Every interviewer is different and, unfortunately, there are no rules saying he or she has to use all or any of the "basic" questions covered above. But we think the odds are against his or her avoiding all of them. Whichever of these he or she includes, be assured most interviewers do like to come up with questions that are "uniquely theirs." It may be just one or a whole series-questions developed over the years that he or she feels help separate the wheat from the chaff.
You can't exactly prepare yourself for questions like, "What would you do if... (fill in the blank with some obscure occurrence)?," "What do you remember about kindergarten?," or "What's your favorite ice cream flavor?" Every interviewer we know has his or her favorites and all of these questions seem to come out of left field. Just stay relaxed, grit your teeth (quietly), and take a few seconds to frame a reasonably intelligent reply.
The Downright Illegal Questions
Some questions are more than inappropriate-they are illegal. The Civil Rights
Act of 1964 makes it illegal for a company to discriminate in its hiring on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also means that any interview questions covering these topics are strictly off-limits. In addition to questions about race and color, what other types questions can't be asked? Some might surprise you:
- Any questions about marital status, number and ages of dependents, or mar-riage or child-bearing plans.
- Any questions about your relatives, their addresses, or their place of origin.
- Any questions about your arrest record. If security clearance is required, it can be done after hiring but before you start the job.
After reading the above paragraphs, read through the 10 questions below. Which ones do you think would be legal to ask at a job interview? Answers
- Confidentially, what is your race?
- What kind of work does your spouse do?
- Are you single, married, or divorced?
- What is your native language?
- Who should we notify in case of an emergency?
- What clubs, societies, or organizations do you belong to?
- Do you plan to have a family?
- Do you have any disability?
- Do you have a good credit record?
- What is your height and weight?
Now that you know what an interviewer can't ask you, what if he or she does? Well, don't lose your cool, and don't point out that the question may be outside the law-the nonprofessional interviewer may not realize such questions are illegal, and such a response might confuse, even anger, him or her.
Instead, whenever any questions are raised that you feel are outside legal boundaries, politely state that you don't understand how the question has bearing on the job opening and ask the interviewer to clarify him or herself. If the interviewer persists, you may be forced to state that you do not feel comfortable answering questions of that nature. Bring up the legal issue as a last resort, but if things reach that stage, you probably don't want to work for that company after all.
Testing and Applications
Though not part of the selection interview itself, job applications, skill tests, and psychological testing are often part of the pre-interview process. You should know something about them.
The job application is essentially a record-keeping exercise-simply the transfer of work experience and educational data from your resume to a printed application forms. Though taking the time to recopy data may seem like a waste of time, some companies simply want the information in a particular order on a standard form. One difference: Applications often require the listing of references and salary levels achieved. Be sure to bring your list of references with you to any interview (so you can transfer the pertinent information), and don't lie about salary history; it's easily checked.
Many companies now use a variety of psychological tests as additional mechanisms to screen out undesirable candidates. Although their accuracy is subject to question, the companies that use them obviously believe they are effective at identifying applicants whose personality makeups would preclude their participating positively in a given work situation, especially those at the extreme ends of the behavior spectrum.
Their usefulness in predicting job accomplishment is considered limited. If you are normal (like the rest of us), you'll have no trouble with these tests and may even find them amusing. Just don't try to outsmart them-you'll just wind up outsmarting yourself.
Stand Up and Be Counted
Your interview is over. Breathe a sigh of relief. Make your notes-you'll want to keep a file on the important things covered for use in your next interview. Some people consider one out of ten (one job offer for every ten interviews) a good score-if you're keeping score.
Meta: It is suggested that you don't It's virtually impossible to judge how others are judging you. Just go on to the next interview. Sooner than you think, you'll be hired for the right job.
