Questions that every recruiter should avoid in an interview

What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? And why should we choose you for this position? Job interviews are riddled with many clichés and hackneyed phrases that make most candidates' hair stand on end. Horror.  

What is the right answer to these questions? What answer should a candidate give that will not reduce the likelihood of being hired for the job? That is the question. However, the questions that can often be heard in an interview can be even trickier.

Discriminatory questions that should never be asked in an interview

Where are you from?

Do you smoke?

Do you have a disease?

Are you involved in politics?  

Who will be at home with the children if they are sick?

According to the Labour Code, the employer can only ask questions that are directly related to the conclusion of the employment contract. Therefore, the applicant does not have to answer these questions. In most cases, they will not even answer. They may even defend themselves at the State Labour Inspection Office, so it is a good idea to avoid such inappropriate questions. Not only will the employer save his or her name in the eyes of the applicant, but he or she will also avoid a possible fine of up to CZK 1,000,000 for discrimination and unequal treatment.

How long before you plan to start a family?  

Another question of an intimate nature, which is asked mainly to young candidates of reproductive age. It is not avoided by both the graduate and the hitherto childless woman in her thirties. However, a woman who already has children may hear it in a similar form: "Are you planning any more children?".

This question is indeed being asked. And for many women it is more than uncomfortable. If the topic is uncomfortable for the candidate, she may not answer the question. Questions of this type are inappropriate and discriminatory. They also spoil the candidate's impression of the company.

Generally speaking, no personal question should be asked in any selection procedure. Whether it is marital status, race, religion or sexual orientation, these questions should be taboo in the selection process.  

How honest are you?

The question is, what is the interviewer's intention when he or she asks this question? Which candidate would admit to being dishonest and which candidate would confirm that he is honest in all respects? You won't believe a word the insincere candidate says. With a very honest person, you would worry about what their communication would look like in a work environment if the person said everything they had to say? Even what he shouldn't say.  

This question can damage the existing relationship between the recruiter and the candidate. If you really want to know the answer to this question, a better option is to invite the candidate to tell you about a time when they had to make a difficult choice. Although, is this question really necessary?

What would your worst enemy say about you?

Or the question "What are your weaknesses?" in a different coat, but with a challenge of slightly peppier information. Again, the question is - what is the correct answer? What do recruiters want to hear? That's better the old familiar (annoying) question about the candidate's weaknesses.

How interested are you in this job?

Certainly, the job seeker stands out when he or she has sent in a resume and appeared for an interview. Of course, the recruiter wants to test the candidate's reasoning skills with this question. But no one wants to hear an overly ignorant or overly enthusiastic answer. Or do they? What is actually the correct response or answer to this question? Rather, ask what the candidate expects from the job and what attracts him or her most to the position.

Interview questions that won't offend, won't excite

What kind of animal would you like to be and why?

What conflict have you recently dealt with and how did you resolve it?

How would you describe the color yellow to a blind person?

Questions that are more fun for recruiters than for candidates. Some of them are similar to questions that are asked in assessment centres or other non-traditional types of selection procedures. Recruiters always ask them for a reason, most often to test the candidate's reasoning skills.

On the other hand, you often hear questions that don't offend, don't excite, but you still don't know why someone is asking them. Is it just the recruiter's curiosity or is this information really crucial for the job?

Why should we accept you?

Why don't you have Instagram?

What sign are you?

How you conduct the next selection process in the company is entirely up to you. In any case, it is better to avoid the above phrases.  

Our PINYA HR software will help you with the administrative side of the selection process. We offer management of selection procedures and registration of candidates, which you can easily transfer to your employees once they have been selected - all this together with other HR agenda in one place. Try it for yourself.