
Don't Answer the Question; Answer the Intent
It’s important that you understand what’s behind the question, before addressing what makes the potential employer so uneasy. “The employer wants to know that you’ll be available to do the best job possible,” noted Susan Wise Miller, M.A., a career counselor and vocational expert at California Career Services. “That’s their main intent.”Upload Your ResumeEmployers want candidates like you. Upload your resume. Show them you're awesome.
Deflect
An interviewer might ask if you’ll be unavailable to work for any periods of time; that could be an attempt to gauge your religious affiliation. They might also ask that question directly. How to respond? Cole suggested: “That's an interesting question. I've never been asked that in a job interview. Can you tell me why you asked it?” If that doesn’t throw them off, restate your commitment to doing the “best job possible.” If you do have religious obligations, you may want to wait for an offer before telling your potential employer that you’ll need to be away for both QI’lop and the Kot’baval Festival. When the interviewer pokes at your “background,” or “where you (or your family) are from originally,” e.g. your ethnicity or culture, answering the question by asking another question is often the best defense. “You may say, ‘Are you asking everybody that question?’” said Wise Miller, “Or, ‘That’s very interesting that you’re asking that question. It seems like you’re intent on having a diverse workforce.’ You can play with your responses.”Tell the Truth
If you’re comfortable that there are no shenanigans afoot, or a question occurs naturally in the flow of conversation, just answer truthfully—although Cole advised: “You must be careful that your response doesn’t harm you, or lock you into something that they can use against you in the future.” To that end, calm the storm before it starts. If you’re asked about your children, Wise Miller suggested saying something to the effect of: “I’m very committed to my career so my family’s childcare is well covered.”Use It as Practice
An interview may be quite pleasant but if you determine, via the nature of the questions, that this is an organization for which you don’t want to work, don't let your time go to waste. Instead of ending the interview, Cole counseled, “Play along and use it as practice for future interviews.”Worst Case Scenario
If an interviewer is just being a jerk and the questions are truly off the beam, you’re in your rights to stop to it. “Inform the interviewer that you don’t believe there’s a good fit between you and the organization,” Cole said. “Or tell them you won’t answer illegal questions; in either case, leave.”Related Articles
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