ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

The Hiring Process

Some employers find applicants through word of mouth, by talking to their current employees. Is anything wrong with this?

That depends on the makeup of the workforce. Using the old-boy network generally results in applications mainly from other old boys. If the workers are mainly nonminorities, news about the job vacancy will be limited to their circle of acquaintances, who may be mostly Caucasian non-Hispanic people as well. This has the effect of closing out minority applicants. An employer can avoid problems by disseminating news of job openings as widely as possible to reach a broad pool of applicants. Placing ads in newspapers and magazines with a widespread circulation base, and using employment agencies, can help in reaching a variety of qualified applicants.