6 Illegal Interview Questions to Avoid

Hello
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Miss Grace

Congratulations on getting the interview. They probably won't ask too many illegal questions because your online application was illegally screened by a third party screener such as EmployeescreenIQ in Cleveland. They checked everything, from your credit to your education and share all the collected info in their data base on you with HR departments everywhere. You don't know it, but you have a score - and any descrepencies in reported education, terminations (which includes layoffs,) and driving violations all contribute to your score. Unlike credit bureaus though - you are completely in the dark and thus - defenseless. Time for the EEOC to require them to share all their data with the job candidate!

There are a couple of these questions that I have no problem answering. I'm proud of my age, my marriage status, my physical limitations, and my extracurricular activities. The way I see it, if I'm open about some of these things that require on-the-job limits but don't prevent me from working a normal 40+ hour/week job, my employer and I will be much happier. If I hide things, it won't be long before the job is a miserable burden.

Think about it -- if you're stressed and miserable at work, you spend a lot more time being sick, going to the doctor for mystery ailments, and spreading the misery to others around you. I'd rather be the person who keeps the peace and helps others feel better about life, not the one who takes that away.

helenphillips, I suggest responding using the same terminology as the "safe" questions above. If they ask about your citizenship, I would answer "I am legally authorized to work in the United States." (Period.) If they press more, then I would say, "I am willing and able to provide proof of my authorization to work in the United States when it comes time to fill out the required HR paperwork." If they continue to hammer the point, then I would reconsider whether I really wanted to work for that company, to be honest.

You don't have to put your graduation years, or your "major" on your resume. I have a degree in music, and am pushing 40, but all I put on my resume is "Bachelor of Arts - XYZ University". No dates, no "major" necessary. No one has asked for more detail than that, either. When I get my MBA, I'll just put "Master of Business Admninistration - XYZ University".

As for the DOB on the application, they need that info to verify that you are who you say you are, run background checks, etc (as others have noted). They also need your SSN and DOB when you are hired for tax withholding purposes.

This is not nearly the same thing as asking illegal interview questions.

If you don't want to put your DOB on the application, then don't. But then, understand that you will eventualy need to provide it for the reasons I mention above.

I was asked just yesterday by an interviewer whether is would be possible to "change my situation" with my boyfriend (we live in 2 different places).

Wow, I understand this is a crappy time to get a job but how low are some people willing to allow employers to go to land "a job" for a company willing to blatantly violate the laws many many people fought so hard to enact to protect workers' rights? I think there's a nice compromise if you answer an illegal question with the answer that you'd give to the LEGAL version of the question. Otherwise, volunteering information that is likely to alienate the interviewer seems just as damaging as refusing to answer. My $0.02!

I've been asked on employment forms about my menstrual cycle, and whether I am or plan on becoming pregnant, all of those questions are illegal as well!