7 sexist questions asked during job interviews

Interview preparations are a tough task, given the varied and weird nature of questions one could face in job interviews. Proper preparation and research is the key to excel. JobBuzz a company rating platform powered by TimesJobs reveals the most awkward questions asked in an interview

Most people walk into a job interview expecting questions such as 'tell me about yourself', or 'what are your strengths and weaknesses', or 'why do you think we should hire you'. And they burn the midnight oil to prepare how best to respond to such questions, but the truth is job interviews are at most times crazy and awkward, to say the least.

Women face questions that are more inappropriate. Further demographical analysis shows that 80% female and 60% male respondents admit to having faced inconvenient questions during interviews. In addition, 40% of junior level employees, 65% middle level employees and 55% senior level employees have had to deal with inappropriate questions in their interviews.

 "Companies do ask questions related to personal inclinations and habits because they too want to gauge the person coming on board.

However, it is absolutely incorrect to ask things like when are you planning to have kids, is marriage on your mind etc. Such questions reflect the mind-set or culture of the employers. The HR folks should keep in mind that when they are assessing prospective employees, at the same time candidates are also trying to get a hang of the company they could be working in near future. Unnecessary questions create a bad impression," says Pallavi Jha, Chairperson and Managing Director of Dale Carnegie Training India.

Their survey throws up data on the kind of questions asked to women and men

Questions about family planning and habits are most common.

Responding to JobBuzz.in, on the common awkward interview questions faced in job interviews, male and female employees gave distinctive replies.

For female employees, the most common awkward questions were:

-Related to family planning - 40%

-Related to marital/relationship status - 35%

-Related to childcare - 30%

-Related to age/weight/size - 20%

-Related to religious/social and other personal

 preferences- 15%

-Related to lifestyle habits (drinking, smoking, etc.) - 10%

-Related appearance preferences (tattoo, piercing, etc.) - 5%

For male employees, the most common awkward questions were:

-Related to lifestyle habits (drinking, smoking, etc.) - 35%

-Related to religious/social and other personal  preferences- 30%

-Related to marital/relationship status - 25%

-Related appearance preferences (tattoo, piercing, etc.)- 20%

-Related to age/weight/size - 15%

-Related to family planning - 10%

-Related to childcare - 5%

One can clearly see the divide in the pattern of questioning according to gender. So rather than a woman’s qualifications, her plans for the role ahead, her capabilities, she is asked extremely personal and intrusive questions like family planning, child care relationship status, weight and age.  

So job employers can decide whether not to choose a career-oriented woman who also chooses to have a family, how convenient! This is why many women post marriage or post their delivery find it difficult to secure jobs. Companies may announce all the maternity benefits in the world but when the mandate comes to hiring, maternity is a strict no-no.

Coming to the male, seriously employers consider men’s role in childcare next to nil and it is reflected in the paternity benefits offered in companies as well. They are totally not interested in whether a man decides to marry and start a family and age and weight absolutely do not matter  if the work is getting done. He can be 170kg but he is fit to work, a woman on the other hand has to hear snide remarks about going to the gym or doing something about the love handles she has been carrying around. Hypocritic much!

with inputs from PTI