48 DECEMBER 2018 By Angela Copeland I’ve been talking to a number of job seekers lately about illegal interview questions. They keep coming up, and I keep asking myself why that is. When you’re a job seeker, you may not realize how common illegal questions are because you’re interviewing for only one or two jobs at a time. But surprisingly, they’re popping up in job interviews quite a bit. Common illegal questions include: What is your marital status? How many children do you have? Are you planning to have more children? How old are you? Honestly, it’s hard to understand why these questions are coming up. I have wondered how hiring managers don’t seem to know what not to ask. And I’ve wondered why they’re even asking at all. In some cases, the hiring manager may be simply trying to make small talk. They may be trying to get to know you. But it’s really hard to say. In some cases, the hiring manager is clearly asking the question for unethical reasons. But in other cases, someone may have been trying to make casual conversation and may have unknowingly stumbled into murky waters. So why does it keep happening? My best guess is this. Hiring managers are rarely trained on what not to ask. Human resources often assumes that in today’s day in age, we all know what not to ask. Then, when the hiring manager does ask these questions, the candidate doesn’t react negatively. The reason is this: If you want the job, you don’t get upset by a potentially off- putting question. That’s a fast way to eliminate yourself from the candidate pool. So the hiring manager gets no feedback in the moment. After the hiring process, if you’re not selected, you have little to no interaction with the company. You are at times lucky to get an automated rejection email for your time. What’s a company to do? I propose that companies should install a system to solicit feedback from candidates. This would close the loop on hiring. The company could ask the candidate for anonymous feedback about their interview. It could then be routed to human resources who could be alerted to potential issues in questions. This would protect the company’s interests, educate the hiring manager, and improve the experience for the job seeker. It’s a win-win-win. One company that is i m p l e m e n t i n g something similar to this process is Amazon. After a candidate i nt e r v iews w it h Amazon, they receive an anonymous survey titled “rate our phone interviews.” The survey asks whether or not the interview experience was frustration-free. It also asks for what they could do to improve, and it gives the job seeker a free form text box to provide feedback. Implementing this sort of feedback treats the job seeker like a valued player in the process – similar to a customer. And, this is a great foundation of mutual respect on which to build a future working relationship. — Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com. The interview feedback loop CAREER ADVICE If you want the job, you don’t get upset by a potentially off-putting question.” 30th Street & Indian School Road 602.957.8402 Lindstrom Family Auto Wash Your Neighborhood Car Wash Visit us at LindstromAutoWash.com for the “Deal of the Month!” Not valid with any other offers. Must present coupon. Expires 12/31/18. Not valid with any other offers. Must present coupon. Expires 12/31/18. Not valid with any other offers. Must present coupon. Expires 12/31/18. 15% OFF Any Detail Package $3 OFF “The Works” Car Wash $2 OFF Regular Car Wash Not valid with any other offers. Lindstrom Family Auto Wash Not valid with any other offers. Lindstrom Family Auto Wash Not valid with any other offers. Lindstrom Family Auto Wash PROFESSIONAL DETAIL SERVICES Engine Cleaning • Dress (top only) • Express Shampoo Express Wax • Leather Cleaning Conditioner • Complete Interior Exterior Over Spray Removal ARCADIA NEWS ARCADIA NEWS ARCADIA NEWS PLAY LOCAL. PLAY BALL. REGISTER online for the 2019 Spring BASEBALL and SOFTBALL Season – Boys & Girls Ages 4-14 PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER TODAY www.ArcadiaLittleLeague.com Tryouts for upper divisions will be held Saturday, January 19 and Saturday, January 26 at Ingleside Middle School Practices Begin February 4 – Spring Season Runs Early March through End of May Take advantage of EARLY BIRD PRICING through December 31, 2018 Re gister at www. ArcadiaLittleLeague.com

49 DECEMBER 2018 By Rachael Bouley It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! The Arcadia area is filled with holiday cheer, with many families and local businesses getting into the spirit with holiday light displays. From shiny multi- colored bulbs to figurines and inflatables, there are a lot of seasonal sights to see throughout Phoenix. Here are five of our favorites: THE SEPANEK FAMILY HOME 4415 E. Calle Tuberia in Arcadia, just south of Camelback Road and 44th St. Lee and Patricia Sepanek have been going above and beyond to turn their Arcadia home into a Christmas wonderland for more than 30 years. This beloved tradition includes 250,000 bright lights, animatronic Christmas characters and incredibly detailed window displays. Last year was disappointing for the Sepaneks, after a legal dispute with the city of Phoenix and some neighbors ended with Lee deciding not to put up the display. With the controversy over hot cocoa and increased traffic behind them, the Arcadia homeowners are excited to continue their tradition this year. Expect plenty of joyful and jubilant features to turn this quaint and quiet neighborhood street into a celebration of all things Christmas. There may be some delicious (and free) treats up for grabs, with donations accepted to help with electrical costs. ZOOLIGHTS 455 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix The Phoenix Zoo is a must-see this time of year, with what’s arguably the Valley’s most well-known holiday tradition. Millions of lights turn the zoo into a glorious spectacle of life-like animals and holiday favorites. Covered in lights, towering trees create a perfect reflection over the zoo’s ponds. This year’s version will feature a 200-foot-long Polar Slide, live reindeer, Stingray Bay and 4-D Theater, all included with admission. MCCORMICKSTILLMAN RAILROAD PARK 7301 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale What began on a much smaller-scale in the 1980s has blossomed into one of the most unique holiday lights displays in the Valley. This famous 40-acre railroad park, complete with the Paradise & Pacific Railroad train and the historic Charros Carousel, comes alive at Christmastime with thousands of eye-catching lights that take holiday decor to the next level. From Friday, November 30 to Sunday, January 6, the annual holiday lights will be on full display from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every night. Families can climb aboard the train to get a glimpse of all the lights while indulging in snacks and cocoa available for purchase. Admission to the park is free, and train rides are $5 per person. WINTER WONDERLAND ARIZONA 8414 E. Valley Vista Dr., Scottsdale Well-known DJ and holiday fanatic Chris Birkett transforms his home into a spectacular array of brilliant lights, made even better with snow-covered hills and an awe-inspiring holiday castle. Take one look at this house, and you’ll see (and hear) just how much Chris loves music. All of the lights are timed and choreographed to music, leading to epic crescendos and some fun surprises. The lights should turn on in the first week of December and continue through the end of the year. Visitors are welcome to stop by nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free but donations are always appreciated. FAIRMONT PRINCESS RESORT 7575 E. Princess Dr., Scottsdale The Princess hosts one of the biggest holiday parties around, and it’s especially great for families who want to partake in a variety of holiday-themed activities. More than 1.6 million lights will dazzle and delight throughout the resort grounds, and guests will be greeted by 14-foot poinsettias, life-size toy soldiers and dozens of decorated Christmas trees. This includes the famous four-story tree in Princess Plaza, decked out with 65,000 LED lights that sparkle in sync with popular holiday carols. Brighten your holiday season with these local light displays ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. Winter Wonderland Arizona in Scottsdale. KACHINA Quality Dry Cleaning 602-955-5540 3926 E. Indian School Road Arcadia Family Owned & Operated Since 1959 Home & Office Pickup & Delivery Available DUI CLASSES ONLINE! 3200 N Hayden Rd ~ Suite 170 - Just South of Osborn Rd 480.429.9044 SCOTTSDALETREATMENT.COM HOME • OFFICE • TRAVEL ANYWHERE YOU CAN “LOG ON!” ONLINE SERVICES: COURT & MVD MANDATED DUI SCREENINGS SR�22 INSURANCE • DUI COURSES 24/7/365 ALCOHOL SCREENINGS, EDUCATION & TREATMENT ARIZONA’S FIRST ONLINE DUI SERVICES Compare our rates. CALL US LAST! Classes available 24/7/365!