The current economic situation has made screening resumes more difficult for recruiters. Today, a large employment gap is commonplace and the percentage of applicants that are currently unemployed is significantly higher than just a few years ago. The first inclination may be to write off applicants whose last full-time employment was a year ago or more. However, dig a little deeper into why they have remained unemployed all this time and the answer may surprise you.

According to a…

After setting up a round of interviews for an open drafter position located in Los Angeles, CA, the hiring manager left me a concerned voicemail. “A candidate came in for an interview and asked if we require a pre-employment drug screen. Once confirmed, he stated that he has an MMJ (Medical Marijuana) Card. How should I proceed?”

My initial reaction was to advise against advancing this type of candidate along in the hiring process. Am I wrong? There are some reasonable…