Job interviews: Amanda Rose reveals how to handle awkward questions

Knowing how to respond to tricky questions in a job interview is a major skill. Career adviser Amanda Rose offers some top tips.

Knowing how to respond when someone asks an inappropriate question in a job interview is a skill worth having.

I am often told by people, particularly women, that they’ve been asked questions such as “Do you have children?” or “Are you married?”

These questions contravene the discrimination act. You should never be asked your age, marital status, whether you have children, about your faith, sexual orientation or gender.

HOW TO RESPOND

You can question why they are seeking certain information – bring it back to the job requirements and make the interviewer answer in regards to that. For example, if you are asked your age, respond with “Why do you need to know my age, is it relevant to me being able to do my job?” Or if you are asked if you have children, you could say: “Is it a requirement of this position to have children or not have them?”

Amanda Rose says certain questions contravene the discrimination act. Picture: Monique Harmer

If I am asked about my age, I normally say: “I am old enough to have the experience and young enough to still be interested in this job.”

Your faith is a personal thing and no one should be asking about that. One exception could be if you are looking for work at a religious organisation and they want to make sure you have the same aligned beliefs.

BE REALISTIC

If your home life requires you to be able to leave at 3pm to pick the kids up, you should negotiate your hours by asking if you can work 7am to 3pm. You do not need to say why, just that you would prefer those hours.

WALK OUT

If you feel uneasy about the questions, you are entitled to end the interview politely by saying you are not comfortable answering and leaving. You could then send the company chief a LinkedIn message explaining what happened. If more people can be confident in their responses, businesses will stop asking inappropriate questions. And if organisations are truly inclusive, diversity will follow.

Do you have a work query for Amanda? email [e-mail]

The founder of Small Business Women Australia, Amanda is a key mentor and career adviser