Top Compliance Interview Questions

Businesses must maintain compliance records for regulatory agencies and to show observance of the law. This is no small task. For the top choice in compliance experience and HR consulting Nevada firms can trust the professionals at SOLV HR.

Tough but Important Questions

Job interviews are far from the favorite activities of many supervisors and search committees. In some cases, however, the importance of selecting the best candidate takes on even greater significance. While a stock clerk, delivery driver, or line cook may easily be replaced if they fail to perform, mistakes by anyone entrusted with compliance matters take on a much higher level of concern, significance, and accountability.

Firms seeking compliance officers should consider their options carefully. Though a self-employed individual, cottage industry, or small local business may easily meet compliance requirements, larger entities must ensure that all aspects of the firm remain in compliance with laws, regulations, and ethical practices that cross multiple national and international boundaries.

For more than a century, the Ethics & Compliance Initiative™ (ECI™) has developed strategies to encourage sharing of ideas and techniques among ethics officers and compliance professionals. Similar to lawyers and physicians, compliance officers cannot rest on their laurels or past training; whether generalists or specialists, they must maintain up-to-date training in the best and most ethical practices to ensure a company follows laws, ordinances, and regulations in the areas where it operates.

Developing an Interview Strategy

Whether the goal is to hire a single, full-time compliance officer, seek outside consultants or independent contractors to assume that role, or hire various personnel throughout the organization with compliance responsibilities, business managers must understand their needs before posting an opening or calls for applicants.

A person with assigned duties as a compliance officer assures that the overall company — or the area they immediately supervise — stays in full compliance with legal requirements. They have direct responsibilities for preventing, addressing, and documenting any inappropriate, illegal, or unethical activities.

When developing interview questions, the HR officer, supervisor, search committee, and other responsible parties should collaboratively discuss the interview questions finalists shall be required to answer. Rather than working in distant silos, they should come together in person or online, to bring their expertise to the table:

• HR professionals understand the interview process and types of comments and questions that fall outside of the boundaries for appropriate interviews.
• Supervisors know the responsibility of their unit, department, or area of management, and can clarify the agencies, governmental bodies, and other entities they must answer to.
• Search committee members may have “war stories” or institutional memory of past incidents that can inform potential areas of concern.

Coming together, they can develop security compliance interview questions that allow candidates to address the following matters:

• How familiar are interviewees with the framework and management of an effective compliance program?
• How will they address violations of company policy?
• How will they handle situations where others have overlooked or ignored violations?
• How familiar are they with compliance issues within the company’s industry?
• Through examples they provide, how have they handled compliance matters in the past?

Selecting Appropriate Compliance Interview Questions

A variety of sources have examples of screening questions. Indeed breaks sample interview questions into three areas:

General Questions: Many of these questions are similar to those asked of candidates for other positions. They allow the company representatives and HR to get a sense of how a candidate will fit within the organization and its particular culture. Candidates will be asked why they have applied for the job, what skills they bring, and their weaknesses as well as strengths.

Questions Focusing on Experience and Background: The second round of questions allows the interviewee to explain their specific professional history and duties in the area of compliance, as well as how they have dealt with real-world situations. Questions may ask them to provide specific examples of ways they handled matters relating to confidentiality, and staying current on best practices.

In-Depth, Detailed Questions: The closing questions allow for in-depth responses about how they would ensure the company remains in compliance and explain how they would address situations requiring staff termination, and conducting security audits.

Whether you handle some or all of your HR needs in-house, or work with outside parties, know that professional HR services Las Vegas businesses trust are available through SOLV HR.