Career Advice - Interviewing: When Job Interviewers Ask Out-of-Bounds Questions

You don’t need a license to be an employer, and most employers are not bound by any overseeing agency — except the government. A parent who hires a babysitter is an employer. Because it’s so easy and common to be an employer, it should be understood that most employment interviewers don’t know which questions are legal and illegal. In fact, many people don’t know what is appropriate and not appropriate to ask.Employees are in a precarious situation when they want a job, and are asked inappropriate or illegal interview questions because to question the questions means to insult or offend the interviewer and put the potential job in jeopardy.That said, it’s really best to work for someone who is professional and is more interested in doing things legally. So, if you’re asked an inappropriate or illegal question at a job interview, tell the interviewer that you think the question is either illegal or inappropriate. See what their response is. If they apologize and withdraw or change the question, you’ll be able to see that this is an employer who makes mistakes, but also corrects them. If they discontinue the interview or don’t hire you because you challenged the question, consider that job a bullet dodged.For stories of workplace romance, tips and career change advice, visit www.askapril.com