We’ve all seen plenty of articles telling us what we’re supposed to expect from a job interview. We even have our own area dedicated to it; such is the importance of preparing adequately. However, a topic that is rarely talked about refers to the questions that you shouldn’t be asked at an interview.
Employers should only be asking relevant questions that relate to your suitability to do the job. If they verge away from that, it might indicate a bad working environment, or they might be breaking the law. So, the next time you go for a job interview, keep an ear out for these big interview no-nos.
- What Are Your Religious Beliefs?
There’s no need for an employer to ask you about your religious beliefs. By doing so, it could be claimed on your part that they’re discriminating against you on a religious basis. It’s not just religion that falls under the inappropriate category, either. If you get questioned about race or your native language, that’s also another warning flag you should be aware of. The only exceptions to this case are when it interferes with your job — a job that requires fluent English, for example. Still, it should be worded differently in a case like this.
- How Many Children Do You Have?
Again, this has nothing to do with how you’re able to carry out your job. An employer might ask this question to get an idea of whether you’re planning to have more children. Maybe, they’re concerned that you’ll have time off work as a result of pregnancy. But, this can be classed as pregnancy discrimination, and companies like Hutchison & Stoy, PLLC can make a case against it on your behalf. You might find that this question gets asked as polite small talk in some cases. This is still a bad idea on their part, but it’s up to you to decide whether it appears discriminatory or not.
- Do You Need Any Training?
I’ve heard this one numerous times before, and it always stumps me every time it gets posed. There’s nothing illegal about asking someone whether they need any training. It’s certainly a bizarre question, though. If a company isn’t willing to at least give you some training in a new role, you need to be wary. They’ll expect you to hit the ground running, and a lack of training might prevent you from doing that. Stay cautious.
- So, Trump Or Clinton?
I’m sure you’ll agree when I say that discussing politics in a job interview isn’t going to help anyone. People take different sides and get very passionate about viewpoints, which could ruin the interview. There’s nothing illegal about discussing politics in an interview, but it’s best stayed away from. If you’re asked a question like this, either take a very middle-of-the-road viewpoint or brush it off politely. You might even make a light joke out of it.
- Have You Ever Been Arrested?
While it’s well within an employer’s rights to find out about convictions depending on which country you are in, the same can’t be said for arrest offences. The reason for this is that an arrest is often cleared later on when no wrongdoing has occurred. An employer seeking to find out about arrests can sometimes be attributed to discrimination.
- Have You Been Bankrupt Before?
You might get questions surrounding your finances. Once more, this is something that shouldn’t be asked, as it has no relevance to the job. Similar questions surrounding home ownership and other financial matters are totally off limits. The only exception to this rule can surround the need for a credit check to be processed as part of the job. This is allowed under certain circumstances, but this will be implemented as part of the hiring process anyway. You shouldn’t be getting questions about your financial status during the interview.
- Were You Born In This Country?
Whether you were born in the country or not has no bearing on whether you should get the job. Some employers might look to the fact that they need fluent English as mentioned earlier, but a birthplace can’t determine this. If an employer asks which languages you’re fluent in, however, that sort of question is acceptable. But, there should be no reason for anyone to ask the country you were born in unless it is totally relevant to the job.
- What Is Your Marital Status?
We’re back to that pregnancy topic again! Employers can become concerned about pregnancy, worrying about extended time off and profit losses. But, pregnancy is an occurrence they have to account for, and they can’t be asking questions like this. Your marital status doesn’t affect your job (in most cases), and questions about it can be seen as discriminatory. If you then fail to get the job, an attorney can potentially file a claim on your behalf.
- Are You Planning To Retire Soon?
We continue to ride the train of discrimination with this one, which centers around age discrimination. Now, we’re not expecting that most of you here at Career Camel are reaching retirement age. Still, the handful of you that are will need to be wary that age discrimination does take place. It’s when older workers are thrown to the wayside in favour of younger ones, and this question could suggest it’s going to occur.
- Do You Take Drugs?
You can understand this question, right? It seems only fair for an employer to question whether you’re breaking the law. Well, it is. This is an area where employers need to be very careful, as the wording of the question changes the meaning of it. If you’re asked whether you take drugs, this could refer to any type of drug. This can be seen as discrimination. However, if you’re asked whether you take illegal drugs, the employer is well within their rights to ask it. Just one word makes a huge difference when questions like this are posed.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to deal with any of these questions in an interview.
Have you had some strange interview questions? Share your experiences below.
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