JOB-SEEKING SKILLS
Mario López
Today
I want to be better
prepared for my
next job interview.
I’m looking online
for tips.
Recognize illegal interview questions
GET READY
It is against the law for employers to ask certain types of questions in a job interview.
What do you think are some questions that interviewers are not allowed to ask?
RECOGNIZE ILLEGAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
A
Mario is listening to a podcast about illegal interview questions.
Listen to the podcast. What is the best way to answer an illegal interview question?
refuse to answer the question
respond to the interviewer’s concern
explain that the question is illegal
B
GROUPS OF 3
Listen to the podcast again. Check [
✓
] the questions
that are illegal to ask in a job interview.
What is your date of birth?
Can you work on Sunday mornings?
Are you over the age of 18?
Are you planning to have children?
Where were your parents born?
Have you ever been injured on the job?
What country do you come from?
What child-care arrangements have you made?
Do you have any disabilities?
Are you legally authorized to work in the U.S.?
Do you go to church on Sundays?
Are you physically able to lift boxes weighing
25 pounds?
A
Read part of a job interview. Cross out the illegal interview question.
Underline the sentence where the interviewee avoids the question.
Circle the sentence where the interviewee responds to the interviewer’s concern.
Interviewer:
Thanks for coming in today.
Interviewee:
Of course. Thanks for calling me in to interview.
Interviewer:
I love your accent. Where are you from?
Interviewee:
Oh, I’ve moved around. But I’m legally
authorized to work in the U.S.
Interviewer:
That’s good. Do you have any experience
working in a warehouse?
Interviewee:
Yes. I’ve worked for two years as a forklift driver.
Interviewer:
Great. Did you receive forklift training certification at that job?
Interviewee:
Yes, I did.
B
PAIRS
Role play job interviews. Then change roles.
Student A:
You are a job interviewer. Ask an illegal question from Exercise B.
Student B:
You are the interviewee. Avoid answering the illegal question,
but respond to the interviewer’s concern.
PUT YOUR IDEAS TO WORK
UNIT 9
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