By Conrado Hinojosa

Introduction
Do employers and recruiters routinely waste your time when they interview you? Or, do job candidates fail to show up for interviews or "take themselves off the market" while your company is busy putting together a job offer? Now you can put a stop to all those rude, thoughtless behaviors that waste everyone's time in the job search and hiring process. Before you have an interview, have the other party sign this Agreement.

The No-Nonsense Interview Agreement

This Agreement is entered into by and between _______________ "Individual" and _______________ "Representative" and is effective on _______________ (hereafter, referred to jointly as "the Parties"). Individual is potentially interested in a position with Representative's company and Representative would like to evaluate and consider Individual for one or more opportunities at Representative's company or client company. The Parties desire to make an efficient use of their respective time and energies and, therefore, in consideration for their mutual good faith efforts, agree to the following:

1. Obligations of Representative

1.1. Representative will accurately describe the nature of the position available as well as the company, its environment, management, culture, compensation, benefits, and other important considerations of employment.

1.2. Representative will on a regular basis keep Individual informed on progress, or lack thereof, of the employment process and will perform any follow-up contacts that s/he has committed to the Individual in a timely fashion.

1.3. Representative will exercise best efforts to:

1. make an efficient use of Individual's time in the scheduling of interviews related to consideration of his/her candidacy including the number and nature of interviews as well as the appropriateness of the persons conducting such interviews;
2. insure that interviewers are ready and available to interview Individual at all agreed upon scheduled times; and
3. in the event that Representative realizes that unforeseen circumstances may result in a delay or postponement of a scheduled interview, Representative will promptly notify Individual.

1.4. Representative will assess Individual's candidacy at logical points in the employment process and inform Individual at the earliest possible time when and if it appears that Individual is/will not be seriously further considered for employment.

1.5. Representative acknowledges that inasmuch as the value of an employee is relative to a specific employment, Representative will independently assess Individual's value to Representative's company or client company based on how Individual might contribute to the success and profitability of said company, without requiring salary history information from Individual.

1.6. Representative will preserve and maintain the fact of Individual's actual or potential candidacy as well as any communications related thereto strictly confidential and shall make only such disclosures to others as are authorized by Individual. Representative shall determine Individual's preferred method and address of contact and communication, whether by email, snail mail, phone, fax or other means of communication.

1.7. Representative shall cause the terms of any offer of employment to be communicated promptly and accurately to Individual as soon as practicable following the formation of such an offer. Representative shall further promptly and accurately communicate the terms of any counter-offer to Representative's company or client company.

2. Obligations of Individual

2.1. Individual agrees to provide accurate and relevant information concerning his/her background, interests, education, experience and other matters, when asked, insofar as such information is appropriate and lawful to the evaluation of the Individual's suitability for employment for a specific position.

2.2. Individual agrees to provide an estimated range of desired compensation at the point during the interview process when Individual shall have adequately assessed the requirements of the employment under discussion, however, said range shall not restrict Individual's freedom to negotiate compensation above or below that range.

2.3. As a condition for hire or an offer of employment, Individual further agrees to sign any authorizations that may be necessary for the purpose of conducting a reasonable background and/or reference check provided such checks are appropriate to the position and lawful. Individual also agrees in principle to sign an appropriate Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that may be requested by Representative's company or client company, however, Individual does not give up the right to negotiate the specific terms of an NDA that s/he may find objectionable or inappropriate.

2.4. Individual will appear on time as scheduled for any agreed upon interviews. In the event that Individual realizes that unforeseen circumstances may prevent him/her from attending an interview on time, s/he will promptly notify Representative and/or the scheduled interviewer.

2.5. Individual will promptly notify Representative of any change in his/her circumstances or interest in the subject employment opportunity.

2.6. Individual will respond to any formal offer of employment made by Representative's company or client company within a reasonable period of time.

2.7. Individual understands that nothing contained in this Agreement constitutes the guarantee of a position with Representative's company or an offer of employment.

3. General Provisions

3.1. If either party is in breach of this Agreement, the non-breaching party may notify the breaching party of the nature of the breach and, at his/her/its sole discretion, provide the breaching party with up to one week to cure the breach. If the breach is not cured, then the non-breaching party may terminate this Agreement upon giving three (3) days written notice to the other party.

3.2. A breach of this Agreement by either party does not give rise to a claim for monetary damages or damages or injunctive relief of any sort unless the underlying acts upon which the breach is claimed would by themselves give rise independently to claims recognized by applicable law or equity in the absence of this Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed effective as of the date of this Agreement.

Individual: Representative:

By:_____________________________

By:_____________________________

Note & Disclaimer
What you just read is an article, not a do-it-yourself legal form. This article and Agreement do not constitute legal advice in any way. Conrado Hinojosa, asktheheadhunter.com and North Bridge Group, Inc. disclaim any responsibility for their use. Only a total yutz would use the Agreement in this article without realizing that its actual purpose is to make you think about the traditional interview experience.

Remember that before entering into an agreement or contract you should seek the advice of a qualified attorney licensed to practice law in the subject state(s). Also remember that this article and Agreement are Copyright (c) 2000 by Conrado Hinojosa and all rights to their use are reserved. Mr. Hinojosa graciously grants limited permission to reprint this article and Agreement for your personal, non-commercial use in educating others, as long as reprints include this disclaimer note and copyright information, and as long as you don't get yourself into trouble with it. Hey, don't come running to us.

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Conrado Hinojosa was a human resources executive and a practicing attorney prior to his career as an Internet webcast/website producer.