Job Interview Tips - Responding to Inappropriate Questions

Believe it or not, there are state, federal and local laws that dictate what employers can and cannot ask in an interview. There are certain topics that are off-limits because they're not applicable to the job that you're seeking. However, some employers just don't get it or aren't aware of the rules regarding inappropriate questions in a job interview. However, there are many different things that they cannot ask, and if they do, you don't have to answer. You might think that full disclosure is best because then you appear to have nothing to hide. The reality of the situation is that if you don't want to answer a question, you don't have to when it is inappropriate.

Questions about your home life, your personal life or anything that is outside of the workplace or irrelevant to your abilities on the job are all off-limits. Some companies don't know any better, have poorly trained interviewing staff or HR departments, or are just ignorant in not knowing that these are questions that they cannot ask. Some, too, will knowingly defy the law just to see how you respond because very few people are actually aware that there are laws preventing certain topics from being discussed. If you simply deny an answer to an inappropriate question, the odds are good that you can kiss that job goodbye. Therefore, if you want the job, you can respond in a few ways.

Make sure that you fully understand the question. When you choose to answer it, make sure that you give the 'right' answer, or one that doesn't affect your current image up to this point. If you really don't want to answer, consider asking them how the question affects their job performance, in a non-confrontational manner. They'll likely either realize they asked the wrong question, or they'll explain why they ask it, allowing you to have a better idea of how to answer it. Some companies like to ask about stability in personal lives because it can directly influence stability at work in many cases.

It's your call when it comes to answering these questions. No one can tell you that you have to answer them, or how to answer them. However, you should try and figure out exactly what they're looking for, and then address that issue directly. Ultimately, if you don't feel like the interviewer has a right to ask certain questions, just apologize and tell them that you don't see the relevance of that particular question in regards to your ability to do the job. Always trust your gut, even if it costs you the job. That's probably someone you didn't want to work for, anyway.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/