interview stage one questions - surely not?

sammiboo

Earlier this week I had an interview with a large company and was "interviewed" by the managing director.

I was quite taken back with the line of questions that were given.

• what is you home situation - are you married? Children?
• Do you have any disabilities?
• Are you healthy
• How far do you live from here
• How much are you expecting to be paid
• How long have you been doing admin for?

I was there for less than 10 minutes, he said I would be told if i was needed for the second interview.

To me those questions just sounded like he had a yes and no pile. If I fell down on any of those questions then I wasnt eligable for a second interview.

There was no in depth discussion on anything, so if i had any disability, had children etc I would be on the no pile.

That line of questioning was really obvious what he was doing and they have HR staff so I am amazed he actually asked those questions :rolleyes:

This job was advertised on the job centre website, so i am unsure whether to complain to them. Its really unfair to judge people with those questions.

Philippa36

I've had a couple of similar interviews. They feel like a beauty contest - if your face doesn't fit then don't call us.... I've barely had time to describe my job history and skills before they've considered the interview closed.

There are so many people looking for jobs that they can pick and choose.

Savvy_Sue

I would complain to the job centre. Employers have to jump through so many hoops to be able to advertise through them, they might as well be forced to do more than pay lip service to the requirements.

freakyogre

Were those the only questions asked?

I might be on my own here, but most of those sound ok to me?!

sammiboo wrote: »

• what is you home situation - are you married? Children?

Are you sure this wasn't just a casual question? This is the only question out of all them I would have an issue with if asked on its own.

sammiboo wrote: »

• Do you have any disabilities?

Surely this would have been asked on the application form anyway? I know most application forms I have filled in have some sort of medical questionnaire (you should see the one I had to fill in for my current job, it was 3 pages long!!)

sammiboo wrote: »

• Are you healthy

I can't see a problem with this? If you have a "problem" that does affect how you perform, then surely your employer should be aware of this, even so as they can help if needed

sammiboo wrote: »

• How far do you live from here

Again...what's the problem?! They should know that anyway if an application form/CV has been completed, so maybe just casual chat again. Maybe they just wanted a rough idea so they knew roughly how far away you are/how long it may take you to get to work?

sammiboo wrote: »

• How much are you expecting to be paid

If the salary hasn't been advertised I can see this as being slightly awkward, but most jobs i've come across do state the salary. Surely you have a rough idea of what you would expect to be paid from the role?

sammiboo wrote: »

• How long have you been doing admin for?

I take it the job is admin related...? If so, this is a fair enough question (although again, wouldn't they know this from your application form/CV already) so as they know what experience you have. If it isn't an admin related job, then I suppose it doesn't really apply, but can't see them asking if it wasn't


I had an interview a few weeks ago and after the usual questions, I was asked about where I lived/did I have a partner etc. which seemed to be more of a casual chat to me, but I can understand your point if these were the only questions asked.

sammiboo

it wasnt casual chat. I was in there less than ten minutes and these questions were banged out one after another.

The person who "interviewed" me, didnt know who i was. He had to ask for my name. Couldnt find my forms, didnt tell me who he was!?!?!

If i was in there for an hour and these questions were dropped in then i wouldnt have bothered.

Another question was asked if i had been involved in a tribuneral with work.

There was nothing about what I can do etc. They shouldnt be asking what my home situation is and basing this on whether I make the next interview stage.

In regards of asking about disabilities and medical problems. I know he wasnt asking this so they could accomodate for it. The interview wasnt in detial to make that judgement if the person was good for them to justify accomodating them.

I am not bothered about the wage question and a coupld of others, i was just pointing out what the line of questioning was.

Also regarding how long I have been doing admin for, I have been doing it for 4 years and the person who i used to work with had been doing it for 10 years and he was rubbish.

I would have been really annoyed if i had travelled a large distance for something which effectivly could have been asked over the phone at that stage.

For those questions its obvious he was sorting out the rubbish, he doesnt want anyone who has disabilities, children, been involved in work tribunerals etc.

As I said I wasnt in there 10 minutes, he just said he needs to ask a few questions and it wont take long, then if i reach second stage a more detailed interview will be given.

I have been to plenty of interviews in my life and this is the only interview i have had like this.

There was no casual chat after the interview. This WAS the interview!!!!!

I wonder if i made it in the yes or no pile :rolleyes:

Emmzi

the married children q is out of order.

the health one I would ask as 'how many days have you been absent from work due to illness in the last year"

the disability one should be phrased as eg "it is a requirement of the job that you lift 20 pounds boxes frequently. are you able to do this? would you require any reasonable adjustments"

how far do you live *may* be reasonable if they have to call people in to cover on very short notice - handy if you live next door!

pay and experience qs look fine.

joolsybools

Excellent post from Emmzi. The question you should ask is would you really want to work for an employer like this? Chances are if they don't know their employment law they are going to be a fairly c rappy employer.

Good luck with your job hunting!

sammiboo

no i wouldnt, but i dont have the luxury of picking and choosing when i have been made redundant 6 weeks ago and have a mortgage to pay

i am sure i fell down on the wage question - basing it on what i was paid on my last job, so i dont expect to get second stage tbh

CCFC_80

What a total waste of time ! Has this MD got nothing better to do ??
They could have got this information to those questions beforehand without wasting your time.

Any

Most of the questions were O.K. - would they be asked in some kind of manner. Which this bloke was clearly lacking.
I think the fact that he asked about your situation, whether you are married or have a children (how old are you? Can he be expecting they are little and so often ill) has made the rest of the questions look worse then they were - because as you say "he was sorting through the rubbish".
I would complain, however I would base the complaint on this particular question and that after this one you felt that the disability one and health one were feeling as discriminatory.
Don't mention the one about admin at all. That is a question any interviewer would ask (maybe not in the same manner, but completely relevant).

hullight

I know these questions do get asked but I thought they are usually on application forms and that section is taken off when the applicant is being considered so they are not discriminated against?