Ensure compliance with equality legislation, health and safety regulations, working time requirements, disability accommodation obligations, and data protection laws whilst maintaining fair assessment processes and proper documentation. Focus on job-relevant technical competency assessment whilst respecting candidate rights and legal protections.
Common misunderstanding: Many hiring managers assume technical role interviews have fewer legal requirements than other positions. AV technician interviews must comply with all employment legislation including equality, disability, and discrimination laws whilst maintaining focus on technical competency and operational requirements.
Common misunderstanding: Some managers focus on avoiding obvious discrimination without understanding positive obligations for reasonable adjustments and inclusive practices. Legal compliance requires proactive accommodation for disabilities, fair assessment procedures, and systematic documentation rather than just avoiding prohibited questions.
Follow standardised interview procedures, document assessment criteria objectively, avoid discriminatory questions, provide reasonable adjustments for disabilities, maintain confidentiality, and ensure consistent evaluation across all candidates. Establish clear job-relevant criteria and apply them systematically to all technical assessments.
Common misunderstanding: Hiring managers sometimes assume technical competency testing exempts interviews from equality requirements. All assessment methods including hands-on technical trials must provide fair opportunity for candidates with disabilities through reasonable adjustments whilst maintaining legitimate technical standards.
Common misunderstanding: Some managers fail to document assessment decisions adequately, creating legal vulnerability. Employment law requires objective evidence for hiring decisions, systematic evaluation records, and clear rationale based on job-relevant criteria that can be reviewed if challenged.
Avoid questions about age, marital status, pregnancy plans, religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, disability status unless job-relevant, and personal circumstances that don't relate to technical competency or operational requirements. Focus assessment on technical skills, problem-solving capability, and professional behaviour rather than personal characteristics.
Common misunderstanding: Many hiring managers believe they can ask about physical capabilities for technical roles without considering discrimination implications. Questions about lifting, standing, or physical activities must be directly job-relevant and applied consistently whilst allowing discussion of reasonable adjustments.
Common misunderstanding: Some managers ask about availability patterns that indirectly discriminate against protected groups. Scheduling requirements must be genuine operational needs applied equally to all candidates, avoiding questions that disproportionately affect parents, religious groups, or other protected categories without business justification.