Did you know these questions were illegal?

some of them are SO sneaky!!! Why can't they just hire the best person for the job? Instead they try to hire the person who won't complain about not spending time with family, or maybe won't request vacations, who won't mind working weekends or evenings. Someone who either does believe in God, or who doesn't, depending on what they prefer. It's ridiculous!

Hmmm I don't know if they would be illegal in the UK either. And it would be very hard to prove discrimmination! I can't believe they didn't hire you because you were wearing buttons! That is absurd!

That's exactly the point! They ask these questions because as humans we want to communicate, and would say, oh yes i have a baby girl, or, me and my fiance were talking about having kids down the road...blah blah blah...even when they ask you what hobbies you have...They want to do know what you do with your free time, so they can judge if you won't work evenings, or won't work weekends so you can play baseball, or go to dance class. ETc etc. it's ridiculous! and you can't exactly tell them, you can't ask me that. cause then you won't get the job for sure! so you're damned if you do answer it and damned if you don't!

I have been asked these questions on almost every interview I've ever been on. And I have worked for some large companies with HR departments. I find especially because I am a women in my 20's. They ask me, am I married, am I engaged, do I have children yet, do I want them? But in such a way that they make it sound as if they are really interested in knowing. In my last job before I had my baby girl, I was pregnant at the interview, only 2 months. And he asked me if I had plans to have children. I thought, wow buddy you got guts to ask me that. So I lied to him. He had no right to ask me that. And so I waited for a month or so, and then told him I was pregnant. He's not stupid so I guess he did the math when she was born in March that I was pregnant during the interview. How do you like that! haha And he couldn't fire me after finding out, cause he knew I would have gone to the labour board! STICK IT TO THE MAN! LOL

how can you really answer a question like that? or how do you not answer it? i guess if you were just, oh i don't know, oh maybe, oh i'm not sure. oh probably not. vague. perhaps you can skate through the interview okay. but is it worth working for a company who would ask those questions in the first place?

Yes I bet there are lots of those who don't either know they can't ask things like that - or like you said get nervous and then just answer them anyway!! I myself always have found that in any situation when asked an inappropriate question - tell them that basically it's really none of your business - but in a nice way so they get it!!!

Good for you! That is the most appropriate thing to do. I'd be nervous that getting nervous at an interview, I'd just simply (with gritted teeth) just blab out answers immediately.

Good for you for standing up and telling them what you thought! If only more of us could do that. When I was younger I would answer the questions even if I didn't want to, and wouldn't do anything if I felt I was discrimminated against. But now, I would. If I were at an interview and was asked one of those questions now, I would tell them that was illegal to ask me. And that I was now going ot leave and report them to the labour board. I would rather not work at a place that didn't even do legal interviews. What else would be done illegally? not pay you for your overtime? not pay you your vacation pay?

that's awesome that you stand up for yourself. And it's not just a matter of being nosy...there are reasons as to why each is illegal. For example: Being asked if you plan on getting pregnant, or have kids, or want kids, some employers would discrimminate against you and decide, well they'll probably call in sick on snow days from school, and they will be distracted and won't want to work overtime...Some interviewers may not even realize what they are doing and it could very well be innocent though you're right! But they should be aware of this and check in with the labour board and find out what are good and acceptable questions to ask during a job interview. thanks so much for your response!

Honey, I notice you live in the Philippines. You should check the rules in your country.

We do have a choice. Why comply with an interview that made you feel uncomfortable or you felt was unfair/illegal? Why would you want to work for an employer like that?

Isn't that funny how there are different rules regarding job interviews in each country?