How To Get The Job: A Few Questions You Should NOT Be Asked in an Interview

This series was inspired from my seven years experience listening to the good, the bad and the truly hideous interview. About half the applicants I turn away could have done the job and done it well. This guide will lead qualified candidates to avoiding major pitfalls in how they are presenting themselves during the interview process.

Previously we Covered:

 Getting the Phone Interview 

How to GetThrough the Phone Interview

 What to Wear to In Person

We're going to very briefly talk about questions which are illegal to asking in the USA.

It's never in your favor to answer these questions or to offer this information voluntarily.

Most articles list 7 separate categories interviews shouldn't touch on they include: age, race, national origin, gender, marital status, and sexual orientation. Below, I've listed the top illegal questions I've seen others ask in interviewing workshops, role play interviews, or on occasion when I've been interviewing for a position.

Questions You Should NEVER Be Asked and SHOULD NOT ANSWER in an Interview:

1. Any question about your race or ethnicity: These include What is your nationality/are you a US citizen/what's your native language/how long have you lived here?
2. Any question regarding your religious beliefs? What's your religious faith/which religious holidays do you observe? “I belong to ??? church which one do you belong to?”
3. Any question regarding your age: How old are you? What years did you graduate High School? THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION TO THIS: If you need to be a minimum age to perform the job’s duties. For instance, the minimum age to use a deli slicer is 16.
4. Any question concerning your family situation Do you have kids/ is your babysitter reliable/ can you get a babysitter short notice? Do you have a husband/wife/significant other?

Though there are questions similar to these that an interviewer MAY ask, ones that get too specific regarding age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability are illegal in the USA. If you're asked these questions you should remain calm and friendly but politely decline to answer them.

You can try re-framing the situation with “Why do you ask?”. It may give both you a chance to gracefully backtrack into job related queries. Perhaps the interviewer just wants to know if you're open to working Christmas or Easter. This allows you to respond appropriately to their concerns.

Sometimes the interviewer is just trying to make some small talk and has no reason they are asking the question. Just like this might be one of the first times you are interviewing, this might be one of the first times this person is the interviewer. Allow them the opportunity to back away from a question that seems not relevant to the job.

If necessary redirect them by asking them “What are the 3 main skills you are looking for?” or “What traits do you feel are important for a person to have who is doing this job?”

If these tactics don't work, chances are your interview is not going well. It may be time to get up and leave the interview.

Remember, once you have the job, you have to work for these people. As much as an interview is about whether you're the right fit for a company, a company should also be putting it's best face forward. Don't stay in an interview that makes you uncomfortable or in an interview where you learn you do not want the job on offer.

Do you need more information on this topic? May I recommend reading:

11 Interview Questions that are Actually Illegal

http://www.businessinsider.com/11-illegal-interview-questions-2013-7

30 Interview Questions you Can't ask and 30 Sneaky Alternatives to Get the Same Info http://www.hrworld.com/features/30-interview-questions-111507/

5 Job Interview Questions that Are Illegal to Ask

http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-questions/illegal-interview-questions/article.aspx

Ready for more?  The next part of my Series is Up The First 3 Questions in the Interview

How To Get The Job: Part 1 Trying Get A Dreaded Phone Interview

This series is inspired from my seven years experience listening to the good, the bad and the truly hideous interview. About half the applicants I turn away could have done the job and done it well. This guide will lead qualified candidates to avoiding major pitfalls on how to navigate the interview process.

Getting Started: How to get a Phone Interviews:

Applications are read and sorted into three piles, “Yes, No, or Maybe”

An application falls into the “Yes” pile if there is:

• Open availability—in the service industry this is the BIGGEST impact to whether we consider you.

• Relevant experience. Corporate/franchises see candidates will little to no experience as a risky investment. Labor/training is the most expensive factor in running a business. Managers want to minimize this major “controllable” cost. A Candidate with no experience might apply at a “Mom and Pop” store where managers are more willing to train an inexperienced candidate.

• The Position is Open. If the openings are for sales and you apply for HR assistant even if you are qualified for sales you go to the “No” pile.

• Versatility and Flexibility: Demonstrating on your resume willingness to do more than one job shows you are eager. We want eager people and applying for more than one job position shows you're eager. It also says you’re versatile and able to handle more than one thing—all good traits in high demand.

If the resume outlines these traits, congrats, you're hire-able. The human resources gate keeper will call you with a few follow up questions and a quick phone interview. The yes pile is not a sure thing.

You might get a phone call because you are in The Maybe Pile:

You got to the “Maybe” file because:

• Your availability happened to be the time slots needed to be filled.

• You have no experience but there are no experienced candidates available so we will train.

• Your experience, while not directly related was in seasonal work of some sort or was some kind of part time school work related gig. Finding this information out takes more time on the reviewer's part and since he or she is usually skimming, you're lucky they caught this tidbit.

• You didn't apply for an available position but for some reason our applicant pool is low and we decided you might fit the job available. If you fall into this category you put A LOT of faith in the the gate keeper and honestly, most of them are not very thorough so you are really really lucky.  

Those are the factors in getting your first phone interview.  Seems pretty simple right?  It's not,  the "no" pile is far larger than the "yes" and "maybe" combined!  

Next time, I'll cover the phone interview plan.  For now let's hear from you!  

Let Me Know:

-Anything you felt I missed or glossed over?

-Share a story of a memorable phone interview!

-Was my advice helpful?

-Do you have further questions or concerns?

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Please check out the next part of the series here.