Considering that you are not the interviewer, you may be thinking, "What questions can I ask?" at the job interview. Once you have answered all the questions asked by the interviewer, it is usually expected that you too will have some questions to ask. Before finalizing the interview, an interviewer will always ask one last question: "Do you have any questions?" Many job applicants get into the habit of saying "No", which is a mistake as this is telling the interviewer that you are not really interested in the company or the job. If you don't have any questions to ask at the interview, it may be deduced that you won't ask for clarification on the job if there are any problems.
You should always be prepared with the list of suitable questions that you would like to ask the interviewer prior to attending any interview. Avoid asking questions regarding vacation time, salary level, employee benefits etc in the first instance; instead, ask questions that will show your eagerness and enthusiasm to gain employment with the company.
You should ask questions that signify your interest in the job and also those that ensure a good impression of you in the interviewer's mind. As a hypothetical example, you may care to inform the interviewer that you have read an article in a magazine that stated the company is planning expansion of its operations. Your question would follow as akin to "Into which regions is this expansion likely to occur?" It is also acceptable to ask questions about the actual posting for which you are sitting the interview.
Further examples of questions to ask at the job interview can be as such: "Why has this position become available?" "Is this position a new one?" If it is not newly created then you may ask, "For how long has this position been in existence?" and inquire about the number of people that held this same position in the last year. You can also ask questions regarding the identities of those people senior and junior to you in the organization. Questions such as "Who would I be supervising?" or "Who will be my supervisor?" provide information about other members of the company. You can also ask about financial details of the company.
Enquire about the assignments on which you will be working and about the company's culture such as "Is the company's culture formal and severe or flexible and relaxed?" You can ask whether there are any problems facing the company or your department and if so, what methods have been implemented to overcome the problem. Ask about the number of people working in the department and about the ethics, philosophy and working environment of the company. You may care to ask the interviewer about the company's possible weaknesses and obvious strengths, its major competitors, its process by which it measures the performance of an employee and the short and long-term goals of the company. Ask about the promotional policy of the company and about the best opportunities for new employees. Ask the interviewer their personal opinion of what constitutes the qualities of an ideal employee.
Conclude your part in the interview by expressing your keen interest in the position.
In California it is an unlawful practice for an employer, to discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, or sexual orientation of any person. This includes hiring, selection for a training program leading to employment, compensation or terms, conditions, or privileges of employment. The only exceptions are for bona fide occupational qualifications, or applicable security regulations established by the United State or the State of California.
There are also exceptions where the employee, because of his or her physical or mental disability, is unable to perform his or her essential duties even with reasonable accommodations, or cannot perform those duties in a manner that would not endanger his or her health or safety or the health or safety of others even with reasonable accommodations.
California law does not does not prohibit an employer from refusing to hire, or discharging an employee who, because of the employee's medical condition, is unable to perform his or her essential duties even with reasonable accommodations, or cannot perform those duties in a manner that would not endanger the employee's health or safety or the health or safety of others even with reasonable accommodations.
California law, alsodoes not prohibit refusal to employ or the discharge of an employee who, because of the employee's medical condition, is unable to perform his or her essential duties, or cannot perform those duties in a manner that would not endanger the employee's health or safety or the health or safety of others even with reasonable accommodations.
Sometimes employers have tried to use the excuse that customers prefer a particular type of employee as a bonafide occupational qualification, but generally the courts have rejected these defenses. Some employers have claimed, their customers prefer women, or that their customer prefer to be served by white waiters, but these are not bonafide occupational qualifications.
As such an employer cannot ask questions pertaining to the protected class. During a job interview employers are not permitted to ask questions pertaining to the applicants race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, or sexual orientation of any person. The following questions are sample questions that are unlawful and should not be asked of prospective employee:
1. Where were you born ?
2. Where are you from ?
3. What is your nationality ?
These questions pertain to race and national origin and therefore illegal.
4. Are you Christian ?
5. Do you go to church ?
6. Do you believe in God ?
7. Do you accept Jesus Christ as your savior ?
8. What is your religion ?
9. Are you a Mormon ?
10. Are you a Satanist ?
These questions pertain to religion and therefore illegal. The employer is permitted to ask if the applicant practices a religious belief that requires special accommodation.
11. Where were your parents born ?
12. Where were your grandparents born ?
These questions pertain to ancestry and likewise illegal.
13. How is your health ?
14. Do you have a heart condition ?
These questions pertain to disability and are illegal. The employer is permitted to ask if the applicant has any disability that would require reasonable accommodations. An employer cannot discriminate on the basis of disability or perceived disability. If a prospective employee appears to be disabled and the employer uses the perceived disability as the basis for refusing to hire a prospective applicant or the basis to terminate an employee, then a claim against the employer arises.
15. Are you married ?
16. Are you single ?
17. What is your marital status ?
These pertain to marital status and under California law are illegal. Some benefit plans may provide greater benefits to married employees, but generally permitted even though they may favor married employees.
18. Are you gay ?
19. Are you a lesbian ?
20. What is your sexual orientation ?
Under California law it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.
21. Are you planning to get pregnant ?
California prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and requires certain employers to give time off for pregnancy.
22. What year did you graduate from high school ?
23. How old are you ?
24. What is your birth date ?
Age discrimination is prohibited against persons age 40 and over, and therefore these questions cannot be asked of prospective employees over the age of 40. An employer can ask if the person is over 18 or 21.
Both Ray James & Arnold Hernandez are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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