To wonder what this interview question has got to do with how well I can do a job?

[Pinkfeather2019]

Im a single parent and I’m in my mid 20s. I had an interview last week. Was told I would hear back this week with an update. I’ve been thinking about how it went but I was asked this question and I’m wondering what relevance it has. The employee even said he wasn’t sure if he could ask this question. He said ‘what’s your home situation, do you still live with your parents?’ I’m just confused why this question would come up. Any ideas?

The correct question would be can you guarantee a work space that fits our confidentiality spec, not do you have children at home.

This exactly.

Nex time lie and say you are a married homeowner

It's totally sexist what he said

Live with you parents?!? Wtf

I'd want to say tell me what the real question is as I'm not sure how my parents fit into my job?

I had an interview, informal, but still, and he said I'd like to ask a question I probably shouldn't ask. I said just ask me because I'd rather be up front with any qualms you may have, he said I had a young child and what happens if she's sick, so I told him - in laws, DH/me share if they're not around ... I got the job still!

It's an inappropriate question. If it's a WFH job, it might not be unreasonable to ask if you have a suitable space to work from.
In future, don't disclose your personal circumstances, and if they ask something like this, ask them why they need to know (not always easy in the moment I know!). An interview should be a two way process, and you've learned something about this employer.

If you don’t get the job go back to them and ask if it’s because of your answer to that question, they won’t admit it but it will put the wind up them!

I used to work for a large retailer in head office. We recruited a number of new graduates each year and the salary was quite poor, but typical for fashion businesses.
A number of times we had staff struggling with the high cost of living in London and many moved onto other jobs quite quickly. When I flagged the issues with the starting salary being so low the management feedback was 'oh, doesn't she still live at home (ie with parents)?
So parents are supposed to subsidise business where they are too tight today a decent wage. Greedy business owner in this case. The starting salary was so low that the graduates wouldn't start paying back anything towards their student loans for maybe up to 5 years.

If I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, it sounds like a poorly worded question rather than anything nasty. But it's not their business who you live with, only whether you have an appropriate work set up at home if that is where you'll be working or whether you will be able to get to site on time and for the required number of hours if that's what the role requires. Asking generally what your living situation is without explaining the relevance and asking whether you live with your parents is not an acceptable question.

Also, they should be asking the same of everyone, so if you don't get the job I'd definitely be sending feedback about the wording of the question and asking if that question was even on the list.

Please don't put this on your cv. 'Career break' should suffice. I've been bitten by this before, said I had one (at the time) child. At the interview I was asked what my support network was like as the job required some unsocial hours. This was quite a few years ago when I was still young and naive. It didn't occur to me to ask them if they'd have asked a man the same question. I didn't get the job. I didn't even get feedback, despite chasing them for it. Surprise, surprise. That you're a parent has no place on a cv. You could have been travelling or doing CPD.

What if they just put career break and it is brought up in the interview with them asking what they did during it?

Ask them why they want to know? It’s not relevant to whether you can do the job.

He's really asking if you're going to relocate, if you have support at home and if you have a quiet space to work. It isn't phrased well but I think that's what they are looking for

Totally inappropriate

your home set up is not a factor

As an employer I hate being forced to jump through hoops like that, I'm busy enough without people being vague on their CVs. It's a much better sign that people are being open and telling the truth from the start. I dislike having to prod about CV gaps in interviews because it always ends up derailing from the actual work-related things. Some people's career breaks are legitimate things, some aren't.

Separate note, I don't think it would be related to WFH as it's an odd framing and unlikely conclusion to jump to unless there's context that might have accidentally implied otherwise.

Well that IS an illegal question and outrageous. Pretty obvious he was thinking if you had reliable childcare and assuming that if you didn't live with your parents you'd be off all the time. Awful.

Some people's career breaks are legitimate things, some aren't.

That's not for you to judge though. If someone had five years off to sail round the Med or to look after family or to rehabilitate after an accident, it's irreverent, as long as they have the experience for the job and are fit enough to do it.

I would absolutely do this!

And when they reply saying no, ask them what the relevance of the question was

I would just smile and say I keep my work and personal life seperate.
I actually say that quite often at work anyway when people I don't know well ask me personal questions. The response is always along the lines of "Fair enough".

I would have replied "What has where I live got to do with the job?" and see what he said! 😂

Exactly. You say there are confidentiality requirements and ask if you can comply with them in a wfh situation. You don’t ask about someone’s home, kids or parents.
I work in the public sector and we would never ever ask a candidate a question like this.

@titchy
Some people's career breaks are legitimate things, some aren't.
That's not for you to judge though. If someone had five years off to sail round the Med or to look after family or to rehabilitate after an accident, it's irreverent, as long as they have the experience for the job and are fit enough to do it.

What exactly are you judging to be 'legitimate enough' for a career break?

If a candidate is honest in their application form, an employer is surely capable of assessing whether a candiate seems motivated or not to take on a role in their company and whether a career break is 'legitimate' ?

The question makes no sense with regard to wfh arrangements or suitability. I actually thought he might have been hitting on you and the real question is: "do you have a boyfriend?"

Then they should ask "do you have a confidential workspace, free from distractions?" Or "tell me about your workspace"

Thanks everyone. There was no mention about about WFH. It is a purely office based job so I’m still confused why I was asked. He even said he doesn’t know if he should ask the question and said wether it would go against HR rules which makes it even stranger