Related Topics: | HRM Advice | Staffing | Hiring |

What questions are usually avoided during a job interview?

Age and date of birth: Generally, age and date of birth is considered not be relevant in most hiring decisions but for some senior positions, the age does matter. For example, hiring a senior executive or a managing director. Similarly, no employer can hire a minor which is not of legal age to work in a company.

 

Race and religion: Generally, these questions should not be asked during job interviews. However, the information provided in the employment application is important to determine the racial mix in the company, to achieve a certain quota and also the sensitiveness in allocation of certain jobs that consider “haram”.

 

Physical traits and disabilities: Height, weight and beauty requirements may not be relevant in most hiring decisions. However, certain types of jobs seem to suite certain employees with well defined physical traits or disabilities. For example, you cannot expect a handicap person to be a lorry driver or a obesity person to be a health instructor.


Education: If a job does not require a particular level of education, it is improper to ask questions about an applicant’s educational background. However, when the performance of a job requires a particular level of education, the employer has the right to ask the applicants about their educational background, schools attended, degrees earned, and vocational training.

 

Drugs and smoking: An employer can ask whether if the applicant uses drugs or smokes. The application also affords an employer the opportunity to obtain the applicant’s agreement to be bound by the employer’s drug and smoking policies. The application also affords an employer an opportunity to obtain the applicant’s agreement to submit to drug testing.

 

Other areas: Some questions concerning whether an applicant has friends or relatives working for the employer or business friends who are customers of the company may be necessary. This is to prevent too close a relationship as in the case of the banking industry or favourable assessment to a particular applicant.


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