Three Ways to Answer Illegal Interview Questions

Firstly, bear in mind that most interviewers are not out with a vendetta against job applicants – chances are that the many illegal questions that interviewers ask are not deliberate -- in fact, tactfully pointed out, the interviewer will likely realize his or her mistake  and immediately retract the question.

To put it briefly, there are three basic options:

·         Just answer the question. If you don't mind parting with the information and you don't want to make a big deal out of it, you can respond to the question and move on to the next one. One caveat - you should only answer the question if you truly are comfortable providing the information.

·         Refuse to answer the question. Tell the interviewer clearly that the question may not be pertinent to the specific requirements of the job. This option may not rest easy in the minds of your interviewers, so unless what is being asked is particularly offensive, it is not the author’s recommended option.

·         Don't answer the question, but answer the intent behind the question. This is usually the best option, since it allows you to answer without giving away more than you are willing to. To do this, you have to figure out what the interviewer wants to know, but when stress mounts, it may be easier said than done. Having said that, if you can remain calm and be able to process the question for what it is, your best bet is to paraphrase the question into a legal one and then answer it. In fact, by doing so, you demonstrate your flexibility and composure which give you an edge over one that were to tackle the question by the previous two options.