Did you know that there are interview questions that might seem legitimate but are actually illegal? While there are some that are clearly inappropriate, not all of them are so obvious. Don't overlook the different types of illegal interview questions!
Here are a few types of illegal interview questions you should watch out for during your next job interview.
Types of Illegal Interview Questions
Interview questions about your family life:
- Are you married?
- Do you have any kids?
- Are you pregnant?
Interview questions about race:
- What's your nationality?
- What race are you?
- What church do you attend?
- What is your religion?
- Are you religious?
- Do you own a home?
- Do you rent?
- Do you have an apartment?
- Do you have anybody living with you?
- Do you live with your parents?
- Are you male or female?
- How old are you?
- What's your birth year?
- When's your birthday?
- What year did you graduate from high school?
- What year did you graduate from college?
Why These Interview Questions Are Illegal
So, what makes these questions illegal?
First, they have no relation to the job requirements. Second, there are strict laws in place that prevent interviewers from asking interview questions that can be discriminatory.
Why Interviewers Ask Illegal Interview Questions
Unfortunately, there are bad interviewers out there who will try to slip some of these questions in on purpose (hello, workplace discrimination). There are also some inexperienced interviewers out there who simply don't know these are illegal questions and are just trying to make conversation.
If you're asked these questions, whether intentional or not, it's best to be prepared so you don't get flustered during the interview.
How To Prepare For Illegal Interview Questions
Sadly, these types of illegal interview questions are asked all of the time during interviews. Not sure how to prepare for them? We built an in-depth interview prep course that will help you understand how to respond to such questions.
We hope this article helps you identify any illegal questions you might be asked in a job interview. Good luck, and keep an eye out for those red flags!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.