The Job Interview and Uncomfortable Questions

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

20 Sep 2006 09:29 AM

One sticky moment in any interview situation is when the potential employer looks at you and asks about those five years in between your last two jobs. Unless you spent them in Folsom Prison (and even if you did), the best approach is to be honest but not necessarily tell all there is to tell. If this seems a contradiction in terms, allow me to assure you it isn't. The art of side-step walks a very thin line to be sure, but it is a line nevertheless. You have to tell the truth; there's no way out. So what to do?

Let's suppose the inappropriate question asked concerns your religion. This is actually illegal, but sometimes it might be asked with no malice or judgment (except maybe bad) intended. Remember that old saying about the best defense being an offense? Well, use it here. Throw the question gently back to the interviewer in a light-hearted way. You could say, for example, "I'm Ceasarian. What are you?"

Consider the motive behind the question before answering. Know, too, that if you do have a past that raises a few eyebrows, you have to be prepared to tell the truth about it. So you can do three things when asked a question you don't want to answer and even one that might be illegal.

1. Answer the question directly and hold your nose and hope for the best. It's not illegal to answer an illegal question but if you opt to do so, make it succinct and clear.

2. Refuse to answer the question on the grounds that it might, well, you know the rest. Point out that the question is inappropriate and you don't feel comfortable answering it. Don't use the word illegal because that might make a tense situation even tenser.

3. Tactfully sidestep the question. By throwing the question back to the interviewer, he or she will quickly realize that the question asked shouldn't have been.

Good Luck! Related Articles: The Art of The Interview: Some Things Not To Do"

Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger