It's that time again! Time for the Interview Question of the Week.
As you know, when you are looking for a job, being prepared for an interview is key to standing out from the crowd and landing the job. Each week, we pick another interview question, examine it and figure out the best way to answer it.
So, here it is, The Interview Question of The Week:
Question:
Any illegal question about age, marital status, children, religion, political affiliation and so on
Why it's a trap: These questions are illegal and most interviewers know better than to ask them. There are many things that an interviewer can't ask unless it directly relates to your ability to do the job. With the threat of discrimination lawsuits, most people who work in Human Resources are well aware of these limitations and won't bring it up. The problem that some people run into is when they are interviewing with a small business or having a second or third interview with an executive who doesn't conduct interviews very often and isn't aware of the law.
The Best Answer: If you are asked one of these illegal questions, you have a few options. First, you can tell the interviewer that you have a legal right not to answer the questions. The downside is that bringing up legal rights may destroy some rapport and embarrass the interviewer. If you don't want to go there, you may chose to go ahead and answer the question. The thing is, don't let an interviewer make you feel bullied into answering questions they shouldn't even be asking.
Take a moment and think about what you stand to lose or gain by answering the question. For example, if your interviewer has been vocal about his political affiliation and recognizes you from a previous campaign you volunteered with, or they recognize you as someone from their church, you may benefit from answering a question regarding your political affiliation or religion. At the least, it wouldn't hurt.
If you aren't comfortable with the question, and you don't want to answer the question, you can answer the concern behind the question as tactfully as possible. For example if you are over 50 and the interviewer asks you “How old are you?” or something like it, you can ask them nicely if they are concerned that your age is going to have a negative impact of your ability to do the job. Then, you can politely reassure them that you are more than capable of performing the job and that it is your age and experience that make you the best candidate for the position.
Keep in mind that these questions aren't allowed and they are bad form. When you are asked them, you have every right to refuse to answer them and inform the interviewer that they are violating the law. This doesn't make their company look very good. But, if you are certain that this is the job that you really, really want, then it might be a better idea to remember that these questions all come from the concern that you won't be able to perform the job as well as another candidate. So, keep your cool, sidestep the question and let them know, again, that you are the best person for the job.
What do you think about this question? Have you ever been asked illegal questions during an interview?
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for ManufacturingWorkersBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!