Durogreen Waste Management Pvt. Ltd.

Interview Panel Guidelines: Dos and Don’ts for Conducting Interviews

Objective:

This guide is designed to help interview panel members understand best practices and legal
considerations while conducting interviews in compliance with Indian employment laws and ethical
standards.

Dos: Best Practices for Interview Panel Members

1. Prepare Before the Interview:

• Review the job description, key responsibilities, and required skills.

• Go through the candidate’s resume before the interview to understand their background.
• Prepare structured, role specific questions to assess skills, experience, and cultural fit.

2. Maintain a Professional and Respectful Approach:

• Create a welcoming and comfortable environment for the candidate.

• Introduce yourself and briefly explain the interview process.
• Ask structured, job-related questions to assess skills, experience, and cultural fit.
• Maintain eye contact, actively listen, and take notes.

3. Ask Relevant & Job-related Questions

• Focus on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, problem solving abilities, and

behavioural competencies.
• Use competency-based questions (e.g., "Can you describe a situation where you handled a
difficult team member?")
• Ask scenario-based questions to gauge the candidate’s decision making ability.
• Assess technical skills through case studies, simulations, or technical tests where applicable.

4.Encourage the Candidate to Speak

• Allow the candidate to express themselves fully before moving to the next question.
• Ask open-ended questions to gauge their thought process.

5. Ask Legally and Ethically Appropriate Questions:

• Seek clarifications politely and professionally if required.

• Follow the company’s hiring policies and Indian labour laws (e.g., no discrimination based on
gender, religion, caste, etc.).

6. Respect Candidate’s Confidentiality and Previous Employment:

• Avoid probing into Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs) signed with previous employers.
 • If a candidate voluntarily shares sensitive information, steer the discussion back to job-
related topics.

• Maintain discretion regarding any internal discussions or feedback on candidates.

7. Handle Differences of Opinion Professionally:

• If a candidate provides an incorrect response, guide them toward the right answer instead of
arguing.
• Encourage candidates to explain their reasoning instead of outright dismissing their
responses.
• Provide constructive feedback when necessary.

8.Provide a Positive Candidate Experience

• Explain the next steps in the hiring process.

• Thank the candidate for their time, regardless of the outcome.

Don’ts: Questions and Behaviours to Avoid

1. Avoid Personal and Discriminatory Questions:

• Do NOT ask about religion, caste, marital status, pregnancy plans, political affiliations, or
family background.
• Avoid questions like “Are you planning to get married soon?” or “Do you have children?”
• Do NOT ask about gender identity, or disability status unless the candidate voluntarily
discloses and it relates to workplace accommodations.

2. Refrain from Asking Salary and Financial Questions Prematurely:

• Do not insist on current salary details; instead, ask about salary expectations.
• Avoid making statements like “Your current salary seems too high/low” as this may lead to
bias.

3. Do Not Put Candidates Under Unnecessary Pressure:

• Avoid excessive grilling or asking too many rapid-fire questions that can make candidates
uncomfortable.
• Do not use an intimidating tone or aggressive questioning style to test resilience.

4. Avoid Discussing Past Employers in a Negative Light:

• Do not ask the candidate to share confidential details of their previous employer.
• Avoid leading questions like “Did you leave because of a toxic work environment?”
• Encourage candidates to focus on career growth reasons for changing jobs instead.

5. Do Not Make Unverified Commitments:

• Avoid giving false assurances about salary, job role, or career growth.
 • Do not overpromise benefits that are not part of the official company policy.
• Stick to the evaluation process without giving premature assurances.

6. Prevent Bias and Ensure Fair Evaluation:

• Do not let personal biases (gender, age, regional, educational background) influence hiring
decisions.
• Ensure a structured evaluation to maintain fairness across all candidates.

Legally Sensitive Areas to Avoid (Indian Context)

Indian labour laws and anti-discrimination guidelines prohibit certain questions. Interview panels
must avoid:

Questions on Age, Gender, or Marital Status

• Inappropriate: "Are you married? Do you plan to have children soon?"

• Appropriate: "Are you willing to relocate/travel if required for the role?"

Questions on Religion, Caste, or Ethnicity

• Inappropriate: "Which community do you belong to?"

• Appropriate: "Do you require any specific holidays for religious observances?" (Only if
relevant to work schedules)

Questions on Health or Disabilities (Unless job-related)

• Inappropriate: "Do you have any chronic illnesses?"

• Appropriate (if role demands): "This role requires lifting heavy objects. Can you perform this
task with or without accommodation?"

Handling Tricky Situations

If a Candidate Gives an Incorrect Answer:

• Politely ask follow-up questions to understand their thought process.

• Avoid mocking or embarrassing the candidate.

If a Candidate Appears Nervous:

• Offer reassurance (e.g., "Take your time.")

• Start with easier questions to build confidence.

If a Candidate Asks About the Decision Timeline:

• Provide a general timeframe (e.g., "We will revert within 7 to 10 days.")

• Avoid giving exact dates unless confirmed.

Post Completion of Interview

• Document your interview observations in the Assessment form

• Be as specific and as detailed in your feedback for enabling fair evaluation of the candidate.
• Ensure that the assessment form is completed objectively and consistently across all
candidates. Use specific examples from the interview to support your observations.
• Provide all round feedback including candidate’s strengths, areas of improvements, learning
potential and your assessment of the candidate’s performance on the job role, if selected.
Also include an assessment of the candidate's cultural fit with the organization .If applicable,
note any potential red flags or concerns.
• Prioritize completing and submitting the assessment form promptly to maintain the
momentum of the hiring process.
• If you are undecided about the skills & abilities of the candidate and would like to put him on
hold, before interviewing few more candidates, pls mention that for how many days this
candidate has to be kept on hold. Post this period, candidate will be considered rejected,
unless reviewed by the Interview Panel. Clearly state the reason for placing the candidate on
hold and the specific criteria for re-evaluation. If possible, avoid extremely long hold periods
to maintain good candidate experience.

These guidelines offer general observations aimed at enhancing the candidate experience and
fostering a positive company culture. Please do not hesitate to contact the HR Team for any
further clarification or guidance regarding the interview process..