Jobs @ Career Consulting Limited
Return to career-consulting-limited.com
People |
|
|
 |
Hey, You Cant Ask Me That! (How to Respond to Inappropriate Job Interview Questions)
I received the following questions from a visitor to my website recently: "How should I respond to inappropriate questions such as: (1) Do you have a stable home life? (2) Tell me about your personal situation. Are these inappropriate questions? It has been so long since I interviewed for a job, your suggestions about the most helpful responses would be appreciated!" Those are, indeed, inappropriate questions that should NOT be asked at an interview. Various federal, state, and local laws regulate the questions a prospective employer can ask you. An employer's questions - on the job application, in the interview, or during the testing process - must be related to the job for which you are applying. That does not mean, however, that you will never be asked inappropriate questions. Some companies have poor HR support, some interviewers are untrained and unaware of inappropriate or illegal questions, and some even ask them knowing they should not. You won't have much chance of getting the job if you respond to such questions by saying, "Hey, that's an inappropriate question. You can't ask me that!" So you have a few options. First, you can answer the question. Even if it's inappropriate to ask, there's nothing that says you can't answer it. If you choose to do so, realize that you are giving information that is not job-related. You could harm your chances by giving the "wrong" answer. Or you could respond with something like, "How would my answer to that question directly relate to my ability to perform in this position?" If you keep your tone non-confrontational, courteous and upbeat, they may realize they've goofed by asking such a question without getting upset at you for pointing out their mistake. Depending on how they respond, you may feel more comfortable answering. The best strategy, I believe, is to figure out and address their TRUE CONCERN. When they ask something like, "Do you have a stable personal life?" they may be trying to protect themselves from a bad situation that they've had to deal with in the past (former employee whose personal problems interfered with his/her ability to do the job). So what they really want to know is, will YOU be a reliable employee who can be counted upon to show up and do your job effectively, regardless of any personal problems you may have. So without directly answering their question, try to address their underlying concern. In this instance you might say, "My career is very important to me. I'm fully committed to performing at my highest level at all times, and don't allow any kind of distractions to interfere with that. I'll deliver the results you're looking for." If you're not sure what their true concern is, ask something like "Could you please rephrase or elaborate on your question? I want to make sure I address your concern." Please realize that many interviewers are untrained and therefore unaware that a question they might ask to break the ice -- such as "Do you have any kids?" -- is inappropriate. Yes, this question may be an attempt to determine if you have child-care issues that could interfere with your job... but it's MORE likely that the interviewer is innocently trying to find something he/she has in common with you. In the end, it's basically a judgment call on your part. If you feel the interviewer has no legitimate reason to ask an inappropriate question, and you do not want to answer it, say "I'm sorry, but I don't see how that has any relevance to my ability to do this job." You might run the risk of losing the job, but if your gut instinct is telling you there's something amiss, you wouldn't want to work for that person anyway. Here's a list of some questions -- the wrong way, and the right way, to obtain legitimate information: Inappropriate: Are you a U.S. citizen? Inappropriate: How old are you? Inappropriate: What's your marital status? Do you have children? Inappropriate: How much do you weigh? Do you have any disabilities? Inappropriate: Have you ever been arrested? Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
MORE RESOURCES: 36 Academy seniors sign into new careers lewistownsentinel.com Careers University of Northern Colorado Launch into a high-flying career in drone technology VA News (.gov) Trump Sends Mixed Signals on Apprenticeship and Job Training Inside Higher Ed How Part-Time Jobs Became a Trap The Atlantic Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) New law in Washington protects workers from sudden job loss Nonstop Local News More Oregonians are holding down multiple jobs The Seattle Times Careers City of Ontario, California (.gov) For Silicon Valley, AI isn’t just about replacing some jobs. It’s about replacing all of them | Ed Newton-Rex The Guardian Careers at FEMA FEMA.gov Careers at Prairie View A&M University PVAMU Home You're in for a reality check if you want to job-hop right now Business Insider Careers | Home USDA (.gov) Careers – Human Resources & Federal Programs stjohns.k12.fl.us Jobs And Careers | VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Employment Opportunities Alabama Department of Public Health (.gov) Careers and Jobs at CRS Catholic Relief Services Careers UC Santa Cruz Is AI closing the door on entry-level job opportunities? The World Economic Forum Work at Fairfield Fairfield University Careers Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Working for ICE ICE | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (.gov) Career Paths FEMA.gov Employment Colby College Where federal workers searching for new jobs should look in Maryland The Baltimore Banner CrowdStrike to cut 500 jobs in plan to scale business Cybersecurity Dive Careers at USCIS USCIS (.gov) Employment Opportunities | Game Commission Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) PREPARING AMERICANS FOR HIGH-PAYING SKILLED TRADE JOBS OF THE FUTURE The White House (.gov) Careers at Touro Touro University Explore Store Careers Target Corporation Store Hourly Job Areas Target Corporation Corporate Career Job Areas Target Corporation Work for Us National Park Service (.gov) Job Listings Fayette County Public Schools Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (.gov) Careers at TWU Texas Woman's University Work at Butler Butler University Jobs and Training at FDA fda.gov Something Alarming Is Happening to the Job Market The Atlantic Career Opportunities USDA NIFA (.gov) Work at the U.S. Department of Energy Department of Energy (.gov) Water Services Careers City of Phoenix (.gov) Employment | Department of Corrections Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (.gov) How to Apply FEMA.gov Careers at Simon & Schuster SimonandSchuster.biz IOM career gateways International Organization for Migration Career Opportunities UMHB Career Opportunities Gilead Sciences Careers at University of Missouri Health Care | University of Missouri Health Care jobs University of Missouri Health Care Careers BASF Jobs City of Rochester (.gov) Careers at the IOC Olympics.com Jobs at Liberty University Liberty University Future of Jobs Report 2025: The jobs of the future – and the skills you need to get them The World Economic Forum 18 high-paying healthcare jobs that don't need a bachelor's degree Business Insider UK wage growth eases as jobs market weakens Financial Times Business Wire Careers & Jobs Business Wire Nursing Cleveland Clinic Careers Careers Washington State University Healthcare Jobs at Novant Health | Novant Health Novant Health Careers The Ocean Cleanup Our Hiring Process Target Corporation Careers with the City of Palo Alto City of Palo Alto (.gov) Store Leadership Job Areas Target Corporation KPMG Careers KPMG Careers Humane World for Animals Careers Calgary Board of Education Ready for your next great job? ADP Careers Career Education & Development Stockton University Career Services Cornerstone University Careers at WPP WPP 20 Companies That Offer Unlimited Vacation Days | Careers U.S. News & World Report Recorded Video Interviews Target Corporation Current opportunities Turner & Townsend K9 Recruitment Bonuses United States Secret Service (.gov) Experienced Professionals | Careers | BCG Boston Consulting Group Careers West Virginia Department of Education |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success The heading of this article could just as well have been "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How to climb the success ladder" or something similar.What behaviour will improve your chances for success? Behaviour which can be described as good work ethics. College Labor is Available in Ohio Ohio has always been big on education and that means a bright, energetic and reliable workforce for expanding businesses. A business which wants to expand its number of outlets should be looking strongly at the Ohio market place as there are many very strong and economically viable areas to do business. Competency Based Interviews - 6 Steps to Success! Competency based interviews are intended to get the best from you, the candidate, whilst also fulfilling the needs of the organisation to get the very best person for the job. There are some easy steps to make the most of yourself and have a much better chance of success. To Get Hired or Get Promoted, Attitude Is The Key When you're looking to get hired or get promoted, what do you think is your most important asset? Your experience? Knowledge? Skill? Talent?While all of those are advantages that will help you achieve your goals, there's one thing that's more important than all of them combined.Your attitude!I attended a board meeting recently. Free Resume Template: Beware! Downloading a free resume template can be so alluring. No work to do! You just download it, fill in the blanks, and get the job of your dreams!If you buy that, I've got lots of other things I'd like to sell you. Travel Light to Work As a frequent traveler, my goal for each trip is to travel light. Despite thoughtful planning, sometimes that goal is shattered when I go to close the suitcase and realize I need a larger, or even second one. Need a Job? Put a Gun to Your Head A legendary marketing genius once said that, if he had to write a killer sales letter, he would imagine he had a gun pointed at his head and that he would be shot if his advertising didn't deliver.This motivated him to create some of the world's most-profitable ads. Building a Solid Network A client who has a fine arts degree wanted to move out of his successful career in advertising and into the real estate development business. He had already enrolled in a top notch MBA program to learn more about the field. Losing Your Job Without Losing Yourself When we lose our jobs, no matter the reason, we lose a big part of our identity. Think of the last several times you met new people. 5 Things You Need To Know Before Deciding On A Certification Training The right certification trainingTrainings vary a lot when it comes to quality. It's essential to choose your certification training provider based on things such as the quality of materials, trainers' competence and skills, counseling facilities, track record etc. Pre-Interview Web Research You have obtained an interview -- congratulations! You feel prepared to discuss your strengths, your accomplishments, your willingness to work hard and learn quickly, and your ability to fit seamlessly into the employer's needs. But. Free Resume Examples: Untold Wealth In 10 Minutes! Doesn't every job search start with Google?Way back in another lifetime, I was looking for a job after one of my startups failed. Conveniently, everything went to pot in early 2000. Job Interviews: Six Steps to Acing a Telephone Interview Telephone interviews are becoming more popular these days. Whether that's good or bad depends on how you handle them!Sometimes telephone interviews are used as a pre-screening technique for all candidates. Passing The Police Test Just Became Easier You've taken the police officer selection test or law enforcement entrance exam, but just can't seem to get a high enough passing score. You know you would be a good police officer if you could overcome that first hurdle. Interview Thank-You Letters The number one etiquette tip for interviews is writing a thank-you letter. This is not a tool commonly used by job seekers right now. Everyone Should Have a RED BALL in the Job Search May I explain what about what a red ball means to me and how I counsel others as a career coach.A RED BALL is a symbol of what you can do and want, especially in a job search. What Exactly Online Recruitment Agencies Do? Any online recruitment agency can help you to submit for vacancies to the agency by employers.Online recruitment agencies are used by employers for many purposes. 3 Secrets to Landing a Home-Based Position Landing a telecommute position isn't easy. Finding them in the first place is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Business Dress for Women: Making Impact Buying a suit can be an important investment when you are trying to improve your look for business or career advancement. Wearing a standard off-the rack suit for business or a job interview does not always mean success. Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Career Opportunity and Employee Retention This article relates to the Career Opportunities competency and explores issues such as internal growth opportunities, potential for advancement, career development importance, and the relationship between job performance and career advancement. Evaluating the Career Opportunities competency in your organization will determine whether your employees believe they have a chance to grow within the organization.
|
|
|
| © Career Consulting Limited.com 2011
|