According to recent survey results, 32% of hiring managers admit they knowingly ask illegal questions. Three in five regularly ask about a candidate’s identity during hiring process, 56% regularly illegally inquire about job seekers’ family (i.e., pregnancy, marital status) , half ask illegal health, disability status questions, and 62% inquire about prior salary.
With 12+ years of experience as a career counselor, coach, and strategist, Julia Toothacre provides a diverse perspective on career development, and joins the podcast to talk about these astounding survey results.
ResumeBuilder.com, the premier resource for professional resume templates and career advice, has published a recent survey report examining the frequency of hiring managers posing unlawful questions during the hiring process. The report also provides insight into the types of questions these hiring managers commonly ask. The survey collected responses from 1,000 hiring managers in the United States.
According to the survey, 32% of hiring managers admit they knowingly ask illegal questions. Thirteen percent “frequently” or “often” pose these questions, 8% “sometimes” do, and 11% “rarely” do. However, the majority, (69%), claim they “never” ask illegal questions. Additionally, among respondents, male hiring managers are more likely to knowingly ask illegal questions than their female counterparts.
“There are a variety of reasons why hiring managers will ask illegal questions, even though they know they are illegal,” says Resume Builder’s resume and career strategist Julia Toothacre. “Many job seekers are desperate for work and they believe that not answering a question might take them out of the running for a position, especially if it’s a question where the answer would work in their favor. Many people also don’t know what is illegal to ask, so they answer questions openly, not thinking about the consequences or bias someone might have.”
The survey findings also reveal the most prevalent illegal questions posed by hiring managers. In terms of identity, common inquiries include citizenship status, native language, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion. Additionally, hiring managers frequently seek information about a candidate’s family, including marital status, parental status, family history, and pregnancy. Other types of illegal questions pertain to health, disability, prior salaries, and political views.
This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online through the survey platform Pollfish. It was launched on April 3, and 1,000 hiring managers completed the survey. To participate, respondents had to meet demographic criteria, including current employment, age 25 or older, holding a middle management position or higher, earning at least $50,000 annually, and working for a company with a minimum of 11 employees.
View the complete report for all the results.
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