5 questions you can’t ask during an interview and how to answer them

There’s nothing like being asked an illegal question during a job interview to raise your stress level a few thousand points. In theory, there is a long list of questions that cannot be asked. However, you will be. You’ll be asked by interviewers who don’t know any better, and sadly, by those who know better.

In theory, you could just say that you asked an inappropriate question and refuse to answer. You have every right to point out that this is an Equal Employment Opportunity Office issue.

And I recommend it, if they ask or continue to be shy about asking illegal questions during the interview. However, assuming the interviewer did not intend to violate his privacy, how do you answer these types of questions without jeopardizing your chances?

I don’t know. I’m not a job guru who has the answers. Still, if I were asked these questions, I might answer as follows:

1. How old are you? I am 49 years old and I think that is a good age for this position. Not only do I have the skills and experience to do this job, wellness 49 gives you a person with maturity and a great sense of responsibility. Becoming a part of your organization, a productive part of your organization, without being held by the hand, is something that I think everyone will appreciate.

2. Are you married? Yes I am. Aside from my past, success comes from having a stable family life and a spouse committed to seeing me do well. When I first got married, I got a little stressed about how to balance work and family, like it was a juggling act. Not so. Having a family has taught me to be aware of others and work in the context of a team, my family. This approach helps me to be a more supportive and facilitator at work. Of course, having a supportive spouse who wants me to do well is always a plus, for me and where I work.

3. Well, any disabilities we should know about? I believe I am a great candidate for this role and you will be the happy beneficiary of the talents and experience I bring to the table. So in every way your needs will be met by bringing me.

4. Are you a native US citizen or where are you from? With all due respect, is that relevant to this job? My family is originally from Colombia, but I am proud to be an American for whatever that is worth.

5. Are you pregnant? With all due respect, is that relevant to this job? As we discussed and agreed, your needs for a business analyst are a great match for my skills and experience. As I understand it, as I’m sure you are aware, being pregnant does not disqualify me from this or any position. It’s not a problem, right?

But there are questions that are legal to ask, but are vague enough to get you in trouble.

1. Here is a gap of 2 years, what happened? The company he worked for went bankrupt. The owner was a good man, but he was overburdened and evidently when the bills came due he could not meet his obligations. Basically, they released all of us without much warning. Since then, I’ve been doing 3 things. First, I’ve been working a temporary position to help pay the bills. Second, I have been taking night courses in financial management at our local community college. And I’m a volunteer for the local museum, raising funds. All of which make me ideal for this sales role.

2. So tell me, what are your weaknesses? There’s an old saying, “where angels fear to tread…” I’ve always gotten high marks for being proactive and really looking for responsibility. That being said, I understand that the flip side of that is being reckless. At this point though, having matured, having made a few mistakes, I feel like I’m now in a position to better balance taking the lead with caution. And I have made that one of the strengths that I will bring to this position. Also, my Achilles heel is Ho-ho’s, but he’s much better now.

Obviously, I’m not trying to say that these are the answers, but just wanted to give you some examples to think about when formulating your approach. And you must formulate your approaches before going to the interview.

I think it’s important to understand that the vast majority of interviewers are good people and would not intentionally ask an illegal question. Their goal is simply to find the best option for the opening they have.

But regardless of the reasons, you have your rights. And he has the right not to be asked questions that are illegal, that violate his privacy, that discriminate against him. If you think you are the victim of such questions, you should of course contact your local Equal Employment Opportunity Office.