Is this a bit sexist or am I being too sensitive?

[missrabbitismyhero]

I can’t decide if I’m being overly sensitive or not but would appreciate some perspective -
I’m looking to relocate back to where I am from. Before I do, I need to secure a new role. This is harder than expected as there aren’t a huge amount of jobs at my level in the sector I work in.

I have started to speak to a few recruiters, enquire about a few roles, and have had a couple of intro conversations.
One of the first questions I am always asked is about relocating (fair enough, my LinkedIn profile says where I am currently based), and then one of the follow up questions is often ‘and what does your husband do’?
Is this because:
A) the recruiter is making idle chit chat?
B) there is some sort of inherent sexism going on where it is presumed that my husband is the main earner, my relocating will depend on his prospects and they are trying to suss out if I will waste their time?

I started off thinking it was A but now it’s happening every time I’m wondering if it’s actually B?
But I also had an odd interview with a company today where it was the third question they asked me which pissed me off and might have clouded my judgement!

I just can’t help think that my husband wouldn’t be asked the same question about me?
Any insight gratefully received!

I used to work with expats and a lot of stints abroad break down because of the “trailing spouse” being unhappy and wanting to go home. Could this be their way of checking whether the move will be permanent?

I have been on interview panels and we would ask this of both men and women. As PenOrPencil suggested it was to check your commitment to the job and how permanent you are treating the move.

I’ve recruited multiple people from overseas. Our recruiters always ask what the spouse does regardless of sex of applicant.

International moves are always fraught and wanting to understand to what degree the spouse is on board is critical.

How do they even know you're married?!

Thanks for your responses so far. To be clear - it's not an international move. It's moving from London to Scotland (where both me and my husband are from). My CV shows Scottish roles until 5 years ago when I relocated to London.
Just making that clear in case that makes a difference!

I'm now possessed of the urge to ask - OP, what does your husband do?
Also, do you evenhave a husband?

As others say, to find out how likely the move is to be long term and from a recruiters perspective, also in case its someone else they can help get a role and therefore commission.

I think in the case of a move it makes sense, to get a judge of your situation, how committed you are to the move, etc. Recruiters only get paid if you get the job, start the job and stay there, and they are brutal about cutting out time wasters.

Like if you said he worked in defence and there was a well-known defence company nearby that he had been recruited to, they would put a tick next to you as a serious candidate. Or if e.g. he was a SAHP so easy to move with you. But the recruiter would have red flags if your husband was a professor and the area didn’t have a university, or if if he worked in a narrow sector and wasn’t sorted for work.

I was only ever asked this in one interview.

When I asked why they needed to know, the explanation was that there would be working events where my 'partner' would be expected to join me and they didn't want the 'wrong types'.

Needless to say, we didn't take it any further. Narrow escape as it happened, in spite of the fabulous talk they talked, it was essentially a sales role.

Hi OP, We're hoping to make a similar move short to medium term, and I have been asked similar questions - I just assumed it was because they're trying to work out how feasible / thought through my intentioned relocation is and whether there would be any time constraints.

Recruiters are sales people, they're just trying to assess whether they can make more commission by getting your husband a job as well as you!

@PenOrPencil

I used to work with expats and a lot of stints abroad break down because of the “trailing spouse” being unhappy and wanting to go home. Could this be their way of checking whether the move will be permanent?

This was my first thought not sexism just sensing whether a long term plan or not