The Illegal Sexist Questions Asked during an Interview

You can expect to face illegal questions of all sorts in most interviews. Often, this is simply ignorance on the part of the interviewer; he or she does not realize that the question is against the law. On the other hand, there is hardly an employer in the United States who does not understand that sexist questions violate Federal and most state laws.

The following is a list of implicit and explicit sexist questions and statements that in one way or another violate the law:
 

• Do you intend to get married?
   
• Are you married?
  
  
   
• Do you intend to have children?
   
• If you are married, will you quit to follow your husband if he is transferred?
   
• (A male interviewer) Maybe we could discuss your credentials over dinner at my place?
   
• I like your legs. What does the rest of you look like?
   
• Do you believe in dating the boss?
   
• Do you belong to any feminist clubs or organizations?
   
• Do you have to work to support your family?
   
• Are you a feminist?
   
• What does your husband do for a living?
   
• Are you divorced, separated, or engaged?
   
• Are you pregnant?
   
• Would you miss work because one of your children got sick?
   
• Why would a good-looking woman like you want a job as a construction engineer?
   
• Which is more important to you; your potential career or getting married?
   
• Would you get an abortion if pregnancy would interfere with your career?
   
• A lot of women try to get ahead by sleeping with the boss. What do you think about that sort of thing?
   
• In this job, it is important to please the customer. Would you mind dating some of them if it comes to that?
   
• Does your husband work for this company?

You can decide for yourself what to do in this situation. If you refuse to answer, you face the prospect of not getting a job. If you choose to answer freely, on the other hand, you are accepting the fact that you are willing to work for a sexist organization that will deliberately limit your chances for success. Given that many women might actually enjoy such a prospect (as was pointed out earlier), this could easily be an acceptable choice. For others, this is a repugnant idea and they would never even consider a job with a company like this. There may be a comfortable middle ground.

Some Verbal Strategies

The following verbal strategies are designed to help the candidate deal with or prevent illegal, sexist questions:
 

• Avoid an emotional response. Try to remain cool and collected.
   
• Stick to business topics. Do not get personal. This avoids opening up personal areas of your life.
   
• Turn the question around and answer with a neutral, positive response.
   
• Use the interviewer title or last name; this promotes formality.
   
• Express ideas and facts, not feelings.
   
• The following nonverbal strategies are also designed to help the candidate deal with or prevent illegal, sexist questions:
   
• Dress formally and conservatively. This promotes a more formal, less personal atmosphere.
   
• Maintain eye-contact. Men are impressed, even threatened by strong eye-contact from women.
   
• Shake hands firmly, with confidence.
   
• Do not smile except during the initial greeting and when you are leaving.
   
• Do not let your body show that you are upset by a sexist remark or question. Maintain body control.

If you follow these general suggestions, they should help you. Still, if you decide to play the game, you must recognize that you are tacitly accepting the sexist situation.