Never Ask These Questions During an Interview

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice


A job candidate is a complicated puzzle that, as an interviewer, you have to solve with limited time and resources. While rapid evaluation is necessary, make sure you don't ask interview questions that are against the law. Many common interview questions violate job discrimination laws while not eliciting any relevant information about the candidate's ability to perform well. Get the facts you need to make informed hiring decisions while being respectful of the candidate's privacy.

1. How Old Are You?

Job applications frequently ask for birth dates, which opens the door to age discrimination. If you contacted a particular applicant — whatever his age — for interview, his skills and experience on paper must have impressed your human resource team. Focus on the distinct benefits candidates can bring to your environment, and avoid making assumptions that candidates aren't compatible with company culture simply because of age. If you need to verify age for legal reasons, simply ask for documentation that the candidate is of legal age to work in the United States.

2. What Is Your Marital/Family Status?

Whether the interview question is about childcare or marriage plans, inquiring about personal lifestyle choices makes you susceptible to bias. You can easily make hasty judgements about candidates' commitment to work if they unwittingly reveal information about wanting to have a family or acting as a caregiver for an ailing spouse. Instead, assess a candidate's level of engagement by asking what steps he takes to prioritize work or discussing his idea of a balanced work schedule.

3. Are You Disabled?

People with physical or medical complications have a wide range of abilities, so never assume that a perceived disability may hinder someone from excelling in a position. Refrain from inquiring about specific health and physical limitations, and stick to interview questions that ask whether the candidate can accomplish the required tasks for the position, such as lifting or prolonged standing. Remember that reasonable accommodations can make a big difference to what is possible.

4. What Is Your Religious/Political Affiliation?

While you probably don't ask direct interview questions about religion or politics, inappropriate behavior often slips under the radar during conversational moments. You may casually discuss a recent election campaign or a religiously affiliated holiday without intending to pry into the candidate's beliefs. This type of information can feed bias, motivating you to positively or negatively judge the candidate's responses, based on your own perceptions of that stance.

5. What Is Your Nationality?

Race, ethnicity and nationality are all protected topics under job discrimination laws, so avoid making any references to what country a candidate comes from, the origin of his name or his ethnic background. Profiling creates unequal competition and can lead you to make hiring decisions based on prejudicial information. Of course, you can ask for proof of a candidate's legal right to work in the country if you are concerned about immigration status.

Asking inappropriate interview questions can prevent you from holding productive conversations with highly qualified recruits. Candidates are reluctant to decline interview questions, which can put them in the awkward position of trying to answer diplomatically. Protect yourself from legal gray areas by focusing solely on how the candidate's experience and expectations match up to the realistic demands of the job.


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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Daniel it is unfortunate that they try to get around the age issue by asking these questions. You really don't have to answer them. You can simply say, yes I graduated from High school or I get a bachelor's degree in management. Just don't give them the dates. If they ask point blank for them, you can simply not answer. Politely say that you prefer not to answer that question as it's not a legal question. It's the same as asking for your birth date. Companies know this. They are just hoping that you don't know that the question is illegal.

  • Daniel M.
    Daniel M.

    I have had them ask when I got out of high school or college as a way around asking my age.

  • charles e.
    charles e.

    Every employer ask all of these questions and make them mandatory!!!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Linda thanks for your comment. It's hard to know for sure why the company would ask for that information - especially after the interview - unless they were going to hire you. It doesn't hurt to call them and ask why they went with another candidate. You might also want to ask then to delete your information and send you a letter to that effect. That way, if you start having issues with your identity, you will have a leg to stand on. I have never been asked for that information before, either - not unless it was after I had received an offer. Always better to be safe than sorry.

  • LINDA H.
    LINDA H.

    I got a job interview and they did not ask those mentioned questions but at the end of the interview they had me to fill out the background check form which includes DOB, SSN, driver's license and other info. They told me this is the company policy and they need to do this before giving a job offer. I have never dealt with this in my career life. I received their call the next day letting me know that they went with the other candidate and I think this is because I am a baby boomer (even they told me that I am the type of candidate they're looking for!) Any thought is appreciated.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Valetta thanks for your comment. Yes that is true that any government application is going to ask for birthdate, graduation date and so on. There is no way to get around that one. However, we have found that government agencies are willing to hire the more mature worker so those dates may not be hurting you. We wish you the best in your job search endeavors.

  • Valetta S.
    Valetta S.

    every government application asks for your date of graduation from high school, if you have a disability, your race (specifically if you are non Hispanic) and your marital status.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Dierdre thanks for your comment. So true. If you can turn the conversation another way, go for it. They truly will try to get the information that they seek in a more casual way. You may think that you are just chit-chatting with the interviewer but always know - your interview starts from the second you get out of your vehicle and walk into the building. And it doesn't end until you are gone. @Michael I tend to agree that I wouldn't feel secure about working for a company that would employ sneaky tactics to get information out of you. They know that you are already nervous.. .anxious and won't even give it a second thought about the question - but any age related questions are illegal and they know this. Thanks and all the best on your job search.

  • Deirdre K.
    Deirdre K.

    If an employer pushes for a graduation date I just will say something like "more than 5 years ago" so it speaks to how recent my education was. If they push more I ask how it affects the position I seek. Employers can be quite sneaky about getting your age out of you in a casual way. Most job seekers are either unaware of this or so desperate for a job that they will answer without a second thought.

  • Michael W.
    Michael W.

    In addition to my comment about the manner in which the question of
    age discrimination is addressed, I intended to say that I wouldn't feel
    secure working for a company that employed such tactics.
    Michael Wheeler

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Michael so sorry. Unfortunately employers get around the "age" question by asking for HS graduation dates. They know that they can't come right out and ask your age so they frame it in such a way that you don't have any recourse. Question now is - would you want to work for a company who acted that way?

  • Michael Wheeler
    Michael Wheeler

    I have been asked WHEN I graduated from High School or WHEN I received my GED and when I questioned the relevance of that, the interviewer aborted the call. In addition,

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