adapt to new situations?
Provide an example.
Communication
99 Tell me about a time when you had to introduce
a new idea. How did you do it?
99 Describe a time when you received information
about a project or work-related item that was
critical to success. How did you share the
information with the team? When did you share
the information?
99 How do you go about explaining a problem to a
person who does not understand the technical
jargon?
Critical Thinking, Decision Making
99 Provide me with a specific example of a time
when you used good judgment and logic in
solving a problem.
99 Tell me about a difficult decision you’ve made in
the last year.
99 Describe the steps you go through to make an
important decision.Please provide an example.
99 We sometimes work in an environment where
the guidelines are not clear. Tell me about a time
you have experienced this. How did you react?
99 What have you learned from your mistakes?
38
Competency
Behavioural Interview Questions
Development (self and others)
99 Describe a time when you were not satisfied
with your own performance, or the performance
of someone who reported to you. What did you
do about it?
99 How do you go about setting goals, for yourself
and for those you manage?
99 How do you coach an employee?
99 Give me an example of a situation you think
highlights your leadership skills.
Efficiency, Organizational Skills
99 What is your process for prioritizing your
responsibilities?
99 Provide an example. What should you do to be
more efficient?
99 Everyone procrastinates at some point. What
are the kinds of things that you procrastinate
on?
99 What do you find helps you manage your time?
99 What do you do when faced with a deadline that
is extremely difficult to meet?
Initiative
99 What have you accomplished that shows your
initiative and willingness to work?
99 Tell me about a time when you were instrumental
in finding a new, more efficient way of doing
something.
99 Give me an example of a time when you took
the lead.
99 Give me an example of a career goal you set
for yourself. Did you achieve it, and what were
some of the obstacles you faced along the way?
Persistence
99 Tell me about a time when you got results when
others tried and failed.
99 Tell me about a time when you were the first to
take on a tough issue.
99 Tell me about a time when you went above and
beyond the call of duty in order to get a job
done.
39
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