5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to absprache with ThemWhen it comes to job einstellungsgesprchs, honesty (okay, maybe enhanced honesty in some cases) is the way to go. But what if the interviewer is asking you questions they have no right to ask? Out of ignorance or slyness, an interviewer might try to get information out of you that the company is leid allowed to factor into their hiring decisions. However, youre not obligated to answer themand in fact you shouldnt. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Your battle plan should be to figure out why theyre asking (whether it has direct consequences for the job itself), and to decide whether you should answer. In most cases, the answer is no, but there are ways to redirect the conversation and/or call attention to the inappropriateness of the question without alienating the interviewer. After all, it may just be someone talking off the cuff without realizing its actually illegal to talk ab out certain personal issues. Some of the hardest interview questions youll encounter might be illegal.Here are some examples of illegal interview question areas, and how to get around them.1. Religion/Race/Sexual OrientationDo you volunteer with your church? Thats an interesting last name, whats your background? These questions all sound pretty harmlessjust making small talk, right? Yet each one gives away information known as protected class. Employers are prohibited by federal and state law from hiring (or not hiring) based on categories like race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Talking about topics like your church (or lack thereof), your spouse, or your familys ethnic background can give information that could tip the interviewer against you if theres a bias involved. Even if it happens in a pre-interview chat, before you get down to the brass tacks of the job itself, youve given information that the interviewer had no real right to ask.The way to handle this is t o redirect the question. If you refuse to answer, even though youre in the right, it could set you up as combative or disagreeable in the eyes of the interviewer. Its okay to be vague and try to channel the conversation elsewhere. On church activity I do volunteer at my local soup kitchenI like to give back to the community when I can. On family background Gotta love the American melting pot, right? 2. AgeYou have a pretty long and distinguished resume, do you see yourself retiring soon? Age (particularly 40 and up) is another protected class. If an interviewer tries to get information about how old you are, he or she might be trying to suss out whether youre likely to be a long-time employee at the companyor whether this job is a pit stop on your way to the golf course.You should never feel obligated to give your age. Instead, take the chance to re-emphasize your commitment to the job for which youre interviewing On the contrary, Im looking forward to talking about a long and produ ctive relationship with this company, and bringing the fruits of that experience to my work for a long time to come.3. Family StatusIf youre pregnant, have children, or may want children some daydoesnt matter. An interviewer is not allowed to use your family position as part of the hiring decision. Even if youre eight months pregnant in your interview suit, he or she cant ask when youre due, or about your childcare plan afterward.In a case like this, the best tactic is to try to push it back on the asker. Without being overly antagonistic, its okay to ask, Can you help me understand why that matters? I just want to make sure I better understand what this job entails.4. Whether Youve Been ArrestedConvictions are fair game for interviewers and job applications, but arrests (without convictions) are not. Even thats starting to change in some places New York is looking at phasing out employers ability to ask about particular kinds of convictions. For now, however, convictions are askabl e, but arrests are not.If youre asked, have a simple response ready to go (taking too long can trigger the kind of reaction youre trying to avoid) I have never been convicted of anything, no. And if you do have a conviction, its essential to remember not to lie about that, because a background check would likely uncover that information.5. Your Military ServiceI see from your resume that youre in the National Guard. Does that take up much of your time? Employers are not allowed to use active military tafelgeschirr as criteria in hiring. Basically, the interviewer cant factor in your military service at all. If you choose to answer this one, emphasize that youve never had a problem balancing your service with your career.6. Disability StatusIf you dont mind my asking, how did you get in that wheelchair? Will you be on crutches long-term? I see you have glassesis that a pretty strong prescription? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is pretty clearemployers are not allowed to di scriminate against employees that may need physical accommodations. Instead, they are allowed to ask if you would need any specific accommodations to do the job.If it seems like the interviewer is fishing for information about a disability, deflect it. Are you asking whether I would need special accommodations? Or, Im not sure I see how this relates to my ability to analyze sales reportscan you clarify and help me understand?The most important thing to remember is that if you feel uncomfortable, you dont have to answerbut you also dont have to disqualify yourself by putting up a defensive wall or walking out of the interview. Its fine to call attention to the reasons behind asking (in as non-confrontational a way as you can manage), then try to segue back to the interview and job description as quickly as possible.If you have concerns about any of the areas outlined here, definitely check with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and know your rights as an applicant.