Question: I’m aware that questions about race and religion are illegal at job interviews. What are some other inappropriate or illegal questions that I should look out for?
Answer: Despite efforts emphasised by our own Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices, some “illegal” questions are still being sneaked into many job interviews. A seemingly innocuous “Tell us more about yourself,” for instance, can lead to interviewees volunteering information that is otherwise illegal to acquire directly, such as their age, race, marital status and sexual orientation.
However, since most people really do want the job, odds are that they would avoid saying anything that might jeopardise their chances of getting the job. As such, many interviewers get away with hovering along the lines of asking “illegal” questions, thereby perpetuating the practice of “illegal” interview questions.
