It would be so much easier if robots handled hiring. That way you could go to an interview and not have to worry about an employer making judgments about the way you look, your age, your race or numerous other traits that have nothing to do with your skills and experience.
Until then, there will be plenty of prejudices and inappropriate questions to contend with. Here are some tips on what to do and how to respond if you feel like you’re being unfairly discriminated against.
Is That Question Illegal?
“Are you planning on becoming pregnant?” “Where are you from?” “Are you married?” “Do you rent or own?”
Believe it or not, it’s technically not against the law to ask these questions. It’s only illegal if that information is used by an employer to determine whether or not to hire you. And even if you think that an employer passed on you because of his or her prejudices, good luck trying to prove it. After all, as long as they end up hiring somebody who’s equally as qualified or brings something unique to the table, you may not have a case.
However, if you have compelling and reasonable evidence that you were discriminated against, you can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC oversees employment discrimination claims, including hiring discrimination, against protected classes. At the federal level, these classes include race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability and genetic information.
An employment lawyer can also help you better understand your options. The National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) website offers a searchable directory of lawyers who specifically represent workers and employees in employment law cases.
How to Answer Inappropriate Questions
For those who don’t have the time and resources to spend in litigation, it’s much easier to find good strategies for addressing personal or improper questions.
Sometimes the questions are asked out of genuine curiosity and have no ulterior motives. Other times they represent biases that the employer may or may not be aware of. The way that you respond depends a lot on the dynamics of each exchange. For instance the question, “Do you have any kids?” might be asked as a way for an employer to find something in common with the interviewee, or as a means of gauging whether or not you can be relied on to stay or take on extra hours if necessary.
First of all, try to decode the question. What are they really asking? For instance, if an interviewer asks about your background, is he just curious or is his question motivated by his own personal biases? Chances are, you can get a pretty good sense of his intentions, but if you feel uncomfortable, you’re under no obligation to answer.
Your best tactic is to avoid the specific answer in favor of one that’s relevant to the job. So when asked about your ethnicity you could say something like, “If you’re wondering if I’m legally authorized to work in this country, the answer is yes.” Or if appropriate, you could just say, “I’m American.”
Questions About Family
Sometimes an employer wants to know if you’ll be around if things change in your family (e.g. a new baby). If you’re married or of a certain age, an employer might casually ask if you have kids (or have plans for one).
Once again, try to understand what they’re really asking. Is the interviewer just innocently trying to make small talk or are they trying to find out if you’ll bail the minute you have a kid? If it’s the latter, you can try to ally their concerns by saying, “I plan to pursue a career and continuing working, whether or not I ever have kids.” Or if you already have children, you could say, “Right now our family is the perfect size.”
Questions About Age
Often employers discriminate against candidates who seem too old or too young. Sometimes this information is easy to discern simply by looking at your resume. If you have too little on there, you’re at a disadvantage. But sometimes having too much experience can hurt you as well. An employer might think you’re overqualified. But even worse, they could unfairly profile you as too old and out of touch with current trends.
Of course one of the best ways to combat ageism, regardless of age, is by staying current and being able to talk fluently about where you’re industry is headed and your ideas for innovation.
But really, your age is just none of their darn business. Your experience and skills should speak for themselves, period. But if questions about your age come up, however veiled, try to reframe the conversation so that it’s relevant to the job. For instance, you could answer with the question, “Are you looking for somebody with a specific number of years of experience?”
A question that often pops up is “What year did you graduate?” You could answer with the question, “Do you know somebody else who went to the same school?” Or be vague and give the decade of when you graduated rather than the specific year (i.e. the 90s). You could even answer with a joke, “If I tell you that information, then I might have to kill you,” or “I can’t lie about being 21 anymore.”
In general keep it light. But listen to your gut and don’t ever feel pressured into revealing something you feel uncomfortable about. If it costs you the job, it might be just as well.
