Dealing with Improper Interview Questions

Posted on Nov 23rd 2009, 01:07 am, under Career Advice

Many people don't know it, but there are several topics that are off-limits during job interviews. Before you accept an interview for a position, know your rights in order to protect yourself against potential discrimination. 

According to the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, interviewers may ask you about the following topics: your age, ethnic background, gender, marital status, religious beliefs, your original birthplace or country of origin, and whether or not you plan to have children. Naturally, these shouldn't appear on your resume, either.

But let's say that, in the course of the conversation, your interviewer asks you a question about one or more of these subjects. Bear in mind, simply asking does not violate the law, though it may be considered improper sometimes. So how do you deal with it? 

First of all, don't over-react. Think about the context in which the question was asked and consider the situation. Most of the time, it's just a case of the interviewer trying to get to know you, as anyone normally would. It's also a way of putting you at ease, and seeing how your personality would fit with company.

Next, decide how to respond to the question. If you're not bothered divulging that particular bit of personal information, and you don't think it was improper, go ahead and answer it candidly.

On the other hand, if you feel that your interviewer might have crossed a line, carefully tell them that you think the question is illegal. How you phrase this is of vital importance; you need to be firm but tactful. After all, sometimes interviewers may be unaware that they've done something objectionable in the first place. Tell them politely that you don't believe the question is relevant to your application or job qualifications.

Finally, you can choose to tell another member of the recruiting/hiring team. Coming into conflict with an interviewer might reflect badly on your application and ruin your chances of getting the job. Therefore, if possible, notify a senior member of the company so outside parties will know what may have caused a negative evaluation.

Whatever you do, always be polite, as we've stressed above. And don't forget, if you need some more help with job interviews, we've got plenty of advice for you to check out, starting here and here.