Posted by denised in 
In Part 4 of 10 signs you might be getting a bad boss, I conclude the series by talking about interviewers who ask illegal questions and about listening to your gut…
9. Are you married? What’s your religion? What are you anyway? I touched on illegal questions last week in sign#2 when I talked about the interviewer who, without asking outright, was fishing around to find out whether I had kids or not. In the case where an interviewer comes right out and asks illegal questions, run, don’t walk to the nearest exit. Any interviewer worth their weight knows that certain questions are off limits. If they’re asking you these questions, they either are trying to intimidate you, or have a hard time hiding their biases. Either way, it’s not a place you want to work. Some examples of illegal interview questions include:
- Do you have a visual, speech, or hearing disability?
- Are you planning to have a family? When?
- Have you ever filed a workers’ compensation claim?
- How many days of work did you miss last year due to illness?
- Would you have a problem working with a female partner?
- Do you have children? How old are they?
- What year did you graduate from high school? (reveals age)
For a list of additional illegal interview questions, click here.
10. The final sign you might end up with a bad boss isn’t based on research or scientific fact, it boils down to following your instinct. If you sit through the entire interview with the feeling that something isn’t right, then you’re probably right. Be careful not to confuse that instinct with nerves, but if you don’t have a good feeling about an interview, it might be a sign that you shouldn’t take the job. I’ve ignored that instinct several times in the past and regretted it each time. You never know, your gut might be telling you to let this one go because there’s an even a better one waiting in the wings.
If you’ve got some suggestions for things to watch out for during an interview, share them in the comment section or email them to denised@reallybadboss.com.
