Interviewing

Disability Accommodations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. In this regard, the university provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship. The purpose of a reasonable accommodation is to remove workplace barriers for individuals with disabilities and to enable them to enjoy equal employment opportunities.

The term disability is broadly defined under the above laws to include, but is not limited to, any of the following:

  • Disability Accommodations (includes pregnancy and “pregnancy-related condition”); and
  • Religious Accommodations

The Office of Employment Equity (OEE) is responsible for overseeing and coordinating requests for accommodation received from staff employees with disabilities. As an initial step, you should inform your supervisor or the Disability Specialist in OEE of the need for a reasonable accommodation based on a disability. You, a family member, or someone else designated by you may notify the university on your behalf of your need for a reasonable accommodation.

In order to request an accommodation, there are two (2) forms that you and your health care provider need to complete as part of OEE’s standard process. The first form is the Accommodation Request Form. You also need to have your health care provider complete the Medical Inquiry Form. You may mail, e-mail, upload https://discover-uhr.rutgers.edu/onesource/home or fax (732-932-0049) these forms to the attention of the Disability Specialist in OEE once they have been completed.

If you have specific questions regarding the accommodation process, please contact the following person in OEE:

Laurel B Peltzmen, JD.
Associate Director for Accommodations
Office of Employment Equity
Phone: 848.932.3974
Fax: 732.932.0049

For information regarding disability accommodations for faculty employees, please contact the Office of Academic Labor Relations.

Preparing For The Interview

The goals of the interview process are to gather information, create a positive image of the department/university, present a realistic description of the position, ensure that all applicants have been treated fairly, establish adequate records in the event the selection decision must be justified, and, ultimately, to select a qualified candidate.

Several steps are necessary in preparing for an interview:

  • Select Interviewer(s): In addition to the immediate supervisor, there may be individuals with whom the candidate will interact who should also be part of the interview and selection process.
  • Identify Selection Criteria: The interviewer(s) should review the responsibilities of the position and reach agreement on what education and experience requirements are necessary, as well as the required behavioral qualifications (e.g., communication skills, teamwork, customer service).
  • Review Cover Letters/Resumes/Applications: Using the selection criteria, the interviewer(s) should carefully review the application materials to determine which candidates should be interviewed.
  • Develop Appropriate Questions: The interviewer(s) should develop job-related questions that will be asked of all applicants to probe their education, level of related experience, and other attributes required for the position. You may also want to ask questions that will help you determine if the candidate has a strong client service orientation.

Scheduling/Conducting Interviews

Establish rapport:

  • A cordial greeting, and suitable introductions will establish rapport and help create a pleasant atmosphere. Following the greeting, some "small talk" is usually of value to relax the applicant and help establish open communication.

Gather information:

  • Interviewing requires listening, probing, reflecting, summarizing, and evaluating skills. Ideally, the interviewer should talk only about 25 percent of the time. Avoid asking questions that require only "yes" or "no" answers or multiple-choice questions, since that means you are leading the conversation. Ask open-ended questions that encourage the applicant to express ideas and provide information. Ask follow-up questions that encourage further conversation. Open-ended questions start with words like, "Tell me about..., please discuss..., explain how..., tell me more about...," and encourage the interviewee to elaborate.

Describe the position and the organization:

  • Provide sufficient facts, both favorable and unfavorable, about the position and the department in a straightforward manner so that the applicant can make an intelligent decision about the acceptability of the position. Use caution in describing the position. Do not assure the applicant that if hired, they can count on a long career or that there are no potential for layoffs. Discussion of salary, promotional opportunities, and job security issues must be carefully worded. Do not make promises you do not have the authority to make.

Answer questions and allow the applicant to add information:

  • The applicant's objectives are to gather information about the position and promote themselves for the position. Provide the opportunity for the applicant to accomplish these objectives.

Conclude the interview:

  • Thank the applicant for their time and explain what will happen next. Tell the applicant when the hiring decision will be made and how it will be communicated.

Types Of Interviews

There are two types of interviews, Panel Interviews and One on One Interviews.

  • One on One - Hiring Supervisor/Search Committee Members interview the candidate(s) individually.
  • Panel Interviews - Multiple members of the Search Committee/hiring team interview one candidate together.

Those interviews can be conducted via In-Person Interviews, Phone Interviews, or Virtual Interviews. Depending on the business needs of your unit/department and the availability of applicants & search committee members you can utilize one or a combination of these methods.

  • In-Person Interviews - Candidate is interviewed in-person by the Hiring Supervisor and/or Search Committee Members.
  • Phone Interviews - Candidate is interviewed or screened via phone by the Hiring Supervisor and/or Search Committee Members.
  • Virtual Interviews - Candidate is interviewed or screened via virtual(tele-conference) by the Hiring Supervisor and/or Search Committee Members.