Job interviews are often intense and gruelling processes, where candidates face multiple tough questions to determine their suitability for any given role.
However, there are lines of questioning that are, in fact, unsuitableย andย Jon Watkins, Director of Employabilityย atย The University of Law Business Schoolย hasย looked in detailย at what you shouldnโt be asked in an interview setting.
Questions about age, ancestry, citizenship, credit rating, criminal record, disabilities, family status, gender, military discharge, or religionย are all topics which potential employersย should not be asked directlyย of a candidate.
Here areย some examples of what employers shouldnโt ask:
– Are you from the UK/ Is English your first language?
– Are you married?
– How old are you?
– How many sickness days did you take in your last period of employment?-ย Do you have any previous criminal convictions?
While the intent of these questions may be to determine if a candidateย is suitable for the job, it is important to know that only information relevant toย theirย ability toย excel in the advertised roleย can and should be asked.
To help potential candidates avoid awkward situationsย during job interviews,ย the employability team atย ULawย Business School hasย sharedย adviceย onย how toย respondย ifย faced withย inappropriate questions.
Ask the interviewer to clarify the question
Whenย inappropriateย questions are asked,ย peopleย can understandablyย becomeย concernedย they did not hear the questionย correctly. It is acceptableย to ask the interviewerย to clarify the question. Ask then for theย interviewerย to explainย how the question relates to the position you are applying for.ย Posing a questionย diplomatically, such asย โApologies, but I am not sure I heard your question correctlyโ is a good way toย give the interviewer aย chance toย recognise that theyย haveย asked somethingย unsuitable.
Provide a one-word answer
Ifย you feel that the question is in any way inappropriateย orย youย have been offended by it, feel free to give a one-word answer. Just take a deep breath and simply answer with a โYesโ or a โNoโ, but with a smile. You may know yourย rights,ย but you do not want to come off as a rude and know-it-all-person. Itโs best to be professional in a professional place even if the other party isnโt.
Change the subject by going back to the previous questions asked
You canย avoid answering inappropriate interview questions by redirecting the focus back to topics already covered. This way, you can evade the question while still sounding optimistic and professional.ย If youโre asked about something you donโt want to answer, use your response to put the focus back on the knowledge and skills you could bringย and add to the roleย youโre interviewing for,ย therefore making the most of a potentially difficult situation.
Address the issue
Some interviewersย may askย about your race or if you are single. These questions have no room in a professionalย setting, especially in an interview.ย It is perfectlyย acceptableย to respond accordingly and challenge the interviewer.ย If you feel offended or uncomfortableย after being asked an inappropriate question,ย address your reasonsย for not answering the questionย and why you think itโs unsuitable.
Jon Watkinsย fromย ULaw, commented:ย โInterviews are always tough, but being subject to unprofessional questioning can make it even harder.ย Knowing how to respond to an interview questionย thatย has rightly made you feel uneasyย can be tricky.
โYou always have the option to refuse to answer or to end the interview. Whileย unsuitableย questions may be indicative of poor company policies and could be a red flag, they could also be a sign of an inexperienced hiring manager,ย so gaining clarity where you feel appropriate is a good first step in communication
โBy knowing your rights as a job applicant, you can steer the conversation in a way that protects you. When beginning your next job search, start by looking up interview questions an employer cannot ask and practice how to respond if they come upย as a safety measure. This will ensureย you wonโt be caught off guard and can focus on acing your interview and landing the job.โ
