Based on the media, the interviewee raised a question about diversity. Evaluating this query, it is more in line with ethnicity. In his response, the interviewer expressed interest in knowing more about the interviewee’s perspective on diversity (Walden University, LLC). Such inquiry is toxic as the interviewee may be tempted to reveal her ethnic background or launch a discussion about different ethnicities. Such a debate is undesirable since questions related to ethnicity are illegal in interviews (Heathfield; Martin). To counter this topic, the interviewer should have agreed with the interviewee that the school indeed upholds diversity and desist from pursuing this topic further by posing another question from a different topic.
The interviewer poses a question that prompts the interviewee to raise a topic about marital problems which affected her career life adversely. The interviewer pursues that topic further by inquiring whether such family challenges may affect her if given the job opportunity (Walden University, LLC). He is also concerned about the distance between her residence and the school and seeks to know how she will manage to report on time. Such questions are illegal because they focus more on personal life than job qualifications (Heathfield). After knowing that the observed work experience gap was motivated by personal life challenges, the interviewee should have diverted/ended the topic by responding with a statement like “It’s OK, I supposed the gap had to do with the years you spent on your master program.” That way, he would have saved the interviewee from discussing her marital life. Regarding the distance and transport question, it was irrelevant to the job and should have been avoided.
To help administrators comply with the legal requirements of interviewing, I would educate them on the requirements of nondiscrimination laws. The laws include the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, and the Civil Act Of 1964. Such education may be facilitated through professional seminars or by providing relevant resource materials.
Works Cited
Heathfield, Susan M. “Illegal Job Interview Questions.” The Balance, 19 Sept. 2022, www.thebalancemoney.com/job-interview-questions-that-are-illegal-1918488. Accessed 7 Sept. 2023.
Martin, Marci. “Questions Never to Ask a Candidate in a Job Interview.” Business News Daily, 6 July 2018, www.businessnewsdaily.com/4037-illegal-interview-questions.html. Accessed 7 Sept. 202
Walden University, LLC. Case Study: Interview Process [Video file]. Baltimore, MD, 2015d. https://cdn-media.waldenu.edu/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDDD/8011A/02/WAL_EDDD8011A_02_A_EN.pdf