How Old Are You And Other Questions Your Interviewer Shouldnt Be Asking

How Old Are You And Other Questions Your Interviewer Shouldnt Be Asking When heading into a job bewerbungsinterview, you already have enough sweat on your hands to fill the cup of water youll need to quench that inevitable dry mouth of yours. Add the pressure of gender-biased discriminatory questions, and suddenly, where do you see yourself in five years? doesnt seem like such a daunting question.No one wants to admit it, but when it comes to a job interview, you run the risk of being discriminated against.So Whats Off Limits?Unless the question has a job-related basis, its illegal for your interviewer to ask about your age, marital status, plans for a family, religion, ethnicity the list goes on. Although unterstellung questions are easy to answer, especially if you dont think before speaking, its the weight behind these questions that you should be concerned about.You should familiarize yourself with certain unlawful questions you might run into so that you can better prepare how t o answer and/or avoid them. There might elend be any specific intent behind the questions the interviewer could just be making small talk or trying to establish common ground.But if you do find yourself facing some serious discrimination, you can make a case for yourself and have your voice heard by taking it to the law.How to Answer an Inappropriate QuestionOur now-President Donald Trump once said that pregnancy was great for familiesbut an inconvenience for employers. Regardless of how you feel about politics and a politicians stance on family benefits, parental leave, etc. some employers do follow this thinking but do not admit it because it is against the law.If an employer asks about your family, gauge the purpose of the question. Some might genuinely be trying to make a connection with you, while some might want to know your plans in case youll be needing significant time off or to determine where your dedication level sits.If a question about your family or future plans for a family comes up, be sure to keep the focus on your dedication to the job and add in something about how you manage many tasks while staying organized. For example, you might say, My career is important to me, and Ive always been good at handling many tasks at once while remaining organized and motivated.If you know youre being asked a discriminatory question, you have every right to say so. You can simply say, I dont feel comfortable answering this question, which hopefully will point out to the interviewer that they are crossing a line.Keep in mind, though, youre still in an interview. Youre being considered for a role and judged for how you react to certain situations. Its important to be polite when declining to answer a question. You want to answer these questions professionally and tie them back to your skillset and the job at hand.Soreview what types of questions are legal and illegal, and prep yourself with hypothetical, light-hearted answers.Should You Take Action?If you think youve being unfairly separated from the pack of contenders due to discrimination, you have every right to file a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Commission provides anin-depth look at what constitutes discriminatory employment practice. Fortunately, laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family Medical Leave Act are all set in place to protect people from discrimination.Despite these laws, it can be very difficult to prove your case. You will have little opportunity to find out why you didnt get a job over someone else, so you might need to recruit some legal help. A lawyer can provide you council,specifically regarding issues related to the federal discrimination statutes.An attorney can help you decide if your claim is worth pursuing or if you should just move on. If you do decide to pursue legal action, many of legal filings are public r ecord. Your claim could be visible to other potential employers you apply to. Could it work against you? Potentially. Is it worth it? That decision is up to you. It may be just as well to move on and pursue a better employment opportunity.Listen to Your IntuitionOnly you are in tune with your intuitions. Listen to your instincts. They should help you figure out the purpose of a question and be able to read the interviewers intention. While the interview is an opportunity for a potential employer to vet you, its also about whether or not you want to bring your talents to them.Be honest and polite and dont be afraid to do what you feel is right.--Sarah Landrum is an expert career blogger and the founder of Punched Clocks, a career and lifestyle blog helping professionals create a career they love and live a happy, healthy life. For more from Sarah, follow her on social media and subscribe to her newsletter.Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join u s by reviewing your employer