| This helpful and insightful article will keep | | | | 1. How tall are you? |
| you alert of illegal interview questions and | | | | |
| strategies on how to best deal with them if | | | | 2. Are you a US Citizen? |
| they do arise. This information can help you | | | | |
| when you are interviewing for a position and | | | | 3. How old are you? |
| also when you conduct interviews yourself. | | | | |
| | | | 4. Are you really a man? |
| I'll quickly cover the following: | | | | |
| | | | 5. Are you Chinese or Japanese? |
| 1. Why Employer Ask Illegal Interview | | | | |
| Questions. | | | | 6. What religion are you? |
| | | | |
| 2. Examples of Illegal Interview Questions. | | | | 7. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? |
| | | | |
| 3. Tips on How To Respond to Illegal | | | | 8. Have you ever been arrested? |
| Interview Questions. | | | | |
| | | | 9. Are you married? |
| FACT | | | | |
| | | | 10. How many children do you have? |
| U.S. law prohibits certain types of questions | | | | |
| and you are by no means required or obligated | | | | C) TIPS ON HOW TO RESPOND TO ILLEGAL |
| to answer these questions. These questions | | | | INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. |
| are prohibited for a reason: to keep | | | | |
| employers from unfairly trying to weed you | | | | First and foremost, avoid reacting in a |
| out as a possible employee. | | | | hostile fashion - remember that you can |
| | | | always decide later to decline the job offer. |
| A) WHY EMPLOYERS ASK ILLEGAL INTERVIEW | | | | Your goal during the interview is to try and |
| QUESTIONS. | | | | get the job offer. |
| | | | |
| The interview is where you get your chance to | | | | Response 1: |
| sell yourself directly to the employer. | | | | |
| During the interview the employer is | | | | Go ahead and answer the question. If you |
| obviously trying to learn more about you and | | | | don't feel uncomfortable and you think your |
| how you may or may not fit in the company. | | | | answer is in your favor, why worry? Go ahead |
| | | | and answer the question and make no mention |
| The main reason why an employer might | | | | that you think its improper or illegal. Just |
| purposely slip in some illegal questions is | | | | remember that you run the risk of harming |
| basically to try and get information to keep | | | | your candidacy if you give an answer not |
| you from getting a job. Most illegal | | | | favorable to what the interviewer has in |
| questions revolve around personal information | | | | mind. |
| and asking them is usually not related to the | | | | |
| job and is often discriminatory in nature. | | | | Response 2: |
| | | | |
| Another reason some employers ask illegal | | | | Refuse to answer the question. You are within |
| questions is because they just don't know any | | | | your rights but in a delicate and sensitive |
| better. Many interviewers are not trained at | | | | area with regards to the potential job offer. |
| all and simply don't know what is legal | | | | You can say politely that you don't feel |
| versus illegal. Please keep this in mind, it | | | | comfortable answering the question and ask to |
| may just be a poorly trained, inexperienced | | | | move on. You may even want to mention to the |
| or just curious interviewer and not meant to | | | | interviewer that the question is illegal and |
| be harmful or discriminatory at all. | | | | doesn't pertain to the job. The key here is |
| | | | to be as tactful as possible. But keep in |
| B) EXAMPLES OF ILLEGAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. | | | | mind, you may come across as confrontational |
| | | | or not a "team player" in the eyes of the |
| Illegal questions generally fall into 4 | | | | interviewer. |
| categories: | | | | |
| | | | Generally speaking, its better not to |
| 1. Disabilities & Physical Skills | | | | confront or debate the interviewer about the |
| | | | legality of a question. But if you have any |
| 2. Personal Background | | | | uncertainty about the questions, you should |
| | | | be alert to any pattern of |
| 3. Race, Creed, or Color | | | | discrimination...especially if you notice |
| | | | several illegal questions. Try and remember |
| 4. Family & Relationship Items | | | | the questions and speak the employer's HR |
| | | | director and get answers to what may have |
| 10 Sample Illegal Questions: | | | | happened. |
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