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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Intrusive interview questions!

65 replies

ohbigdaddio · 13/07/2018 23:19

I had an interview today and was taken aback by a few of the questions - nothing shocking but things I thought employers were not allowed to ask!

After being asked questions relevant to the role things got more personal and I was asked about my 'situation'..."Are you single? In a relationship? Married? Kids?" I felt this was a little off but caught off guard I said I was married. They then repeated "Kids?" And I said "l have no children" and the interviewer said "no children...yet?" I ignored this but felt distinctly funny about it as isn't this discrimination not to mention this being quite possibly the worst question to ask me after 2 failed IVF attempts?

They then asked how old I was...how is this relevant to my ability for the role?! I answered and they noted it down. They then asked if I was a 'sick' person and how many days did l have off work in the last year?!

They then asked what my DH does for work...this is relevant how?! And finally they asked if I could drive (job involves no driving!) I said no and they said "why not?!" and seemed horrified at the thought of a fully grown adult who doesn't drive. I told them it was because I live in London, get trains and tubes everywhere and can't afford the expense of a car that I wouldn't even use much! This was a really weird question as the job is in central London!

Is it just me or were these questions a bit 'off'? It's put me off working there anyway!

OP posts:

Coffeeisnecessary · 13/07/2018 23:21

Those are not acceptable interview questions at all! Yadnbu!

ElderflowerWaterIsDelish · 13/07/2018 23:27

Op what is the job?

Alaaya · 13/07/2018 23:27

They sound awful and deeply unprofessional. I wouldn't want to work for them.

ElderflowerWaterIsDelish · 13/07/2018 23:28

I think I'd have been tempted to ask why they were asking those questions (as in what way they are relative to the job role)

Aria2015 · 13/07/2018 23:32

I thought interviewers weren't allowed to ask about relationship status and kids etc... because it could be discriminatory? www.gov.uk/employer-preventing-discrimination/recruitment

Lavendargreen · 13/07/2018 23:34

YANBU! What a cheek!

You dodged a bullet probably - at least you know what nobheads they are, and you're not going to waste you time with them.

ThinkingCat · 13/07/2018 23:57

All the questions sound illegal apart from how many sick days which they are allowed to ask on the form.

They don't sound like a very professional place. Is it a small private company? They don't appear to be aware of employment law.

SequinsOnEverything · 14/07/2018 00:06

I'm pretty sure they haven't been allowed to ask how many days sick you've had for a whole either.

IfyouseeRitaMoreno · 14/07/2018 00:09

Definitely unacceptable. I remember an interview where the guy actually said “So how sick is your child?”!!

MotherforkingShirtballs · 14/07/2018 00:14

A lot of employers find ways to ask questions they know they're not supposed to ask.

In almost every interview I've had I've been asked what my childcare arrangements are. Some of them ask it conversationally or in a roundabout way while others come right out with it. DH has never once been asked about his childcare arrangements in an interview.

YANBU to object to intrusive questions although I'm not sure how to tackle it without putting yourself out of the running for the job you're there interviewing for. When they ask a question they're not supposed to, as soon as you say "how is that relevant?" no matter how politely you phrase it, they're going to be putting you on the 'no' list.

ColdCottage · 14/07/2018 00:21

Very odd and some illegal I believe.

I'd report them if they are part of an industry body.

alltoomuchrightnow · 14/07/2018 00:23

I've just done a similar thread in Employment Issues.
So depressing. Sorry about the IVF.
I've been asked for about the last 15 interviews in a row. I'm infertile and I totally dread this question.

Beeziekn33ze · 14/07/2018 00:27

Amazed and disgusted by such unprofessional questions.

Wobblybitts · 14/07/2018 00:36

Sounds like an interview I had in the 80s! I was horrified at the time.
Not acceptable in any way, shape or form

AmazingPostVoices · 14/07/2018 00:40

Asking your sob and no of sick days is fine but whether you have DC or not is a no no.

The correct answer is to raise an eyebrow and ask the relevance of the question. Make sure you are looking hard at the HR rep when you say it.

SlimGin · 14/07/2018 00:41

Christ. I'd be completely put off working there. Doesn't sound like they treat their staff fairly or would be any way sympathetic to any situation that arose. It also begs the question that if they dismiss HR policies then what else do they not uphold?

Fatted · 14/07/2018 00:42

I would have refused to answer their questions. You should have asked why they were asking them and if every applicant would be asked them also.

Jonbb · 14/07/2018 00:42

Very discriminatory and worth putting in a formal complaint. You can also make a claim to an employment tribunal on that ground too, were you so inclined.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 14/07/2018 00:45

AFAIK. Theyre not allowed to ask personal
questions eg about children and marriage

Fucksgiven · 14/07/2018 00:45

Reasonable to ask about sickness and basic skills like driving. Not reasonable about children, Ivf and so on

Jonbb · 14/07/2018 00:52

They should not be asking about sickness either as if you have a disability this could also be construed as discriminatory. Back to the OP, you could serve them with a questionnaire to which they do not have to respond, but an employment tribunal can infer discrimination if they refuse to comply. It really is about time these interviewers got a bit more professional.

Graphista · 14/07/2018 00:53

Even some pps responding have odd ideas.

Dob - age discrimination
Sickness - disability discrimination
Ability to drive - unless directly relevant to the role completely unnecessary
Relationship status - sex discrimination
Children/plans to have children/childcare arrangements - sex discrimination

This is one of the big problems when it's an employers market. They'll get away with it because people are desperate for work and don't want to 'become known for being awkward'.

There should be a way to report companies that do this anonymously.

AmazingPostVoices · 14/07/2018 00:53

I will just say that the driving question isn’t necessarily unreasonable. Every employer I’ve ever had has always expected me to be able to travel to an alternative office at short notice.

They don’t expect you to own a car, but they have always expected that I’d be able to drive a hire car if required.

Graphista · 14/07/2018 00:55

I'm dim! Just occurred to me the question about driving might be to get applicant to admit to taking certain medications which can't be taken while driving, or having a condition which prohibits it eg epilepsy - therefore more disability discrimination.

Fucksgiven · 14/07/2018 00:55

They will ask about sickness in a reference request

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