Interview Questions to Avoid

Interview questions to avoid

Let’s talk about interview questions. Did you know there are things you cannot discuss in an interview? There are interview questions that you should avoid. There are areas of questioning that are not appropriate for interviewing and quite honestly, have zero impact on a candidate’s ability to succeed in a position. 

When you interview candidates, your questions should be relevant information about the candidate and the position. It is perfectly acceptable to get to know your candidates but it is not acceptable to ask them if they go to church on Sunday. Why would it matter? Because you need them to work on Sunday? Then the question should be: Are you available to work on Sundays?

There is always a way to learn about your candidates without crossing the lines of privacy and protected information. 

Labor laws were created to make sure hiring managers were making hiring decisions based on the right things…the candidates’ ability to do the job. In the past, and sadly, it still goes on in some instances, hiring managers made decisions based on non-job related candidate characteristics. Honestly, why do you care where I come from? Isn’t your goal to improve your business? If I can help, why does it matter where I was born? 

Historically, biases played a big role in hiring decisions. I wish I could stay that the world has moved past it but sadly, it still exists. The fact that a hiring manager would allow a candidate’s personal/protected information to impact their hiring decision is beyond my scope of imagination. CAN YOU DO THE JOB? Do you fit in? Can you work well with others on the team? That is really all a hiring manager should care about.

If you are unsure, the protected classes are listed. These classes are protected by law. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is where it begins. However, there have been several amendments over the years as hiring managers cannot seem to leave their personal bias out of their decisions. Honestly, as a business owner, hiring manager or someone new to leadership or hiring, you should become familiar with The Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as other employment laws. You can find them here: www.dol.gov. 

Protected Classes:

• Race
• Color
• Religion
• Gender, gender identity or expression
• National Origin
• Age
• Disability
• Military or Veteran Status
• Genetic Information
• Citizenship
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Pregnancy

These areas are protected but seriously, do I need to remind you of these things? Bottom line, do the right thing. Be an organization that is known for doing the right thing. Hire the best person for the job, based on their knowledge, skills, abilities and fit. 

These are HR basics. If you are not familiar with employment law, I encourage you to check out The Department of Labor’s website at www.dol.gov

Make your hiring decision for the right reasons.

For more interview tips and tools, check out my book:  No More Hiring Regrets.

It is available on Amazon. NoMoreHiringRegrets