Page 10 - Career Fair April 2022

Ten Illegal Interview Questions and How to Respond to Them

Interviews can be an intimidating experience. Obviously, you want to impress the person who’s interviewing you, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that you, as a potential
employee, also have the right to ask questions or raise concerns if a boundary has been crossed. You may not know this, but there are certain questions a potential employer is
legally unable to ask you during an interview. That surely doesn’t stop some folks from trying, though, so it’s important to know what some of those questions are, and how you
should respond if it happens during an interview!
Ten illegal interview questions you have 6. Whether or not you have children. Sometimes How to respond to these types of questions
every right not to answer potential employers will bring this up as a sort of ‘small There are a few different ways you can respond, and you
talk’ either prior to or after an interview, but you’re not
1. Any questions regarding your sexual orientation want to make sure you maintain your professionalism
or gender identity. This has no connection to your required to discuss it as it’s not pertinent to employment. should one of these questions come up.
job skills, professional conduct, or work history, and it is 7. Questions about your age. It’s illegal to 1. Bring the conversation back, politely, to your job
completely inappropriate, illegal, and immoral to ask discriminate against a person due to their age, and some
during an interview. employers will try to do anything they can to get around qualifications. If they ask whether or not you’re pregnant,
turn it around and shine a light on how you’re really
2. Asking whether you are pregnant, trying to this.Whether they think someone is too young, or maybe happy to be so focused on your career at the moment.
conceive, or any other fertility questions. It’s no one’s too old, if you’re asked about your age, you don’t have to Feel no obligation to acknowledge the question.
business at a potential new office whether or not you’re respond.And they can’t ding you for it!
pregnant, or trying to have a baby, and you’re not 2. You have the right to say, in a straightforward
required to answer. 8. Questions about your spouse’s employment. manner,“I don’t feel comfortable answering that question,
No one needs to know what your significant other does and it’s not pertinent to my potential employment.”
3. Citizenship questions. Asking whether or not
you’re proficient in English is one thing considered for a living, especially not a potential employer. It’s an 3. Let them know that the question is inappropriate,
acceptable, as it pertains to the job. However, asking irrelevant question. and politely bow out if you feel personally attacked or
where you come from, or what your country of origin is, 9. Convictions and arrests. While these will indeed discriminated against.
is against the law. come up on a background check, they shouldn’t arise
4. Religious beliefs. Again, this has no affiliation with during an interview.These are Human Resource issues If an interview was improperly handled and things got
out of control, you have options. Click here to learn about
your job skills, and you’re not obligated to answer one to deal with, and not meant to be discussed on your first federal job discrimination policies, and how you can
way or the other. However, if there’s a specific dress code encounter with a potential employer.
you need to follow in order to maintain your religious become empowered to combat them.There’s no law
practices, while they cannot ask you directly, it might be 10. Asking about disabilities. No employer will stating you have to stay silent about an inappropriate
important to share if they fall within a violation; but again, admit it, but a lot of them would rather not hire people interview.You can also leave reviews on websites, such
it’s not a requirement. who need accommodation. During an interview, it’s illegal as Glassdoor, to alert other people to the experience you
5. Whether or not you’re married. Your marital status for them to question you about whether or not you have had with a specific company.
is irrelevant to your job, and therefore unnecessary to be disabilities, and they’re not allowed to retract a job offer Know your rights, and utilize them through your job-
mentioned during an interview. upon learning about one. seeking process!

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