How Should Your Clients Handle Illegal Interview Questions If your clients are asked an offensive or illegal interview question have them use these strategies By Murray A Mann and Rose Mary Bombela Tobias Posted on July 11 2005 The Recommendations Have your clients prepare for the possibility of offensive or illegal interview questions by practicing the T R I U M PH strategies outlined in this article Keep in mind that answering illegal interview questions is a delicate balancing act Clients must weigh their desire for the job with their values and goals Your interview is going just as you envisioned You think you have nailed it But then you are blindsided with a question about your marital status or ethnicity that is illegal inappropriate or offensive What do you do Even though you can t control the questions that are asked you can control how you T R I U M P H over them Take a step back evaluate the question and the situation Respond to the question directly Identify the intent behind the question and respond indirectly with an answer that relates to the requirements of the position Upstage and ignore the question by redirecting the conversation Mention the error diplomatically Politely refuse to answer the question Hit the road Gracefully and professionally excuse yourself Let s look at these seven approaches in more depth 1 Take a Step Back Perhaps the question did not come out as the interviewer intended If the interviewer is given a chance to think about it he or she might quickly recognize their error Ask yourself these questions How uncomfortable does this question make you feel Does your gut feeling tell you that this illegal question is an interviewer s mistake or does it indicate deeper problems with the company Is this interviewer going to be your boss If you believe the questions reflect the culture of the company is this a place you want to work Tactfully ask for a clarification to give the interviewer enough time to pause and rephrase or strike the question Example Their Question Are you from Central America Your Question Could you elaborate on your question as it relates to the job so that I can be sure to provide all the information you need If Their Answer Is Repeating the same inappropriate question or The person hired for this position will service our customers in Central America Can you tell us what sales and marketing experience you have in this region Then respond with a prepared answer one that feels comfortable 2 Respond to the Question Directly There s no law stating that you can t respond directly to an illegal question if you are comfortable doing it By replying to the question you may actually improve your chances of getting the job particularly if you provide the right answer But keep in mind that if you choose to give information that is not job related you can also harm your candidacy by giving the wrong answer Consider using these strategies Reply to it briefly and then move on to something else Elaborate on your response if you think the question is about your qualifications But be careful here 3 Identify the Intent and Respond Indirectly Maybe an interviewer asks Are you married because he or she is worried that you will not be able to travel or work long hours Or the interviewer asks about your immigration status because they are concerned about whether you can be lawfully hired Example Their Question What country are you from and what is your specific immigration status Your Answer I am authorized to work in the United States As my resume and portfolio show I have extensive experience successfully working with your products and customers I would be more than happy to demonstrate my expertise for you 4 Upstage and Ignore the Question by Redirecting the Conversation You can courteously overlook the question by not giving the information requested You won t have to sacrifice your principles while you avoid offending or embarrassing the employer Example Their Question Are you married Your Answer If you are asking whether I will be able to meet the work schedule or time requirements of the position the answer is yes I believe I will be an asset to you because 5 Mention the Error Diplomatically Example Their Question Are you a U S citizen Your Answer Yes I am I hope you do not mind but you may not be aware that the question as worded is unlawful I believe it is appropriate to ask applicants if they are authorized to work in the United States Or Their Question Do you have children Your Answer I know we re not really supposed to talk about these types of things in an interview setting but I have one child These responses should keep the interviewer from going any further with inappropriate lines of inquiry It also shows the interviewer that you are knowledgeable about the law and able to quickly compromise and solve problems 6 Politely Refuse to Answer the Question You have the right to refuse to answer an illegal question and it is understandable that you would But bear in mind that there is a chance that you will not get the job if you decline to answer Interviewers may see you as uncooperative or stubborn Example Their Question You have one child are you planning to have more Your Answer I do not feel comfortable answering this question because it is not related to the requirements of the job or my ability to perform them Start Taking Notes At this point you should openly take notes including the specific question the context surrounding the question date time location interviewer s name witnesses if any business unit and the company Most employers will realize the potential consequences when you start documenting your discussion and it is unlikely that the interviewer will pursue the issue further How to Determine If an Interview Question Is Illegal Federal state and local equal employment opportunity laws narrowly interpret what can and cannot be asked at an employment interview Basically interview questions must be directly related to the essential functions of the job the legal term is bona fide occupational qualifications BFOQ These questions must be asked of all applicants Although some questions may seem harmless enough and are perfectly acceptable outside of the United States they are forbidden in this country 7 Hit the Road If the idea of working for an employer who condones inappropriate or illegal questions turns you off you may want to end the interview Example Their Question What does a smart cute chica like you think it takes to be
View Full Document
Unlocking...