Questions not to ask during an interview — and what to ask instead

The world of interviewing has changed, Lauraine Bifulco, president of Vantaggio HR, told attendees at her session during the 2024 Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference — and employers need to be more careful.

Something seemingly as common as cultural fit can be problematic, Bifulco said. Zoom and remote interviews also change the nature of this work, she added, but a good hiring decision can eliminate many legal risks, reduce costs, increase productivity and improve morale.

In other words, making a good hire keeps real money on the table, Bifulco noted; “At the end of the day, all these things translate into more dollars for your organization.”

But employers tend not to train hiring managers on how to interview. “If you have one takeaway from today,” Bifulco said, “I hope you go back to your company and say we have to do a better job in training our folks on the interviewing process.”