QUESTIONS TO AVOID (For Interviewers)

Regulations and US Law provide extensive protection against discrimination in employment. Many companies and organizations you will encounter state explicitly that they follow Equal Opportunity Employer guidelines. Basically, this means that they do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, marital status, religion, or sexual orientation, to name a few.

The Persons with Disabilities Acts also specifically protects people with physical or mental disabilities or handicaps in addition to providing special accommodations for them (e.g. wheelchair access). Because of these laws, organizations are increasingly careful about the way in which they ask questions in interviewing; no one wants to be the subject of a lawsuit claiming discriminatory hiring practices. Generally, employers must focus on what they need to know to ascertain whether the candidate is capable of doing the job. All questions must be directly relevant to the job for which the candidate is applying.

While no specific federal, state, or local entity specifically provides a list of illegal interview questions, there is sufficient precedent (legal history) in court rulings, legislative decisions, regulations, and constitutional laws to govern certain categories of questions. Some of these questions may be perfectly acceptable outside of the US and so, may appear to be benign.

As an interviewee, you should be aware of the types of questions that may be problematic in the US as well as how to handle them in an interview. Bear in mind that both law and precedents continue to change. Therefore, the list of potentially illegal questions (or their legal counterparts) presented here is in no way exhaustive.

Interview During a Meal

It is rare that a first interview will take place during a meal; second interviews sometimes involve lunch or dinner. In any case, if you are having a discussion in an office, which then continues over a meal, remember that you are being “interviewed” in both settings. What you say and do will be under review until you say goodbye.

A few guidelines will help to make the meal less stressful. If you have questions about table manners, brush up with an etiquette book. Order something that is easy to eat—stay away from items such as shish kebab, french onion soup, and spaghetti or linguine. Beware of finger food. You will want to be able to eat small bites of your food without dropping or spilling anything.

Follow the lead of your host(s) regarding which courses and generally which items to order. You may want to ask, “What do you recommend here?” so that you will have an idea of what they are likely to order. Order items within the same price range or lower, and never order the most expensive item on the menu. If others are ordering an appetizer and an entrée, you should do the same. If no one orders dessert, you should refrain.

It is almost always unwise to drink alcohol in an interview setting. If you are at a group dinner or a cocktail reception where wine is served and your hosts are having a glass, you can have a glass to be sociable, but don’t drink all of it. Even a small amount of alcohol can impair your judgment.

Be prepared to ask a few questions during the meal, or you may end up with a full plate of food when others are ready for coffee. A meal may be a good time to ask your interviewer(s) about his or her career path(s).

Critical Thinking Interviews

If you are interviewing with a consulting company you have a high probability of running into a Critical Thinking or Case Interview Question. These might sound ridiculous but they are gaining clout with big business. This type of interview requires much more of a two way communication between the candidate and the interviewer.

They are not necessarily looking for the “right” answer but rather they want to see common sense, creativity and problem solving skills.

Question:
How many jellybeans will fit in a 747?

Possible answer:
Does the plane have seats in it? As that would affect how many I could fit in. Also when do I need this information and what will we use it for? What size jellybean? Can I grind them up or melt them to get more in? Do we want to get more in? Does it have to take off and land? Can I fill up the fuel tanks? Etc…

Question:
Why is a man-hole cover round?

Possible Answer:
Because it is covering a round hole and that is the most effective use of materials. Also because a round cover cannot fall into the round hole it is covering.

Or they might ask you about a current case they are working on. You want to use the same problem solving skills as you would in a Hypothetical Interview: Steps to problem solving:

1. Gather relative information
2. Evaluate your information
3. Prioritize the information
4. Propose and weigh possible solutions
5. Choose and propose your solution
6. Discuss how you would evaluate the effectiveness of your solution

Questions for you to Ask

Asking questions indicates to the employer that your job search has been well thought out. Your interest in the organization resulted in thorough research and preparation.

The following are samples of questions prepared to start you thinking about questions you can ask in an interview. Do not memorize these samples but do sit down, study them and figure out how they translate into suitable questions for the organization you are interviewing. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer, such as:

What do you think are the three key skills/strengths vital to this position?
What characteristics do the achievers in this company seem to share?
Is there a lot of team project work?
What would I be expected to accomplish in the first six months on the job? in the first year?
What are some of the department’s ongoing and anticipated special projects?
Identify a typical career path in your organization for someone with my qualifications.
How is an employee evaluated and promoted?
What is the retention rate of individuals in the position for which I am interviewing?
Tell me about your initial, as well as future training programs.
What are the challenging facets of this job?
What industry trends will occur in this company?
Describe the work environment.
What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses?
Who are your clients? May I talk with one?
Who are your competitors?
What kinds of computers and programs do you use? Will I have my own computer?
How would you describe your company’s personality and management style?
Is it company policy to promote within?
Tell me the work history of your top management.
What are your expectations for new hires?
What is the overall structure of the department where this position is located?
What qualities are you looking for in your new hires?
Is this a new position or a replacement? What happened to the person who held it previously? Is there someone already employed by the firm who thinks they should have this position?
What is the next step in the hiring process for this position?
Do not ask about salary and benefits.
Will I work independently or with others?
Who directly supervises this position? What is his or her background? What's he or she like? May I talk to other people who report to this person?
Are there any recent or anticipated changes in the structure of the organization (mergers, cutbacks)?
If I want to further my education, does the organization offer tuition benefits?
Can I provide you with any other information to help you in the decision making process?
Will I have a written employment agreement?
Does your company require that I sign a non-compete agreement?
How many women and minorities hold management positions in your company?
Where do the other employees live? How far away are these communities? Can you describe them? What is the commute like?
How many other candidates are you considering for this position? What can you tell me about them?
How soon can I expect to hear from you?

Preparing for an Interview

Know Yourself What are my skills and abilities? What are my strengths? How do my skills and experiences relate to the position and employers’ needs? What contributions will I bring to the employer? Am I willing to relocate? How do my values compare to the philosophy of the organization? What points do I want to be sure to get across during the interview?

How does this position fit into my career goals?
If interviewing in a country other than your home country, do you understand the cultural expectations?

Prepare Yourself

Obtain a copy of the job description.
Use the employer information and the employer’s websites to gather information (annual reports, employee handbooks, policy statements, employee newsletters) on the organization.
Locate the employer’s home page on the Internet.
Conduct informational interviews with persons in similar positions to learn about the career field and how your skills may apply.
Develop a list of appropriate questions that reflect your research.
Be sure to know the culture of the country where you are interviewing. U.S. employers are expecting you to articulate your future career goals and past accomplishments. They are assessing you according to American values such as self-confidence, initiative, directness, and individualism.

Practice

Review attached list of questions most asked during an interview as well as list of questions to prospective employers.
Practice answering interview questions (out loud).
Schedule a mock interview, through the Office of Career Services, to gain experience and feedback.
Be aware of your body language…what is your body language under pressure?
Remember to smile and be yourself!

Checklist

Confirm date, time and place of interview.
Pack several copies of your resume; a list of references, including names, titles, addresses and telephone numbers; writing samples if appropriate; and letters of recommendation.
Dress appropriately (conservative business attire).
Be punctual. Plan to arrive early.

Research the Occupation:

Know the area in which you are interested:

Read articles written by people who are in the field.
Inform yourself about future trends.
Check if your interests and abilities compare to the requirements of the position.
Find out the average income earned by people in the occupation.

Some methods of finding this information include:

Conduct information interviews.
Reading the information in the Connection Centre (Student Life & Career Services), either through Internet or hard copy publications.
Talking to friends, relatives or others.

Researching the Organization:

Before the job interview, you should research the organization. It is easier to convince an employer that you would be of benefit to the organization if you are knowledgeable about it. In addition, information obtained through research can help you decide whether you want to work for a specific organization.

General areas to research:

How old is the organization, and what is its history of development?
Where are the plants, offices, or stores located?
What are its products or services?
If the organization sells, what are its markets? Retailers? Wholesalers?
What are its new products?
Is it a public or non-profit organization? What purpose does it serve? How is it funded? Whom does it serve? What functions does it perform?
How does this organization rank in the industry?
What is the financial status of the company? Last year’s sales? Growth record?
Are there any plans for expansion?
What is the organizational structure?
How does the organization fit into the community? To what degree is it committed to solving community problems?
What problems does the organization need to overcome? (By identifying the problems that the organization faces, you can match your abilities to these ends during the interview.)

One of the best ways to find company information is on the Internet. You should be able to find plenty of information to get you started by exploring the Web with a good browser and search engine. Just entering the company name in the search engine will usually result in success.

Here are five things that most employers want to know about you.

1. They want to know if you are qualified for the position.
What are your greatest strengths?
Do you have experience in this field?
What do you believe you bring to this job?
Why should I hire you?

2. They want to know what motivates you.
What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
What is more important to you, the money or the job?
What did you like most about your last job?

3. They want to know about the negatives.
Why did you leave your previous job?
What did you like least about your last supervisor?
What is your greatest weakness?
What did you like least about your last job?
Why have you been unemployed so long?

4. They want to know if you are a good fit.
What kind of people do you find it hard to work with?
Tell me about a time when you worked as a member of a team.
In what kind of environment are you most comfortable?
Do you prefer to work alone or with others?

5. They want to know if you want their job with their company.
What are you looking for in a position?
Who else are you interviewing with?
Why are you interested in this position?
What do you know about the company?