Job Interview Questions

There are a number of questions that a potential employer is prohibited from asking a candidate during a job interview. Here are some examples:

Question: How old are you?

A better option is to ask the candidate if he or she is over the age of 18.

Question: Do you have children? Are you planning on having children?

Instead, explain whether the position requires travel or overtime work regularly and ask the candidate if there are any reasons why he or she would not be able to meet these requirements.

Question: Are you married or living with a partner?

If the information you are trying to find out is whether the candidate can relocate if necessary, simply ask that question. The person's marital status or living arrangement is not relevant.

Question: Where were you born? Are you a citizen of this country?

These are illegal questions. The candidate's place of birth has no bearing on whether he or she can do the job. Instead, ask whether the applicant can legally work in the United States.

Question: Do you attend church services or belong to any kind of a social/service club?

A person's religious faith has no bearing on their ability to do a particular job. Whether the candidate belongs to any clubs or organizations is also irrelevant. A potential employer may invite the applicant to share the name of an organization he or she belongs to if it is relevant to the job being discussed, i.e., membership in a professional organization related to the position applied for.