posted 10-05-2004 11:36 AM            

After some thought, I have decided to try to direct applicants attention to the ethical issue by adding the following question to the oral review board that applicants must pass early in the hiring process.
I think that it will:
1. Give applicants an opportunity to consider the issue long before polygraph.
2. Provide applicants with an opportunity to correct any errors or omissions.
3. Provide a strong ethical question , to help reviewers with the weeding process regardless of whether the applicant has used drugs or not.
The question is this:
You have used drugs recreationally several times in high school approximately five years ago and did not indicate this on your pre-employment questionnaire. You have since been told that this will be one of the questions that will be asked on the polygraph and you feel that it will show that you have not been honest. If you show deception on your polygraph, you believe you may be eliminated from the selection. However you were also not truthful on the questionnaire and that may also disqualify you. Your polygraph is scheduled for tomorrow. What would you do and why?

posted 10-05-2004 12:33 PM            

your last open post hit it on the head. Many HR Dept's don't have the courage of their convictions and blame polygraph for not hiring someone. The anti's pick up on this and perpetuate the all or nothing idea that polygraph is everything in the hiring process. We all know that the results may be A factor, but should never be THE factor.

Giving applicants your question of moral and ethical consideration/dilema is a tripple edged sword. The reasons you gave for asking that type question at an oral board is certainly well founded and could provide for interesting answers.

However, in my opinion, the correct answer should be; "I should not be considered further for employment at all. I lied on my application and any furtherance of a lie would be wrong and any correction simply verified that I am a liar."

Now! If you ask this question and they give you my "ideal" answer, I would suggest you hire them. Any other answer would let me know they either are willing to lie (or have lied) about something important (to include written official documents)or make excuses after getting caught and will protect themselves at all cost with rhetoric and excuse making.

Sounds like fun. I'd love to do oral boards but they rarely let me out of my cage...