If you are an employee or an employer, it is essential to
know what you can be discussed in an interview situation.
From inquiries that sound discriminatory, to questions that
are too closed to get a deep enough answer, it is essential to get the most
from the short time you have in an interview situation.
How old are you?
Age is one of the many questions that can be considered
discriminatory. In fact, asking about most personal details is off-limits.
Personal attributes include questions about your gender,
ethnicity or sexuality. This is because it will generally have no bearing on
your ability to perform in the role.
In very few situations, it is legal to ask about age. For
example, it would be lawful to check someone’s age if you’re trying to
establish if they’re entitled to a youth wage.
This means that most questions about unnecessary personal
attributes should be off-limits. For example, the following questions will
usually be unreasonable in most interviews:
- Are you in a same-sex relationship?
- How old are you?
- What’s your ethnic background?
- What religion are you?
- Are you pregnant or planning to start a family?
- Who do you vote for?
- Do you have a physical or mental disability?
There are some exceptions.
Only if it is not discriminatory, and directly related to
the role.
For example, if a person was applying for a role at a
warehouse that requires heavy lifting or standing for a long time. In this
case, it would be lawful and reasonable to ask about their ability to perform
the role.
Are you a team player?
This is both a leading and a
closed, yes or no question. The interviewee will almost always answer yes, as
that is the obvious desired answer. To get the most out of the limited time you
have with a candidate, you need to get a deeper insight into how they work.
Instead, as an example of a time, they worked in a team
together on a successful project. Also, ask about a time they worked in a team
that had some issues, and it was resolved.
The same goes for “Are you a good communicator?” or “Are you
good at good at time management?”
What can you do if you’re asked a question that you think
may lead to discrimination?
If you are being interviewed and you are asked something
that may seem discriminatory, then you can ask the interviewer about why they
feel it is relevant. For example, you could ask, “why do you feel this is
relevant to me being able to perform in this role?”
Do you want to learn more about how HOBAN can assist you in navigating the interview process? Please get in touch today https://www.hoban.com.au/contact-us/
For more information, you can also read extra details from the experts at Seek.com
https://www.seek.com.au/career-advice/article/illegal-interview-questions-what-employers-have-no-right-to-ask/
https://www.seek.com.au/employer/hiring-advice/interview-questions-should-never-ask
