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Dos and Don’ts of Job Interviews for Employers

Johnstone Adams • May 21, 2023

When you’re interviewing job candidates for an opening at your company, your questions need to do more than just see if the person is a good fit for your team and the role. You need to make sure you are following all laws when preparing your questions and evaluating candidates during job interviews.

The interview process can be far more complicated than asking questions to determine if the person is qualified for the position. The small talk you make, and the personal, getting-to-know-you questions you ask all need to be carefully planned out to ensure you don’t violate any anti-discriminatory laws during job interviews.

To ensure you are following all employment laws , consider these Dos and Don’ts when conducting job interviews.

What To Do While Interviewing a Job Candidate

Job interviews serve the purpose of ensuring the candidate is the right person for the job. You need to make sure they can do the work and that they fit with your company’s culture. If these are not aligned, then the candidate likely will not work out long-term. To make sure you are hiring the best candidate, you should do the following before and during job interviews:

Prepare for the interview by reviewing the candidate’s resume and researching their background and work experience. This is legal to look at their LinkedIn profile, review their resume, look at their provided work samples, and get a feel for their skills and qualifications. This will help you create questions to ask them during the interview.
Ask open-ended questions that allow the candidate to provide detailed responses. While there are restrictions on what you can ask a candidate, it’s fair game if they volunteer the information (as long as you don’t hold the information against them). For example, you can’t ask if they have children, but if you say “Tell me a little bit about yourself,” and they mention they have two kids, then you have your answer. You can then follow up with family insurance benefits you offer, child care credits, etc. What you can’t do is not hire them because they have young children.
Listen actively to the candidate’s responses and take notes. After an interview, you might forget the key information the candidate provided. Take notes during the conversation so you remember what they said. This is especially important if they asked you any questions that you need to follow up on.
Provide a comfortable and welcoming environment for the interview. Make the candidates feel at ease. Unless you’re interviewing for a CIA position, this interview is not an interrogation. You should remember that they are evaluating your company as much as you are evaluating them, so it’s important to show them around and let them get a feel for the environment and culture.
Be respectful and courteous to the candidate throughout the interview process. You don’t want to be rude to a candidate. It’s just not nice, for one, but it can also open you up to potential lawsuits if the person doesn’t get the job and they think you were being cruel or unfair during the interview process.
Take time to explain the job requirements and expectations to the candidate. This will let you discuss the job in detail so they know what is expected of them and you can determine if they are up to the task. It will also let you lay out requirements so they can make an informed decision about the role.
Provide an opportunity for the candidate to ask questions about the job and the company. Make sure they can ask any questions they have. This not only gives them the information they need to learn more about the role and your company, but it’s a way for you to see if they did any research on your business and the role.

What Not To Do Candidate Job Interviews

Interviewing potential job candidates is extremely important. It determines who will be added to your team, and what talent they might bring to the role. However, there is also a lot of room for error. Asking the wrong question can land you and your company in trouble. To avoid this, avoid the following during job interviews:

Don’t make assumptions about the candidate based on their appearance or background. This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often companies make a mistake like that. When someone walks into your office for an interview, just stick to the job questions and their qualifications. You can only look at a candidate’s resume and evaluate them on their answers and qualifications.
Don’t ask questions that are discriminatory or irrelevant to the job. This might surprise you, but you cannot ask personal questions during an interview. This includes, “Are you married?” “Do you have kids?” “Where are you from?” The answers to all of these questions can be used against a candidate. If you pass them up for a job after they tell you they were born in a different country, or they are homosexual or have 10 kids at home, you are opening yourself and your company up to a lawsuit.
Don’t interrupt the candidate while they are speaking. Be respectful and let them answer the question. This is about you interviewing them, so let them answer the question entirely before you move on.
Don’t rush through the interview or cut it short. If the interview is running late or you need to go to another meeting, or if you already decided this is not the right person for the job, show them respect and complete the interview. Rushing them out the door could be used against you later.
Don’t ask leading questions that suggest a particular answer. Let the candidate answer the questions in the manner they choose. If you like them and you need them to provide a specific answer, leading them to it is not the solution. It could result in the wrong hire. And it can be used against you if another candidate finds out you gave preferential treatment to another applicant.
Don’t make promises that cannot be kept. Even if you like a candidate and you are trying to woo them to your company, making promises during an interview is a bad idea. What happens when you can’t follow through? They might quit, and you have to start the process all over again. Instead, be honest.
Don’t allow personal biases to affect the hiring decision. This is the biggest factor during the hiring process. You cannot discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, or anything other than their ability to perform the job.

Why Hire Us

Don’t make a crucial mistake while interviewing a job candidate that lands you in a discrimination lawsuit. Let the experts at Johnstone Adams LLC help you.

Ranked in the 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list regionally in 12 practice areas, we have experts in many areas of law to give our clients top-notch representation. In business for more than a century, our firm can mix its experience with the ability to evolve with the changing times.

To get started, contact us at 844-682-7682 or info@johnstoneadams.com .

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Johnstone Adams LLC Ranked by Best Law Firms® in 2025

By David Owens • January 17, 2025

Mobile, AL. United States, January16,2025 ··Johnstone Adams LLC has been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms*, a testament to its unwavering commitment to legal excellence. Ranked by Best Law Firms regionally in 8 practice areas, Johnstone Adams LLC has distinguished itself in the legal industry, earning this prestigious accolade. Firms included in the 2025 Best Law Finns& list are recognized for professional excellence with impressive ratings from clients and peers. To be considered for this milestone achievement, at least one lawyer in the law firm must be recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Americaf). "At Best lawyers, we are proud to recognize law firms that show an unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and client satisfaction, • said Philip Creer, Chief Executive Officer of Best lawyers. "In the legal arena. Credibility is earned through consistent quality, which has propelled these firms to the forefront of the legal industry. • Achieving a ranking in Best Law Firms signifies high-quality legal practice and a depth of legal proficiency. Recognized firms, categorized into three tiers, receive acclaim on both national and metropolitan levels, reflecting the extent of their practice and geographic reach. Receiving a tier designation represents an elite status, reflecting the integrity and reputation earned by law firms. The 2025 edition of Best Law Firms* includes rankings in 75 national practice areas and127 metropolitan-based practice areas. The highest-rated firm in each national practice area attains the prestigious "Law Firm of the Year" honor. The transparent collaborative research process employs qualitative and quantitative data from peer and client reviews, supported by proprietary algorithmic technology, to produce a tiered system of industry-led rankings of the top 4% of the industry. Johnstone Adams LLC received the following rankings in the 2025 Best Law Firms®: • Regional Tier 1 o Mobile • Employment Law - Management • Labor Law - Management • Litigation - Labor and Employment • Workers• Compensation Law - Employers • Regional Tier 2 o Mobile • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law • Health Care Law • Litigation - Construction • Tax Law ### About Johnstone Adams LLC Johnstone Adams LLC is committed to providing its clients with the full range of services necessary to meet their legal needs. Our lawyers develop and maintain the knowledge and experience to provide top notch legal representation consistent with the needs of our clients, both as to time and expense. Johnstone Adams, LLC specializes in the following practice areas: • Banking, Finance & Creditors• Rights • Business and Corporate including Business Dispute and Shareholder Rights Litigation • Construction Litigation • Employment, Labor and Workers• Compensation Law • ERISA, Tax, Trusts & Estates • Health Care including Mental Health • Immigration including Employment, 1-9 Compliance and Family • Insurance Litigation: (1) Defense: Construction & Completed Operations; Major Claims & Professional Liability; (2) Coverage and Regulatory: Agency, Commercial, Fidelity, Personal lines & Title • Real Estate including Conveyancing, Environmental & Zoning • Real Estate Litigation, including Conveyancing, Lien Priorities & Titles For more than a century Johnstone Adams LLC has strived to improve upon how we deliver legal services to our clients in this ever-changing economic climate.

Johnstone Adams LLC Lawyers Recognized as Best lawyers® Award Recipients

By David Owens • January 17, 2025

Johnstone Adams LLC Lawyers Recognized as Best lawyers® Award Recipients Mobile, AL. United States, January 16, 2025 •• Johnstone Adams LLC is pleased to announce that 7 lawyers have been included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America• Since it was first published in1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Johnstone Adams LLC would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to 2025 The Best Lawyers in America list • Celia J. Collins • Employment Law Management. Labor Law Management. Litigation • Labor and Employment. and Workers' Compensation Law • Employers Rick A. La Trace - Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights I Insolvency and Reorganization Law • E. Russell March Ill - Elder Law • Wade B. Perry Jr. - Employment Law- Management, Health Care Law, and Litigation - Labor and Employment • Elizabeth Darby Rehm - Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment • Lawrence J. Seiter - Litigation - Construction and Workers• Compensation Law - Employers • E. Watson Smith - Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law ### About Johnstone Adams LLC Johnstone Adams LLC is committed to providing its clients with the full range of services necessary to meet their legal needs. Our lawyers develop and maintain the knowledge and experience to provide top notch legal representation consistent with the needs of our clients, both as to time and expense. Johnstone Adams, LLC specializes in the following practice areas: • Banking, Finance & Creditors• Rights • Business and Corporate including Business Dispute and Shareholder Rights Litigation • Construction Litigation • Employment Labor and Workers• Compensation Law • ERISA, Tax, Trusts & Estates • Health Care including Mental Health Immigration including Employment, 1-9 Compliance and Family • Insurance Litigation: Defense: Construction & Completed Operations; Major Claims & Professional Liability; Coverage and Regulatory: Agency, Commercial, Fidelity, Personal lines & Title Real Estate including Conveyancing, Environmental & Zoning Real Estate Litigation, including Conveyancing, Lien Priorities & Titles For more than a century Johnstone Adams LLC has strived to improve upon how we deliver legal services to our clients in this ever-changing economic climate.

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My husband and I were referred to Johnstone Adams in the spring of last year. We are working very closely with Jessica Welch and Greg Watts on an ongoing and unwanted family estate matter. Ms. Welch and Mr. Watts have been so professional and knowledgeable. In addition, considering the nature of the suit, Jessica has provided my husband and me with peace of mind we didn’t think was possible during this extremely stressful time of our lives. She is an amazing trial attorney. They have gone above and beyond. To sum it up, I have nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for them. I would strongly recommend either of them to my dearest friends and family members. I’m so thankful that we stumbled upon them. I’m actually going to miss Jessica Welch when this is all over.”

I am currently using this law firm and they are informative, keep me up to date with my case, and return your calls/emails immediately. I am very satisfied. My wife and I approached Johnstone Adams to help us make a better-informed decision regarding her immigration. They have been a truly invaluable asset. They brought their knowledge, experience, confidence, and calm demeanor to the process, which put our minds at ease. The worry and anxiety that we were facing melted away, and we have been, literally, hand-held during this daunting process. We can’t thank or recommend Johnstone Adams enough and look forward to continuing to use their services in the future.

Johnstone Adams was a great help when it came to drawing up our family’s will and advanced directives prior to the birth of our first son. These are certainly things that no one wants to think about, but the process was easy. They were professional and knowledgeable, answering all of our questions along the way with compassion and sensitivity. Johnstone Adams responded quickly to any questions and was easy to get in touch with! We would highly recommend them for any legal work!! Jessica’s advice and assistance with our family’s interests in a probate matter was exceptional from beginning to end– always thoughtful, responsive and efficient, and focused and timely.

It was a genuine pleasure for the doubtless incorrigibly demanding old lawyer that I am to have a professional of her outstanding caliber assisting me on this matter—both generally and in my role as executor in particular—in a jurisdiction unfamiliar to me and on a matter completely outside of my own experience and expertise. I might also point out that she was really excellent in interfacing, always in a timely and solution-oriented manner, with other parties involved in our matter to help keep our initiatives on track—including attorneys dealing with the disposition of residential real estate and financial assets. Jessica and her excellent assistant, Shelly Perrone, also offered and provided pragmatic and efficient solutions to logistical and execution issues made it significantly more challenging than usual given the COVID-19 crisis and my own location far from Mobile– in Paris, France.

I highly recommend attorney Rick La Trace. Aside from being professional, polite, and yet firm, Rick is a combination of knowledge, detail, and responsiveness. (In my opinion, there are very few professionals who have ALL three qualities. Rick is one of the very few.) What makes him stand apart from the rest, is that he takes the time to listen to his client’s concerns (no matter how “trivial”). He educates client’s on how the law works, shares his opinions, including the pros and cons of each. We would definitely use Rick’s services again, and highly recommend him for anyone who wants a lawyer that they can trust to thoroughly handle their case from start to finish, even down to the small details. You can tell from working with Rick that he’s not just about getting paid for his services, but that he enjoys working through problems and finding creative solutions for his clients. Also, I highly recommend the Johnstone Adams, LLC systems and processes. Shelly and Cathy were on top of things. I give Rick and Johnstone Adams more than five stars.

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WHY CHOOSE OUR FIRM

Dedicated Quality & Commitment

Only a few special law firms in the U.S. have provided exceptional representation to businesses for more than a century. Johnstone Adams, LLC is one of these rare, distinguished firms. Since 1897, the firm has successfully advanced from a local firm serving South Alabama into a dynamic regional powerhouse equipped to fulfill most legal needs of its diverse client base.

Legacy Of Excellence

Each attorney takes great pride in continuing the firm’s legacy of excellence. By consistently providing sophisticated, aggressive, and innovative legal solutions to every client in each service area, Johnstone Adams attorneys personally ensure that their firm’s long, storied past is only the beginning.

Exemplary Client Service & Efficiency

With a focus on exemplary client service and efficiency, Johnstone Adams attorneys guide clients through legal matters from the first conversation about strategy to successful completion in the following critical service areas: Health Care, Employment, Labor & Workers’ Compensation, Insurance Defense Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Corporate Transactions, Real Estate Litigation & Transactions, Construction, Oil & Gas, Tax, Trusts & Estate Planning, Banking & Finance, Immigration, and Forest Use.

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