Free Career and Job Search Advice

rose442 · Newbie Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

Recently I interviewed for a job with a local government agency which involved a second interview. The interview was with the Human Resources Director for the agency. He asked me questions related to the job to start with, but then proceeded to ask what I thought were illegal interview questions. Was I married; how many siblings I had; what my parents did for a living. Then he volunteered information on how he once was an investigator for the State where he once investigated a warden who went to another country, met a woman and had sex with her. Since when can “sex” be brought up in a professional interview? He then asked more seemingly illegal questions and I refused to answer.

Then he stated he was worried about hiring me since I was from the private sector and have never worked in the public sector where the laws and guidelines are supposedly different. Then he said something about so many people filing harassment suits. I got a letter a few days later stating that they had hired another applicant.

I’m considering writing a letter to this guy’s boss telling them about this interview and how I was asked so many illegal questions. Should I do this? If so, what do I say?

Pauloz · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:42 am Post subject:

rose442

Do it. The guy's way out of line with those questions, and not exactly subtle.

He's also an extremely unprofessional idiot. I worked on government interview panels, and doesn't matter where you are on Earth, you're not allowed to ask those questions.

You do have grounds for complaint, and possibly appeal, but to make them stick you need someone else to raise the issues independently. You'll be doing people a favor by getting rid of this character.

If they see enough complaints about the guy, and there will definitely be a few, they'll do something about it. You probably scared him when you showed you knew the law about what's allowable at interviews. I think the mention of harassment was an indicator he was already subconsciously reacting to what you said.

You write to the CEO, detailing clearly what was said by both of you.

You stick to saying you consider this line of questioning to be against employment law, and very inappropriate. The facts are quite enough to do the job, if others complain as well.

Be thankful you don't have to work with the fool, anyway. They're even worse, as bosses.

If they don't take up this complaint, by the way, steer clear of that employer, and warn your friends about your experience, and how you feel. (Don't say anything libelous, just express it as your opinion, "I thought it was illegal, etc)

Good luck,

l_steele · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject:

It’s Not The Question, But The Use Of The Information Which Is Illegal
The questions themselves are not the illegal issue. Making the hiring decision based upon the questions is the illegal part. However you will have no way of knowing if that was the situation or not. It does sound as if the tone of the interview was inappropriate.

Pauloz · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:51 pm Post subject:

timmy_28 · New User Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 6 Career Advice: +0/-0

I would write to his boss, or the Mayor or whoever is in charge of the agency. I would not use the word “illegal” but instead state that you are concerned about the tone of the conversation and about having such a conversation with the Director of Human Resources. List the questions asked as well as you can remember them; and include the part about the use of “sex” during the conversation.

Randy · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:32 am Post subject:

And after you've written your letter, here's what's going to happen. The person you contact will go into the office of the person who interviewed you and they'll both have a good laugh and add your letter to all the rest they've received, that infamous "file #13," the trash can.

"They" can't legally ask your age, right?

But it's acceptable that they ask for dates of graduation from high school/college, right? Do the math!

"They" can't legally ask previous employers why left, right?

Then why in God's name are we "required" to put the reason on the application?

Do y'all really believe that those who make up the laws and rules are actually going to play by those rules?

Writing the letter might make you feel better. And yes, there's a chance it "might" change things with that employer, the same chance as snow in hell. But the current situation of hiring and employment exists simply because everyone contented themselves to play the game, to play by these idiotic rules set up by beauracratic minds and mindsets, all the property of people who've proven to the world that they are truly educated well beyond their intelligence.

Nothing short of a new generation of young people who have what most would considered a "bad attitude" is ever going to make any of this return to the days of sanity where it's not about "dressing properly" for the interview or "how to write the perfect resume" and all the rest of the bullshit we've had to endure for the last forty years.

Oh never mind.....

ngohrvinet · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:02 am Post subject:

We can not ask questions to:
+ Sex
+ Race
+ Discrimination...

rgs

Jensen · Newbie Joined: 25 May 2009 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

Join our Newsletter
CopyRight © 1999-2008 cvtips.com This material cannot be published under any form or condition.