by Paul Gibson
Home >> How to Avoid Giving Out “Too Much Information”
But nowadays, information is power and the way you divulge or reveal that information may change or influence how people feel about you or whether or not you “impress” or “depress” them.
In the legal field, there are a number of terms which are used to protect the individual consumer and citizen from “illegal” or criminal investigation, especially when it comes to one’s personal or individual life and liberties.
A classic example of this is found in something as simple as a job interview. In a job interview, you are asked some pretty individual and sometimes personal questions. Employers are eager to find the most appropriate and suitable candidate for a position, and they will go to great lengths to find the perfect fit. Unfortunately, sometimes, the methods employed or used by these companies are not only borderline insulting, but actually illegal and subject to criminal investigation.
Here are a series of questions which are considered to be completely illegal in most professional settings:
- Are you married or do you have a permanent partner?
- With whom do you live?
- Are you pregnant?
- Do you expect to become or to have a family? When?
- How many children will you have?
- What are your child care arrangements?
- How many children do you have?
It is important to remember that you not only do not have any legal obligation to reveal this information, but also that any company that solicits this information is subject to serious legal litigation.
Here are some of the ways companies try to “mask” this question by “rephrasing” the question and gaining the same or similar information:
- Would you be willing to relocate if necessary?
- Travel is an important part of the job. Do you have any restrictions on your ability to travel?
- Do you have responsibilities or commitments that will prevent you from meeting specified work schedules?
- Do you anticipate any absences from work on a regular basis? If so, please explain the circumstances.
During the job selection, remember to avoid giving out any of this or similar personal information. This is just the kind of “lingo” that companies use to illegally screen certain candidates that would otherwise be the perfect fit!
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Posted on http://www.weeklyletter.com at 2009-03-17 07:00:00 +0100
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Hi everyone.
I am not sure about it if giving out that personal information is a good point.Obviously,the company has to know as much information as it can to give a job to someone.Even with this kind of questions which are close to be illegal the company gets sure to sellect the correct candidate to work for it.
in the personal side, it is true that the right candidate has to be the better cualified,and it do not really care what kind of aspects are around this candidate as if is gay, pregnant, divorce, etc.
Specially because in a globalizacion market that information is shared for the rest of companies and can be very bad for many candidates who are different from what the companies like better.
Regards