How to Deal with Illegal Interview Questions
So you finally landed an interview at your dream company. Congratulations! You're feeling comfortable
and confident at the interview, until suddenly your interviewer asks a question that you know is illegal.
What are you supposed to do?
Follow these simple steps to decide how to proceed:
- First, remember that you are under no obligation to answer any illegal question.
- Next, keep in mind that the question could have been asked inadvertently. Often, interviewers are just
trying to be friendly by asking about your family or your personal background.
- Now, decide how to respond. If you believe that the question was asked in a friendly way, try to avoid
or ignore the question and redirect the question to a new subject. With this method, the interviewer
may notice his or her own mistake and will appreciate your willingness to avoid the issue.
- If the interviewer persists in asking illegal questions, you have two options. You can either point
out to the interviewer that the question is illegal and refuse to answer it or you can choose to end
the interview and leave.
- Contact an employment lawyer to discuss your legal options. The experienced Houston employment attorneys
of the Ross Law Group can work with you to take the necessary steps to pursue legal action. Feel free
to call us at 713-482-6910.
Confronting a potential employer or walking out of an interview is difficult, especially in an interview
for a position that you highly desire. However, if the interview questions are blatantly illegal and
persistent, remember that laws are in place to protect you against discrimination, and that you have
the option to take legal action.
Contact Us
If you feel that you have been asked an illegal question in an interview, contact the Houston employment
lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 713-482-6910 to discuss your legal options.