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How to Identify and Answer Illegal Interview Questions

HomeTag "interview questions"
How to Identify and Answer Illegal Interview Questions
June 19 2016 nfougere Interviews 0 comments Tags: Ace the Interview, interview questions, interview tips

Illegal interview questions are those questions which breach discrimination laws.  In Canada, the specific areas in which a person is not legally allowed to be discriminated against are considered “Protected Grounds.”  Most countries have similar laws, and the chart below highlights the protected characteristics in Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK:

Chart1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being familiar with the protected grounds characteristics for the country in which you are interviewing will better enable you to identify discriminatory interview questions.

 

How to Answer Illegal Interview Questions

For the most part, good interviewers know not to ask discriminatory questions. However, sometimes interviewers are not aware that these types of questions may lead to perceived bias in the hiring process.  If you are asked one of these questions, then it is best not to be argumentative and to respond to the question the best you can.  After all, the question may be asked innocently.  In other words, the interviewer may ask a question not realizing that it is breaching a protected ground characteristic, and with no intention or desire to discriminate.

 

4 Common (Illegal) Questions

  1. Age:

As an example, if you discover that you and the interviewer were raised in the same hometown, you might find that you went to the same or neighbouring high school(s).  The interviewer may ask:

“What year did you graduate?” (This is likely a way to determine if you have friends in common.)

Recommended Answer: (In a light-hearted tone) “It seems so long ago, I’d hate to admit when I graduated.”  This will subtly remind the interviewer that the question was not appropriate as it could lead to age bias, and will save the interviewer the embarrassment of you calling them out on the inappropriate nature of the question.

Alternately, the interviewer may ask you a more direct, discriminatory question: “How would you feel about working for a person younger than you?”

Recommended Answer: “Age does not interfere with my ability to get along with others. I am adaptable and respect superiors who are knowledgeable and competent.”

 

  1. National Origin

Example Question: “Where were you born?” OR “Of what country of origin are you a citizen?”

Recommended Answer: “I am a permanent resident of Canada and have legal permission to work here.” OR “I am quite proud that my background is               .  My heritage has helped me to deal effectively with people of various ethnic backgrounds.”

Again, this question may be asked because the interviewer is also from the same country or neighbouring region and is looking to find a common, shared experience.  Even still, this type of question should not be asked in an interview.

That said, the interviewer can legitimately ask: “Are you legally eligible to work in Canada?”  The difference is that this question does not focus on a person’s national origin, rather, it clarifies whether the person being interviewed requires sponsorship to work in the country.

  1. Religion

Example Question: “Do you hold any religious beliefs that would prevent you from working certain days of the week?”

Recommended Answer: “No.” OR, if your response is yes: “Yes, I do, however, I am able to work other days of the week to make up for it.”

  1. Disability

Example Question: “As a person with a disability, what help are you going to need in order to do your work?”  OR “How severe is your disability?”

Recommended Answer: “Actually, I don’t need help doing my work because I have been adequately trained.  I may need minor adaptations of the workstation, however.”

An interviewer can legitimately ask, “What accommodations will you need to perform this job?”  The difference is that this question does not call attention to the disability.  Employers may ask this question to better prepare them if you are offered a position with the organization.  In some cases, an employer may ask a similar question before inviting you in for an interview.  Again, this is simply to ensure that they are properly prepared for you.

 

Final Thoughts

For the most part, employers will avoid asking protected grounds questions.  If they do, it will most likely be because they are not aware that the question is in breach of protected grounds, and it is not their intention or desire to discriminate.  If you are asked such questions then it is important to use tact and decorum when providing your answer.  As mentioned in previous posts, you can use the interview as a tool for evaluating the organization if and when the position is offered.  If you feel that the questions asked could lead to a perceived bias then you may want to reconsider the organization as a potential employer.

 

References

Commission, Canadian Human Rights. What is Discrimination? 9 January 2013. http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/.

Commission, US Equal Opportunity. US Equal Opportunity Commission. n.d. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/.

Government, UK. Discrimination: Your Rights, UK Government. n.d. <https://www.gov.uk/>.

Ombudsman, Fair Work. Protection from discrimination at work. n.d. <https://www.fairwork.gov.au/>.

 

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The Meaning behind Recruiter Questions
May 05 2016 nfougere Interviews 0 comments Tags: Ace the Interview, interview questions, job interview questions, recruiter questions


I have received a number of questions and comments about a misconception many job seekers have regarding two key recruitment questions: salary expectations, and availability to start.

There is a great deal of literature out there to suggest that these questions are key indicators that a company is interested in hiring you.  For the most part, I would agree.  The one caveat to this, however, is timing.  When asked about your salary expectations and availability to start during a 2nd or 3rd round of interviews, it could be a good sign that the organization is seriously considering you as a potential hire.  That said, if a recruiter asks you these questions during an initial telephone interview, the recruiter is merely gathering information.

The important thing to remember is that there is no hidden meaning behind the recruiter question during your initial telephone conversation, and recruiters don’t intend to mislead.  That said, it is helpful if job seekers recognize the purpose of the initial recruiter telephone conversation.  In the wonderful world of recruitment, this is considered a pre-screen stage wherein recruiters are gathering information to help the company decide on which candidate(s) they wish to invite in for an in-person interview.

As someone who has been in recruitment for nearly 20 years, I found this question to be a great reminder that recruiters should endeavour to make it clear to candidates the intention of their pre-screen questions.  We recruiters may think that it goes without saying, but it actually doesn’t.  Being clear about your intentions will help to manage candidate expectations, and in the long run, will make your job that much easier.

Final Thoughts

Another term I hear job seekers use to describe job opportunities they are presented is “job offer.”  Technically speaking, a job offer (in the recruitment world) means an offer of employment or an employment contract.  The job conversations that recruiters have with job seekers are job opportunities.  I realize that this may seem like fussy semantics, but there is a difference.  For example, a recruiter may ask you if you are considering other options.  If you respond by saying that ABC company has approached you about a job offer, the recruiter may think that you have (or are expecting to have) a job offer in hand.  As such, the recruiter may well decide that you are soon to be off the market and choose to invite someone else to an in-person interview.

As a result, it is important that both job seekers and recruiters are clear in the language we use and intentions of our questions to ensure the most effective communication.  As we all know, communication is key in building strong relationships!

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