During job interviews, it’s likely that delicate or personal topics may arise. Both interviewers and job applicants can face sensitive situations that must be handled tactfully. Inappropriate questions or subjects during an interview can create more than just awkward moments; they can land interviewers in legally sensitive situations. It’s crucial for interviewers and hiring managers to recognize and manage these situations before real problems arise.

For example, a seemingly innocent question like “Tell me about yourself” can lead to a delicate situation. A human resource generalist shared this experience: “When I asked the applicant to tell me about herself, she started talking about her husband and children. I wasn’t sure what to do.” To avoid such scenarios, interviewers should frame questions differently. For example, instead of asking for personal information, an interviewer could say, “Please give me a brief overview of your work experience related to this position.”

Even if interviewers don’t ask for it, they might hear information that they shouldn’t or don’t want to know. Interviewers must be prepared to handle these situations and steer the discussion appropriately. Some interviewers think the interview ends after the formal questions are done, but informal conversations can also touch on culturally sensitive areas. Here is an example of a well-handled situation:

Jerry, a kindergarten teacher who wore a wedding ring and is gay, was not shy about disclosing his partner’s gender when an interviewer inadvertently asked about his spouse after the formal interview. “We had finished the interview format, and then were just visiting about what I was doing for the rest of the summer. Talking about traveling, I said we were taking several trips. One of the interviewers asked if my wife was also a teacher or how she happened to have off in the summer to travel. I said that my husband worked for the company for 15 years and had several weeks of vacation.” The team handled it well, and everyone remained calm and professional.

Proper training helps interviewers handle responses like Jerry’s with cultural sensitivity. These examples and more are covered in our online training: Module Three: Potentially Sensitive Interview Questions and How to Handle Them. Based on research that includes diverse applicants’ perspectives, it addresses:

• Personal information that should not be discussed in interviews.
• Sensitive interview situations to help interviewers avoid discrimination, legal trouble, and discomfort.
• Diversity-related questions applicants may ask and appropriate responses.
• Methods for addressing diversity during interviews.

Many organizations’ hiring practices haven’t changed for decades. To keep pace with the changing workforce, interviewers and hiring managers need to increase their interview skills and cultural competence. Our comprehensive three-module online training program is designed to help your hiring team create an inclusive and equitable recruitment, interview, and hiring process for all applicants.

 

 

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